Eurostar Check-In

[DiscoStu]

Myself and some friends are booked on the first Eurostar to Brussels (travelling onward to Munich and the Oktoberfest) on 22nd September (the 06:19) and will have to travel from Northampton to Euston in order to catch it.

The problem is, the first train to Euston is the 04:15 which arrives in Euston at about 05:39, and only gives us ten minutes to get from Euston to St.Pancras before the 30 minute check-in deadline ends, so we're simply praying the train is on time.

How strict is the 30 minute rule? and also what happens if we miss our connection, or they simply refuse to let us through? Do they have to put us on the next available train, or are we buggered?

Ta

 

[AlterEgo]

AFAIK check-in is reasonably strictly enforced. I did the trip recently (albeit on the 0722 on a Saturday). Have you checked into the possibility of travelling from Bedford on a FCC service, direct to St Pancras?

You should also buy a ticket to London International (CIV), rather than London Terminals, as this'll indemnify you if you're delayed on a National Rail service and miss your Eurostar.

 

[MCR247]

But if you are leaving something ridiculous like 10 minutes, would they really let you travel on the next train even with a CIV ticket?

To be quite honest, it is rather a stupid idea isn't it?! Ten minutes, please

 

[AlterEgo]

But if you are leaving something ridiculous like 10 minutes, would they really let you travel on the next train even with a CIV ticket?

To be quite honest, it is rather a stupid idea isn't it?! Ten minutes, please

I doubt they would. I think at least 30 minutes would be allowable.

My suggestion was assuming the OP travelled in from Bedford on FCC.

There's always the Euston/Kings Cross Travelodges!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I wouldn't risk it - I'd overnight at St Pancras if it was me.

 

[lemonic]

I definitely wouldn't risk it, but the Eurostar staff are generally reasonable with checking-in and I would think they would allow you to check in up to 15 minutes before departure if necessary. (I had to check in 20-25 mins before departure once after a late running connection from Koeln to Brussels, I was not asked why I was delayed)

I would also be surprised if you are covered by CIV if your train into London is late due to the connection time probably falling below the minimum connection time.

 

[DiscoStu]

But if you are leaving something ridiculous like 10 minutes, would they really let you travel on the next train even with a CIV ticket?

To be quite honest, it is rather a stupid idea isn't it?! Ten minutes, please

It's not that stupid if it's our only option.

 

[es373]

They may put you on the next train providing there's space. I would consider taking a night bus.

 

[williamn]

Its not strictly enforced at all. I've got there 15 mins before and its been fine. If your train is on time you will be fine. If its up to 10 mins late you'll be fine. After that it gets dodgy... Brussels trains are less busy so they may transfer you but couldn't say for sure.

 

[starrymarkb]

I've got there 5 mins before departure due to a late inbound train and the tube being up the spout (having bought a through ticket through Eurostar I was committed to the train I came in on) was waved through and boarded with about 2 mins to spare!

 

[MCR247]

It's not that stupid if it's our only option.

There is always other options....

I'm pretty sure there is more than one tpd to Brussels for example...?!

 

[DiscoStu]

There is always other options....

I'm pretty sure there is more than one tpd to Brussels for example...?!

There are, but we're travelling to Munich and need to get to our campsite before it gets too late. Catching this train makes sure we arrive in Munich by 5.30pm. As it's Oktoberfest, the campsites fill up quickly - six million people go every year so as you can imagine, places to sleep are at a premium. We went last year and made the mistake of arriving late in the evening - there was no room at the inn, and had to try two more campsites before striking lucky. Luckily we drove last year so was able to move between campsite freely - we won't have that luxury this time round so need to make sure we get a spot straight away.

Also, the early train had the cheapest Eurostar seats, and allowed us to obtain the Deutsch-Bahn Euro-Spezial fair from Brussels to Munich.

The overall cost of going to Oktoberfest can be huge, so making savings like this really matter.

We booked ourselves on the first train with the intention that we will make it no matter what. As it turns out, we'll be getting a taxi now (£95) but if the 30 minute rule isn't actively enforced, we'd have had 40 mins to get between Euston and St.Pancras .... plenty of time usually.

 

[MCR247]

No you wouldn't have had 40 minutes? 30 minutes is when the train leaves, not when you can walk into the check in. Even if there was no 30 minute rule, you'd need 10-15 minutes from check in to getting onboard and finding seats.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

£95 for a taxi?!

I take it you're not going to do what I do then?

 

[DiscoStu]

No you wouldn't have had 40 minutes? 30 minutes is when the train leaves, not when you can walk into the check in. Even if there was no 30 minute rule, you'd need 10-15 minutes from check in to getting onboard and finding seats.

*sigh*

Whatever :roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

£95 for a taxi?!

I take it you're not going to do what I do then?

Haha - no I'm afraid not

It's not that bad between five of us - plus we don't set off from London feeling like cr*p. Not the best start to a weekend break

 

[sonic2009]

Surely it would be cheaper to get a taxi to Milton Keynes Central or Bedford, and catch a LM or FCC service to EUS or STP

MKC 0330 arrive EUS 0435 or BDM 0302 to STP arrive 0416 or 0342 arrive 0453

 

[AlterEgo]

Surely it would be cheaper to get a taxi to Milton Keynes Central or Bedford, and catch a LM or FCC service to EUS or STP

MKC 0330 arrive EUS 0435 or BDM 0302 to STP arrive 0416 or 0342 arrive 0453

This would be my suggestion exactly. Don't forget the CIV ticket....

 

[shinkansen1966]

My personal 'best' was 10 mins prior departure. This was in the Waterloo days. As for St Pancras, I've often checked in around 20 mins prior to departure. My gut feeling is that they'll let you through, if they think you can clear security and immigration and still be on the train.

Recently, caught the 06:20 from St Pancras to Brussels. I got through in 5 mins. The departures either side are at 05:22 and 06:52. There won't be queues for other trains.

 

[DiscoStu]

Surely it would be cheaper to get a taxi to Milton Keynes Central or Bedford, and catch a LM or FCC service to EUS or STP

MKC 0330 arrive EUS 0435 or BDM 0302 to STP arrive 0416 or 0342 arrive 0453

Well spotted!

I used thetrainline.com to check the times and put 4am as the departure time so it didn't show the 0330 from MKC departure .... cheers!!

 

[ChrisCooper]

That said, if it's £95 for a taxi between 5, that's less than £19 per person. By the time you've got a taxi to Bedford and 5 tickets from Bedford to London it might end up more expensive. Actually I think it's £23 for an anytime single from Bedford to London, so the taxi would be cheaper.

 

[DiscoStu]

That said, if it's £95 for a taxi between 5, that's less than £19 per person. By the time you've got a taxi to Bedford and 5 tickets from Bedford to London it might end up more expensive. Actually I think it's £23 for an anytime single from Bedford to London, so the taxi would be cheaper.

Yeah. we've decided to do the taxi move.

It's cheaper, like you say. We can leave later, and we don't have the faff of getting to St.Pancras when we get to Euston.

 

[williamn]

I suspect the 30 minute rule is only there to help to spread out when people arrive, rather than getting everyone through security etc at once. If you make it known you are on a train leaving shortly you'll often get fast tracked.

 

[shinkansen1966]

When Eurostar was launched, check in time was 20 minute. Now it's 30 minutes. What exactly is needed to be done in the additional 10 mins which Eurostar now require ?

Frankly, I'd like to see security and immigration scrapped altogether. With boarding a eurostar as straightforward as any other international european train.

 

[Crossover]

I would say the taxi move is the best option and means you are delivered direct to your destination. As you also say, though £95 quid sounds a lot, when split between 5 people it may well be cheaper than the train and a lot more convenient.

As for how much they enforce the 30 mins thing, I'm not sure as when I went on Eurostar a few weeks back, we were there in plenty of time (same train to Brussels as you actually, albeit 06:36 from Ebbsfleet which calls everywhere en-route to Brussels!). Going out in the morning from Ebbsfleet we could have probably been later getting there as security checks were quick as there few queues. Coming back however there was quite a queue and security at Brussels seemed stricter so any less than 30 mins could have been pushing it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

When Eurostar was launched, check in time was 20 minute. Now it's 30 minutes. What exactly is needed to be done in the additional 10 mins which Eurostar now require ?

Frankly, I'd like to see security and immigration scrapped altogether. With boarding a eurostar as straightforward as any other international european train.

For the first point, there are a lot more people travelling now so I suspect they need the extra 10 minutes to avoid precisely the sort of last minute rush Williamn describes.

As to the second point - that would require the UK to sign up to Schengen first...

 

[mickey]

In Lille check-in doesn't even open until 30 mins before departure so they can't be strict even if they want to!

 

[WhiteJoker]

Two years ago I went to London for New Years eve. On the ride back my nephew was quite slow starting up and we arrived at St. Pancras quite late. There was a enormous queue and ten minutes before train departure we still hadn't passed the gates to the security check.

So it might be because of the enormous queue, but they were quite lenient then.

 

[shinkansen1966]

There was a enormous queue and ten minutes before train departure we still hadn't passed the gates to the security check.

In the end, did you make the train ? And how ?

 

[WhiteJoker]

Oh right, I made it, barely :P

Obviously there was a big queue for the security checks as well. They saw that many people where still waiting so they called people for the first trains forward. There were four trains scheduled for departure after each other. So in the end it worked out well.

 

[AlterEgo]

As to the second point - that would require the UK to sign up to Schengen first...

Yes - something, which, thinking about it, I'd love to see in principle.

However I doubt it'll ever happen due to practicalities.