Changing a Eurostar passenger?

Parchester

Mrs Parchester and I were due to spend next weekend in Paris and have return tickets booked on Eurostar. Unfortunately her aged mother has had an accident and is in hospital with a broken leg so, understandably, Mrs P now doesn't want to go, but suggests I take our daughter instead.

Has anyone had any experience of trying to change a "non-refundable, non-transferable" ticket? Or can an experienced Eurostar traveller tell me how strict they are at checking ticket name against passport name. Their website says not to worry if there is a simple spelling mistake in the name on the ticket. Are they going to be bothered if Mrs C Parchester becomes Miss D Parchester?

richardw

What does their website say if it isn't a spelling mistake?

Parchester

richardw wrote: »

What does their website say if it isn't a spelling mistake?

And your point is?

jackieblack

http://www.eurostar.com/UK/uk/leisure/customer_care/questions_answers.jsp

From memory (which is not as reliable as it used to be ) I don't think passports have miss/mrs on, so if it's just a case of being D Parchester vs C Parchester - you could plead a mis-type (D & C are close together on the keyboard or if booked by phone D and C do sound alike......

I guess it depends what they class as 'a minor spelling mistake'

Depending on the inconvenience factor you could either ring them now and say 'oops, just noticed I made a typo' or chance it on the day..... if you've got far to travel to the Eurostar station I'd be inclined to go for the first option, but if its only 10 mins up the road and you're willing to chance being turned away.......

richardw

If christine becomes dianne, they'll probably notice, but not if Carol becomes carole.

Is there an initial or a first name in the booking?

isplumm

Parchester wrote: »

Mrs Parchester and I were due to spend next weekend in Paris and have return tickets booked on Eurostar. Unfortunately her aged mother has had an accident and is in hospital with a broken leg so, understandably, Mrs P now doesn't want to go, but suggests I take our daughter instead.

Has anyone had any experience of trying to change a "non-refundable, non-transferable" ticket? Or can an experienced Eurostar traveller tell me how strict they are at checking ticket name against passport name. Their website says not to worry if there is a simple spelling mistake in the name on the ticket. Are they going to be bothered if Mrs C Parchester becomes Miss D Parchester?

Hi,

I would ring up & say that you have misstyped the initial D instead of C - see what they say ....

Other option is to try & claim on insurance - assuming you have some?

Mark

Spursman180

isplumm wrote: »

Hi,

I would ring up & say that you have misstyped the initial D instead of C - see what they say ....

Other option is to try & claim on insurance - assuming you have some?

Mark

Unlike airlines, Eurostar don't produce a passenger manifest for the border agencies specifically, although the authorities can check if they could be bothered. You pass through check-in using a machine readable ticket and auto gates, they are not required to check you against a passport. UKIS and PAF only want to see that you match the passport.

Each train manifest consists of 18 pages per train, can you imagine how much slower the already slow control booths would be, especially as sales within an hour of departure would not be on it, and they can and do sell tickets right up to check-in closing?

WickedWolfie

Continental European rail tickets, unlike those from the UK, are transferable. I understand that Eurostar follow the continental model.

There has been significant discussion on flyertalk. See:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/u-k-ireland/755124-eurostar-faq-10.html

Mizter_T

The Eurostar conditions of carriage do state that "Tickets are only valid for the person whose name appears printed on the ticket" (clause 12) - so technically speaking they are not transferable.

However, there appears to be naff all enforcement of this in reality - normally tickets are only checked by the automatic gate at the origin station rather than by a person, there are no ticket checks once on board or on arrival, and furthermore depending upon where you buy them then the tickets may not have anyone's name on them at all (e.g. those bought from DB), or otherwise they may only show the name of the person who purchased them (e.g. those bought online from SNCF). Also, I've read reports of tickets being checked manually at check-in for whatever reason (e.g. when the gates were broken, which I've experienced at least a couple of times at Lille), but official eye-lids remained unbatted when the passenger was evidently someone other than the name which appeared on their ticket.

To the OP - just go for it, and don't worry about it (if anything, take comfort in the matching surname). The very worst that could happen is that you'd have to buy a new ticket - but I really can't imagine that happening. The whole set-up is rather different to flying, despite the check-in arrangements and all that.

(NB - In years to come this situation could possibly change, given that the UK government is seemingly still going ahead with its 'e-borders' project - but Eurostar, the ferry companies, coach lines and tour operators are not remotely keen on this whatsoever, it certainly hasn't happened yet, and if it ever does it'd be quite some way off in the future.)

Parchester

Thanks guys. Seems like it should be ok. I shall just turn up and play it by ear.

HP77

I used to travel on Eurostar a lot but please do not take this as gospel as it's been over a year since I last used them.

To check in for your train you just put your ticket into the machine and the barrier opens. There are usually so many passengers that they do not cross reference names with passports (nowhere near as tough as getting onboard an aircraft). You'll obviously need to show your passport to the French immigration officers when you leave the UK and the British ones when you return but they probably won't ask to see a ticket.

As a previous posters comments e-borders will make a difference in the future but the legislation doesn't apply to passengers arriving by train...yet.

If they do then query it just tell the truth and say that you didn't want to waste the ticket....