Eurostar St Pancras late check-in

scan1703

Good morning, just looking to hear from anyone who has survived a late check-in with Eurostar in London?

I am due to travel to Paris in a few weeks in midweek. My Eurostar leaves at 10:00, so check-in shuts at 09:30 according to the website, due to connecting trains from my home town [and bad planning by me] I will be arriving at Kings Cross at 09:28. Its only a 5 minute walk to St Pancras which at best will get us to check in around 09:40, will they let us on in anyone's experience?

I did speak to someone very helpful at Eurostar this morning who has kindly printed our travel tickets off and is sending them to me, originally I was told I had to collect them and she seemed to think they don't actually shut check in as such, I have been told different by another staff member so confused!

Any feedback much appreciated.

Thanks

richardw

I doubt you'd make it.

King's cross is very busy at that time in the morning, allow 10-15 mins to get from KX to ST.P.

It is unlikely that your train will arrive on time at KX, allow for say at least at 30min delay.

The eurostar trains are very long so there will be a lot of people going through, aim to be there at least 60 mins before departure.

scan1703

Hi Richard, sounds like you have had bad experience at Kings Cross, haven't we all!

My girlfriend commutes to London daily at these times, I am hesitant to tempt fate but trains are rarely delayed, if they are its no more than anything over 2-3 minutes according to her.

We have done the Eurostar a couple of times at peak and it really was a 2 minute walk even when exiting a very busy Kings Cross, TFL backs this up as maximum 2 minutes but they probably don't count on busy periods.

http://journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/user/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&sessionID=TLJJP11P1_878982252&requestID=1&tripSelector1=1&itdLPxx_view=detail&tripSelection=on&command=nop&calculateDistance=1

It was more the Eurostar check-in I was asking about, I know we have left it very close but unfortunately circumstances are out of our hands on this one.

When I spoke to the Eurostar lady this morning she did actually tell me the busier the train the better chance we have of getting through check-in, 900 passengers in an hour takes time she says!

Knowing my luck it will be empty then!

Cheers

richardw

If you get to St.P at 9.33, I don't think you'd get through.

Why can't you get to St.P at 9am?

scan1703

Hmmm yes that's my worry, it will be at the check-in operators discretion, oddly I have heard I would stand a better chance on the Paris side.

We had pre-booked train tickets to Kings Cross as we couldn't get child care earlier than 08:00 on this day, meaning we have to take the 08:30, arriving at 09:28 [perhaps]. I have just looked at amending my rail ticket and they want an extra £60 [admin fee] to change it, even if we could get the baby sitters earlier that is extortionate!

I guess its up to me whether I want to worry about it for the next few weeks and run the risk of losing the Eurostar/Hotel package or pay up and be safe!

Would be nice if Eurostar could just say to us for definate, if you turn up after 09:30 you will not get on, all they say is you probably will be ok!

Some decisions to be made I guess!

richardw

Irrespective of what airlines/train operators say, users of airports and stations can make reasonably good judgements about what is likely.

Perhaps offer the child carer an extra £50 to be there at 7.30am.

Spursman180

Well, nobody on here can give you a definitive answer, when check-in closes it closes, it's not a question of whether they will let you through the gates, unless someone keeps the gates on the system open your ticket won't be accepted. You would need to be manually processed which will rack up time even if they let you approach the gateline.

Fortunately at that time of day there are other trains behind you so the security screeners, HMC, SB and PAF won't have bailed out because then it would be impossible to go through and board.

I have travelled on Eurostar hundreds of times and I find your comments on Paris amusing, 2 minutes late regardless of your ticket, even wearing staff passes the gates resemble madame Guillotine, it's infamous.

Having said all that, the premier check-in doesn't close until 10 minutes before departure, so you do have every chance, but no guarantees.

scan1703

Hi Spursman, I agree about the Paris side, I was just quoting others on the forums, I have been late on one occasion when our train from Antibes was delayed, wasn't a nice experience at Gare Du Nord I have to say!

I received my tickets on Saturday so that will cut out 20 minutes of time. I also received another email from Eurostar support this morning with the following:

"The Eurostar check-in closes 20 minutes prior to departure. Therefore, if you arrive after this time you will be refused access to the train. As you are ware, your tickets are not changeable, so if your National Rail service is delayed, you would need to purchase new tickets to travel on Eurostar."

With that in mind, I would have 12 minutes to get from our train to Eurostar check-in, from memory that is quite possible, albeit relying on the Kings Cross train being on time.

Richard, I would ask the babysitter but that extra £50 + the rip off East Coast trains asking for a £60 admin fee to change trains would cost me an added £110 on my trip, it may be that I have to bit the bullet and pay this.

regards

Gary

robpw2

scan1703 wrote: »

Hi Spursman, I agree about the Paris side, I was just quoting others on the forums, I have been late on one occasion when our train from Antibes was delayed, wasn't a nice experience at Gare Du Nord I have to say!

I received my tickets on Saturday so that will cut out 20 minutes of time. I also received another email from Eurostar support this morning with the following:

"The Eurostar check-in closes 20 minutes prior to departure. Therefore, if you arrive after this time you will be refused access to the train. As you are ware, your tickets are not changeable, so if your National Rail service is delayed, you would need to purchase new tickets to travel on Eurostar."

With that in mind, I would have 12 minutes to get from our train to Eurostar check-in, from memory that is quite possible, albeit relying on the Kings Cross train being on time.

Richard, I would ask the babysitter but that extra £50 + the rip off East Coast trains asking for a £60 admin fee to change trains would cost me an added £110 on my trip, it may be that I have to bit the bullet and pay this.

regards

Gary

ok £110 extra on trip guarenteed entry on train or .. lose eurostar tickets which will cose you more .. i know what i would choose

can you not just book new tickets for the train in the morning to kc i think it would be cheaper

NEH

scan1703 wrote: »

Hi Spursman, I agree about the Paris side, I was just quoting others on the forums, I have been late on one occasion when our train from Antibes was delayed, wasn't a nice experience at Gare Du Nord I have to say!

I received my tickets on Saturday so that will cut out 20 minutes of time. I also received another email from Eurostar support this morning with the following:

"The Eurostar check-in closes 20 minutes prior to departure. Therefore, if you arrive after this time you will be refused access to the train. As you are ware, your tickets are not changeable, so if your National Rail service is delayed, you would need to purchase new tickets to travel on Eurostar."

With that in mind, I would have 12 minutes to get from our train to Eurostar check-in, from memory that is quite possible, albeit relying on the Kings Cross train being on time.

Richard, I would ask the babysitter but that extra £50 + the rip off East Coast trains asking for a £60 admin fee to change trains would cost me an added £110 on my trip, it may be that I have to bit the bullet and pay this.

regards

Gary

Personally i would never take the gamble on a train being on time....

What about buying new advance tickets, there may still be some cheap ones left and it might be cheaper than paying the £60 admin fee....?

richardw

So if you arrive at 9.33 at ST.P eurostar check-in, you'll have 7 mins to get your ticket into that machine, there'll be a queue, are you going to push and shove your way to the front?

IMHO you're going to have to spend £110 to drastically improve your chances of making the eurostar train.