Cheaper Eurotunnel

Emmiex_2

After many visits back to the UK I have discovered a cheap way to book the Eurotunnel

If you book a 24 hour return and only use one way it is cheaper than booking a normal return or a single

For example:

Say I wanted to travel from the UK to France tomorrow, i would book a return trip leaving the UK tomorrow morning and returning that afternoon this would cost approx £45, then just use the outbound journey and dont bother with the return.

Then do the same for the way back, so the total cost would be approx £90

This isnt bad seeing that Eurotunnel normally charge at least £85 each way.

So you make a mega saving! Happy travelling!!

:money:

Takecareofthepennies

Used to do that, also on the ferries, many a time in years past.

You may want to exercise some caution though. Channel crossing operators these days reserve the right to charge you the full price of a single crossing (which can be quite astronomical) if you do not complete the full return trip. Remember they would usually have your credit / debit card details! I seem to recall stories of this actually happening some time ago. It would be interesting to hear other travellers' experiences.

If you don't easily get seasick, SpeedFerries, NorfolkLine, and Transeuropa Ferries usually offer cheap alternatives.

Voyager2002

Check the terms and conditions very carefully. I think you will find that when you buy a day return, you agree that if you fail to come back they can charge you the cost of a single, and collect the difference from the card you used to make your booking.

bribri_2

this use of only half of a return was in the news sometime ago. It would be interesting to see in this age of reclaiming back charges such an approach would hold up.

Imagine if you walked out of a theatre show or football match or even didn't use the return on a BR train. What exactly is the loss of revenue that the ferry company is suffering that they need to recoup?

br1anstorm

bribri raises an interesting point.

I too have often wondered whether the ferry/tunnel companies ever seek to enforce the 'penalty' for not using the return half of a day-return ticket. And if they did, would it stand up to challenge? The comparable situations which bribri mentions are very appropriate parallels.

Anyone with legal expertise - or who has actually been penalised - care to comment?

br1anstorm

bribri_2

I thought I would bump this up.

Is it an Unfair term as well?

In addition I read on another thread that people with Ryanair returns who can't use one part just don't turn up because it costs more to cancel but still use the other half.

Ety

I tried to work the price out by doing a trip this way but it ended up more expensive!!!

dzug

Eurostar definitely do not charge you if you don't use the return half. It's routinely recommended on eg Lonely Planet and Tripadvisor, and no-one has ever reported problems.

There are rumours that the ferry companies may - and they certainly try to give that impression when you book - but I've never seen it confirmed or denied as actually happening.

Another way of getting cheaper Eurostar fares is to pretend to be American. Delete your cookies and give your location as the US when you open the site. I've heard that some other nationalities also work - and some are more expensive.

angel

I phoned Eurostar about this a while ago and they told me that it's fine not to use the return ticket. If I was booking again now I'd still give them a call to confirm it so that I didn'y get any nasty surprises on my credit card when I got home!

Altarf

br1anstorm wrote: »

Anyone with legal expertise ... care to comment?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/transport/Story/0,2763,1262957,00.html

You could be charged with theft (although incredibly unlikely), but they are not allowed to charge your credit card unless they have specifically included such a term in their T&Cs.