The Channel Tunnel (French: Tunnel sous la Manche) is a railway which connects the United Kingdom with France, beneath the English Channel.
The undersea route is around 31.35 mi (50.45 km) long, with trains carrying freight and passengers, including car shuttles. High-speed passenger services connect London with several cities in mainland Europe, including Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Car shuttles carry drivers between the road networks in England and France. The tunnel's portal in England is at Cheriton, near Folkestone, Kent. In France, trains dive under the sea floor at Coquelles, near Calais, Hauts-de-France.
The English Channel is known as La Manche in French.
Understand
[edit]There are two principal ways to cross the English Channel by train: using car shuttles; or, using intercity high-speed trains.
Car shuttle
[edit]Drive-on, drive-off trains shuttle between 1 Folkestone 
and 2 Calais , with journeys taking around 35 minutes. LeShuttle carries cars and coaches, cycles (using a bookable cycle service) and freight including HGVs.
Intercity trains
[edit]- See also: Rail travel in Great Britain, Rail travel in France, Rail travel in the Netherlands, Rail travel in Europe
Eurostar operates intercity trains through the Channel Tunnel. They can reach 186 mph (299 km/h) on high-speed lines in Great Britain and across mainland Europe. Cross-channel routes form part of a wider network across western Europe.
In the 
United Kingdom, you can join Eurostar trains at:
- 3 London St Pancras International. In Central London, St Pancras International is near Camden and Bloomsbury. It is around 15 minutes' walk from the British Museum and around 30 minutes from London's Oxford Street shopping and the nightlife in Soho. Change at London St Pancras International for onward travel using
National Rail and 
London Underground lines CIR H&C MET NOR PIC VIC . London King's Cross station is nearby. 
In 
France, you can join Eurostar trains at:
- 4 Paris Nord. Gare du Nord or Paris Nord is towards the north of the city centre. The terminus is within 30 minutes' walk of the Sacre-Coeur Basilica and the artsy hillside neighbourhood at Montmartre to the west. To the south-west, it takes just over 30 minutes to walk to the Palais Garnier opera house in the 9th arrondissement. Change at Paris Nord for
SNCF routes for onward travel in France, and within Paris using Paris Métro lines 4 5 from Gare du Nord and 2 from La Chapelle. Paris Est station is nearby. - 5 Lille-Europe. This interchange is on the edge of Lille city centre. It is around 20 minutes' walk from Notre-Dame-de-la-Treille Cathedral, the Palais des Beaux Arts museum and city shops. Change at Lille-Europe for onward rail travel in France and
Belgium, and within Lille using Lille Metro line M2 and trams R T
In 
Belgium and 
Netherlands, you can join Eurostar trains at:
- 6 Brussels-South (Gare de Bruxelles-Midi/Station Brussel-Zuid). This major interchange is set just outside of the Pentagon - Brussels' historic centre. It's within 30 minutes walk of the capital's Grand-Place, the very centre of the city with restaurants and shops. Change at Midi/Zuid for onward travel in Belgium and other destinations in western Europe, and for Brussels Metro (including premetro underground tram) lines 2 3 4 6 and trams 48 49 50 51 73 78 81 82
- 7 Amsterdam Centraal. On the waterside, surrounded by canals, Amsterdam Centraal is in the city centre, close to museums, harbours, shops and bars. Change for NS Nederlandse Spoorwegen routes for onward travel within The Netherlands, Amsterdam Metro lines 51 52 53 54 and tram lines 2 4 12 13 14 17 24 26
- 8 Rotterdam Centraal. Just outside Rotterdam Centrum, this station is close to the shops in one of The Netherlands' largest cities. It's about 30 minutes' walk from Stadsdriehoek and the fashionable harbourside. Change for NS Nederlandse Spoorwegen routes for onward travel within The Netherlands, or within Rotterdam using metro lines D E and trams 4 7 8 12 20 21 23 24 25
History
[edit]The Channel Tunnel was built between 1988 and 1993. At its deepest, the tunnel lies 75 metres below sea level.
Prepare
[edit]Cross-channel travel between the UK and mainland Europe requires a passport. Border agents may also need to scan or inspect your luggage before you travel.
Most services require a booking:
Get in
[edit]LeShuttle - Folkestone terminal
[edit]Drivers travelling from the United Kingdom into France will need to use the Folkestone terminal. It is signposted throughout South East England as "Channel Tunnel".
You can get to the terminal using either 
(junction 11A) or 
for non-motorway or local traffic.
From London - follow then to junction 11A.
From 
London Orbital clockwise (Potters Bar, Brentwood, Dartford) - exit southbound at junction 3. Join and follow to junction 11A. Tolls apply to drivers travelling on the and 
across the Thames Estuary Dartford Crossing - including the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge southbound and the northbound tunnels. To pay the Dart Charge, use the UK Government website (https://www.gov.uk/pay-dartford-crossing-charge).
From London Orbital anticlockwise (Heathrow Airport, Redhill, Sevenoaks) - follow eastbound onto 
at junction 5. Merge onto and follow to junction 11A.
After leaving the motorway, drivers should follow signage to find the correct lane. Car and coach drivers and motorcyclists should use "Passenger Traffic" lanes.
The first barrier is a check-in booth, where you can use a touch screen to "check in" using your credit/debit card details or booking reference. A hanger - which you can display on your rear-view mirror - features the details of your shuttle crossing.
Proceed to a car park for the terminal building, where you can get refreshments if time allows. Departure screens in the terminal and car park display boarding information.
Leaving the car park, proceed to UK and French passport and immigration control, where you will need to show your passport. Your luggage may be checked.
Boarding starts 25 minutes before departure. Follow green arrows to your slip lane - which will usually match the letter displayed on the hanger. You may be held for a short while until boarding begins.
Staff will direct you onto the drive-on carriages and into a spot.
Cyclists must pre-book for a minibus pickup from Holiday Inn Express Folkestone.
LeShuttle - Calais terminal
[edit]Drivers travelling from France into the United Kingdom will need to use the Calais terminal. It is signposted throughout Hauts-de-France as "Tunnel /s la Manche", "Tunnel s/s la Manche" or "Tunnel sous la Manche".
You can get to the terminal using 
junction 42 - also part of routes 
. Tolls are commonplace on autoroutes in France.
From 
, Arras and Lens - follow 
northbound towards Calais, then Tunnel sous la Manche/Boulogne. Merge with then exit at junction 42.
From 
, Bruges and Dunkirk - follow 
into France near Dunkirk, where the route becomes towards Calais. Exit at junction 42.
From Amiens, Abbeville and Boulogne-sur-Mer - follow towards Calais. Exit at junction 42.
Before leaving the autoroute, drivers should follow signage to find the correct lane. Car and coach drivers should use the "Terminal Tourisme" lanes.
The first barrier is a check-in booth, where you can use a touch screen to "check in" using your credit/debit card details or booking reference. A hanger - which you can display on your rear-view mirror - features the details of your shuttle crossing.
Proceed to a car park for the terminal building, where you can get refreshments if time allows. Departure screens in the terminal and car park display boarding information.
Leaving the car park, proceed to UK and French passport and immigration control, where you will need to show your passport. Your luggage may be checked.
Boarding starts 25 minutes before departure. Follow green arrows to your slip lane - which will usually match the letter displayed on the hanger. You may be held for a short while until boarding begins.
Staff will direct you onto the drive-on carriages and into a spot.
Cyclists must pre-book for a minibus pickup from Ciffco in Boulevard de l'Europe, near Coquelles.
Eurostar - London St Pancras International
[edit]Eurostar trains depart from platforms 5-10 at London St Pancras International.
Passengers travelling from outside London can use 
National Rail services to reach London St Pancras International. There are direct trains from:
- East Midlands Railway - from the East Midlands and South Yorkshire, including Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Luton.
- Southeastern - from Kent, including Margate, Dover, Canterbury, Ashford, Gravesend and Stratford International.
- Thameslink - cross-London routes from the South East and East of England, including Peterborough, Cambridge, Bedford, Luton, Stevenage, St Albans, Brighton and Wimbledon.
London King's Cross is around two minutes' walk from St Pancras with direct National Rail services from:
- Grand Central - from Yorkshire and the North East, including Bradford and Sunderland.
- Great Northern and Thameslink - from the East of England, including King's Lynn, Ely, Peterborough, Cambridge and Stevenage.
- Hull Trains - from Hull.
- LNER[dead link] - from Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland, including Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne, York, Leeds and Lincoln.
- Lumo - from the North East and Scotland, including Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne.
Six London Underground lines serve King's Cross St Pancras:
- CIR H&C MET - connections with west, east and central London, and other London stations including London Liverpool Street (for East Anglia) and London Paddington (for the West Country and South Wales).
- NOR - connections with north, central and south London, including the City and London Bridge station (for South East England).
- PIC - connections with north, central and west London, including Heathrow Airport, Leicester Square and Theatreland, South Kensington and the museums, and Bloomsbury.
- VIC - connections with north-east and central London, including Oxford Circus for Oxford Street, Green Park for Buckingham Palace, and London Victoria (for South East England).
Eurostar is signposted throughout London St Pancras International station, with departure boards before passport control.
Arrive at the Eurostar check-in, where you will need to scan your tickets. There is airport-style security once through the ticket barriers, and passengers will pass through both UK and EU passport control at St Pancras station.
There is a departure lounge with additional departure boards and refreshments, if time allows. Boarding is announced around 20 minutes before departure.
Eurostar - Paris Nord
[edit]Eurostar trains depart from platforms 3-6 at Paris Nord.
Passengers travelling from outside Paris can use 
SNCF services to reach Paris Nord. There are direct trains from Lille-Europe and Arras. There are also Eurostar services from Cologne and Dortmund, among other destinations in western Europe.
Paris Est is nearby. There are direct trains from Champagne Adrennes, Reims, Nancy, Strasbourg and Stuttgart.
Several metro stations are near Paris Nord:
- 2 La Chapelle - Line 2 east-west across northern areas of Paris.
- 4 Gare du Nord/Gare de l'Est - Line 4 north-south through central Paris, including the Saint-Michel and Notre Dame areas, and Paris Montparnasse station with routes from Bordeaux, Tours, Le Mans, Rennes, Nantes and Versailles.
- 5 Gare du Nord/Gare de l'Est - Line 5 north-east to south through central Paris, including Place de la République and Gare d'Austerlitz stations with routes from Orléans, Tours and Toulouse.
- 7 Gare de l'Est - Line 7 through central Paris and along the Seine, which calls at Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre for the Louvre Museum and Opéra for the Opéra Garnier.
Cross-Paris routes using the Réseau Express Régional are:
- B Gare du Nord - between north-east and south-west Paris, through the centre, stopping at the Châtelet interchange in the centre of Paris - not far from the Louvre - and the Saint-Michel and Notre Dame areas.
- D Gare du Nord - between northern and south-east Paris, through the centre, stopping at the Châtelet interchange in the centre of Paris. Change at Gare de Lyon from Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Montpellier, Grenoble, Dijon, Nice and Barcelona.
- E Magenta - through northern Paris, also calling at Gare Saint-Lazare, with trains from Rouen, Lisieux, Caen, Le Havre and Cherbourg.
For Eurostar, the escalator is opposite platform 17.
Arrive at the Eurostar check-in, where you will need to scan your tickets. There is airport-style security once through the ticket barriers, and passengers will pass through both French and UK passport control at Paris Nord.
There is a departure lounge with additional departure boards and refreshments, if time allows. Boarding is announced around 30 minutes before departure.
Eurostar - Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid
[edit]Eurostar trains depart from platforms 1, 2 and 3.
Passengers travelling from outside Brussels can use 
SNCB services to reach Brussels-South. There are direct trains from most major destinations in Belgium including Antwerp, Bruges, Leuven, Ghent and Ostend, and from some destinations further afield in the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France.
Brussels-South is around nine minutes' walk from Porte de Hal, 15 minutes' walk from the Flea Market, which is surrounded by fashionable bars and places to eat, and 25 minutes' walk from Grand-Place in the city centre. There are few attractions within five minutes' walk of the station.
Brussels-South is on the city's metro network:
- 2 - near-circular metro route around the city centre, connecting Brussels-South with Louise (for the Palais de Justice and Ixelles) and Trone (for the European Quarter, including the European Parliament in Brussels).
- 3 4 - two of Brussels' premetro routes (part-metro, part-tram), connecting Brussels-South with Anneessens (for the Manneken Pis and the LGBTQ+ venues in Rue du Marché au Charbon), Bourse (for Grand-Place) and Docks Bruxsel.
- 6 - connecting Brussels-South with Louise, Trone, Stuyvenbergh (near the Palace of Laeken) and Heysel (for the Atomium).
A selection of tram routes also link Brussels-South with suburbs throughout the city.
Arrive at the Eurostar check-in, where you will need to scan your tickets. There is airport-style security once through the ticket barriers, and passengers will pass through both French and UK passport control at Paris Nord.
There is a departure lounge with additional departure boards and refreshments, if time allows. Boarding is announced around 20 minutes before departure.
Go
[edit]Undersea journeys last approximately 35 minutes.
Stay safe
[edit]LeShuttle and Eurostar display safety advice within each carriage. LeShuttle journeys also begin with a safety announcement, and general advice is to remain within your own vehicle for the duration of the journey. There are toilets on all trains.
The Channel Tunnel comprises two railway tunnels and a service tunnel between them, which enables emergency teams to reach affected areas and for evacuations to take place in very rare circumstances.
To call the emergency services either side of the Channel Tunnel:
United Kingdom: ☏ 999 (☏ 112 also works in the UK). Use ☏ 101 for non-urgent police enquiries or ☏ 111 for NHS healthcare help.
France: ☏ 112 for foreign travellers, or alternatively ☏ 15 for emergency medical care, ☏ 17 for an immediate police response during a live emergency or ☏ 18 for the fire brigade in an emergency.
Belgium: ☏ 101 for urgent police assistance or ☏ 112 for any emergency. Alternatively ☏ 1722 for non-urgent fire service assistance or ☏ 1733 for the on-call doctor, for medical issues which cannot wait until personal doctors' opening hours.
Netherlands: ☏ 112.