Great video, and having never towed a caravan through before, knowing you can rest in the caravan would be fantastic! Happy journeys wherever you're off to next! :)
Andrew Ditton Thank you for your very professional video,with a bit of a giggle in it.You have given me a lot of confidence. I am just a bit sorry I got your name wrong in my first comment. So thank you Andrew.
Absolutely superb job, thank you. Am taking my caravan to Sweden in June, first time in Europe with it! Have the choice of Harwich ferry or tunnel, the tunnel looks very attractive from your video
Superbly helpful Video Andrew, as always. We are off to BelRepayre in July, first tow in France and this Vid has nicely put my mind at rest getting Ettie onto the Euro Tunnel.
A very helpful video. I'm going to ravel via the Eurotunnel in a 6-seater van and I was a little afraid how to go through this. The film explains the matter well. Thanks.
We are booked an d go in a couple of months, very informative video, I had concerns about the loading process but no longer after watching this, we are using the tunnel because of our dog, didn't want to leave her in the car from portsmouth to caen!.. many thanks
I like the video very informative I've been using the Channel Tunnel for the last five years but this is the first time I'm taking my caravan. So watching your video showed me the proper way to go to catch the train. thank you
Brilliant video! Full of tons of info. I don’t know that I’ll ever use the information, but this is exactly how I would want someone to explain it to me. I really appreciate you doing this for other people.❤
A great video we have just bought a caravan and have booked to go to France in July. Have been a bit worried how we got it onto the train, this made it look easy and has given us confidence thank you.
Great informative video Andrew, we took the train on a trip to the Netherlands a couple of years ago. We were relatively new caravanners at the time and found the whole process incredibly easy. In fact, project stack was by far our biggest hinderance / frustration in both directions. I would definitely opt for the train if we head off to the continent again...
Ah, the dreaded 'op stack'! Coming from Kent, it is the bane of our lives sometimes. Glad you found the vid useful. I'm hoping to head off again next week.. ;)
Thank you for the video. I am quite concerned as taking a motorhome and boat on a trailor so unsure as to the process and access room. Mind is at rest, thank you.
When I last went through the Chunnel it was a coach load of campers with a trailer full of camping equipment and I didn't like the crossing one bit as we wasn't allowed off the coach to stretch our legs whilst on the train. On this Friday I'll be taking the Eurostar which hopefully I'll like the Eurostar Chunnel trip to Paris.
Thanks to your video we braved the Channel Tunnel and it couldn't be easier. Great dog exercise area at the terminal and we headed on down to a great dog friendly back-to-basics campsite in the South of France. (Le Mas Cauvy - Saint Christol Les Alès) check it out if you're ever headed this way. Very friendly and an amazing location with everything you could need. Thanks for the heads up on the tunnel - opened up a different world.
Just watched this Andrew. Very useful. Wish I watched it before we went to Ypres last year without the caravan. The automated check in cought me out as Im used to the ferries.
Thanks for the great video. Indeed a major advantage to have your pet with you during the trip! I wonder how it works with built-in gas installations...
Thank you Andrew. I'm a total newbie so your video was very helpful. May I suggest a video on taking pets abroad, as a visual learner your videos are so informative and helpful
Thanks very much for this Andrew. We are off to France soon so will play this as a sat nav. Are you sure you aren't exceeding your towing limit with that set up 😀. Good luck on your adventures.
That was a fun vid! We drove to the in-laws' in Germany back in '08 and have been on the Eurolines bus via the tunnel too. It is good! I'd happily do it again - except the speed on German motorways scares me to death!!!
***** You're welcome! There is currently a lot of traffic disruption in Kent so best get travel advice from the Eurotunnel website or their Twitter feed before you set off for the terminal - and allow LOTS of time. Have a great trip!
Deciding whether caravan or motorhome. Was not quite sure of taking caravan to europe but this video has showed me that the eurotunnel for a caravan (i have travelled in the car often enough) is not as bad as I thought. And staying with the dog in the caravan would be great for my scitty dog.
The tunnel is definitely best for skitty dogs so you can stay with them. Caravan v motorhome is a difficult one though. In my experience, motorhome for touring (fewer than 3 nights per site), caravan for longer stays (3 nights or more per site). You'll get a lot of advice from a lot of people, most of it biased, so just decide what is most important for YOU! :)
Hi Hannah, it's the same space but do trust me, it's more than enough. I did it with a huge 8ft wide Adria and no problems. There are people there to help guide you if you are nervous. Bon voyage!
Very informative; will consider choosing the train instead, travelling from Germany to the UK. Shame it is somewhat more expensive than the ferry. (if I'm not mistaken)
Yes it often is, but sometimes you can get a bargain. However, if it's running well it is way quicker than the ferry, and you can stay with your pets in the car.
How fun does that look! Andrew, what does it cost? Is it different for a motorhome ? So happy you could travel with sweet Dougal. I think my next male dog will be named Dougal!
Wow thank you for that video is it easy to get back to the euro tunnel for the return journey are the signs in both languages and are the pictures similar high veh or caravan etc
hi, brill clip, really clear, especially the tip about not moving forward till the 'join' of the carriages is clear. got a question though, when you said you can go in your caravan whilst its on the train, what is the safest way to do this? would i need to put the legs down etc? i'm travelling with 3 young children, myself and partner and it would be brill to go in the caravan but would want it set up quick but safely. thanks again for the clip, hope you have a suggestion.
Hi there, normally as long as the caravan is attached to the car, and you don't mind it wobbling with the movement of the train, you don't need to put the legs down. If you're worried about the additional weight on the back of your car you can put down the jockey wheel, but don't forget you'll be stationary, and the dynamic load of a caravan pitching at speed on the towbar is far higher than stationary. I must warn you that the Chef de Train once kicked me out of the van because I was getting my head down, but that I think was a one-off. As long as you keep the rooflight AND DOOR open you should be OK. Do remember the gas must remain isolated. Bon voyage!
Well done Andrew - very good video with a load of information for the first time traveller. Could you tell me which camera you use? I have a DR 32 Dashcam that has gone on the blink and a mini camera that is totally unreliable. I need a new recommended camera for my journeys abroad and one similar to yours seems to fit the bill. Any help appreciated. Keith
Excellent video Andrew. We have always gone the ferry route but you really have got us thinking about this now. I thought it might be a bit claustrophobic but didn't realise you could stay in the van. Are you able to move freely on the train or do you have to stay put once you opt to sit in the caravan? Many thanks!
Hi Andrew, with regards to isolating the Gas cylinder prior to boarding. Do Eurotunnel want us ti=o disconnect the cylinder with a spanner to just turn the gas off via the hand wheel? Thanks
Hi Andrew. Apart from the essentials required by French law to carry in the car, are there any caravan-specific requirements, such as spare bulbs you know of? Can't find anything online.
Hi David, try this link from the Caravan and Motorhome Club. Happy touring! www.caravanclub.co.uk/overseas-holidays/useful-information/compulsory-and-legal-requirements/
Wowzer driving into a train! What a way to go. Especially like that you can sit in your trailer while the train is going. Would have been nice to know how long the train part of the trip took.
I'm going to visit the UK for a weekend soon and I just booked the Eurotunnel on the (eurotunnel) website. Do you perhaps know if I need the creditcard I used to pay the trip with, with me or the booking reference number is enough? (I also entered my numberplate but i'm not sure if 't recognizes Dutch plates) Thanks in advance! You'r video helped me with knowing what to expect, i've only been there by truck and that works a bit different.
Hmm, I honestly don't know. I know you will need your passport ready and your reference, I guess it would save you any worry if you make sure you have that credit card handy too - just in case! Dutch number plates are similar to UK ones, and different to French ones, so I'm sure they will be read just fine. Have a good trip!
Eurotunnel themselve say if the camera doesn't recognize you'r licenseplate you have to fill in your booking reference number or the creditcard payed with, but in the email it looks like they mean take both. I'll ask my dad if I can take it with me just to be sure haha. Thanks!
Thank you so much for making this video . It is so incredibly well executed and informative . Thing is, I have had a touring caravan for years, and have taken it to Europe lots of times but I have always crossed the channel via ferries as I am claustrophobic so have always avoided crossing underground in the train . I have always thought I would feel too enclosed to do that. Watching your video I was first of all surprised at how light and open the train appeared to be as you drove into it and I did not have a sense of being shut in . May I ask , if the lights in the train carriage remain on throughout the journey to France ? Also I note the train doors then shut on you . I wondered when that happens are you the only car and van in that carriage or are there others with you? Also did you get any sense of being unduly enclosed ? Your thought in this would be much appreciated . Thank you again.😃 Regards Sandy
Hi Sandy, the lights stay on all the time, and there are normally a couple of other cars or another caravan rig in the same compartment as you. There are passenger doors in the fire shutters so you can walk along the entire train if you want, or just pop to the loo. My only recommendation would be to take the caravan or a high vehicle (e.g. SUV + roof box) and that way you get a nice open carriage like this one. If you take a lower car you might be put in a double-deck carriage with much lower ceilings.
Thank you so much ! Enjoy Scotland ! Hope your migraines are few and far between and are not causing you loads pain. . How is your studung going ? Keep posting your brill blogs . Love to you anf Dougal 😃 Sandy
I'm from the U.S. And my family is vacationing from London to Paris from the eurotunnel, I bet my dad would drive on the wrong side of the road when we arrive in London!
Hopefully with the steering wheel also being on the 'wrong' side for your Dad he'll have no problem. If you are taking the train directly from London to Paris, you'll be on the Eurostar which is passenger only, not on this vehicle-carrying 'Eurotunnel' train that only operates between Folkestone and Calais. Both trains use the same Channel Tunnel though. Don't believe any smart tour operator who tells you that we say 'Chunnel' instead of Channel Tunnel - we don't! Only US tour operators call it Chunnel ;@) Have a great trip!
