Help - Eurostar closed must get to Paris tomorrow
 

Grrrr...we have tickets on the Eurostar for tomorrow but looks like the trains might not run tomorrow. I am attempting to try to book train - ferry - train. Can anyone tell me how far the Gare SNCF in Calais is from the Sea France arrivals from Dover??

Merci!!!!

In Dover, there are buses from Dover Priory station to the ferry terminal. After check-in and passport control, a bus takes passengers to the ship.
Similarly at Calais, there is a bus from the ship to the ferry terminal. The bus from the terminal to Calais Ville station runs about every hour. It is too far to walk, but you should be able to get a taxi.

Thanks Geoff...how much time should we leave between the ferry and the train in Calais? We will likely take a taxi.

Grrr..what a pain!

Ferries are fairly frequent - P&O run more than Seafrance - but they are not always very punctual and will be very busy now with all the extra lorries and cars that normally use the Eurotunnel trains.
I have only done the journey from France and it's easy in that direction because trains from Dover are more frequent, so there's no worry about catching a specific train. I just buy a train ticket to Calais, buy the ferry ticket at the terminal, then a ticket to London at Dover.
Trains from Calais are much less frequent and there are various routes - either by direct TGV or by local train to Hazebrouck or Lille, then a TGV to Paris.
I'd allow a big margin of time. If you arrive in Calais with time to spare, you may be able to change the booking to an earlier train or spend the time in a café.

ok, we are booked on seafrance 9:45am from Dover, arriving at 12:15 (assuming everything goes well hahahaha)

So you figure its ok to buy tickets Calais to Paris at the Calais station? Right now there is a train for £158 for 4 that leaves 14h32. its a Pro 2nde (service d'echange et de remboursement gratuit jusqu'au depart) I think that means that we can change it free if we miss it so I would like to buy in advance. Sound ok??

Thank you so much for your help!!!!

it leaves from Calais Frethun...is that far out of town? or can we take a taxi fairly easily??

Calais Fretun is on the line used by Eurostar trains, so if they're not running, I don't think there'll be any trains from Fretun to Paris.
It's impossible to predict which trains might be fully booked tomorrow. With no Eurostar trains, there will obviously be more passengers travelling via Calais. I'd feel safer booking on a later connection from Calais Ville.

Frethun's a good ten miles from the car ferry terminal. There's no bus: allow €40 at least for the taxi and remember there's no rank

Try to get a taxi number via this site or by googling and see if you can prebook. Otherwise, take your mobile and hope. It's only 10 mins round the motorway, but who knows how long you mght have to wait fot the can to arrive.

Are you sure you can't get a train from Calais Ville?

Thanks so much...yes I can definitely get one from centre ville but its 2 hours longer....but will do that instead :)

You guys are awesome!!

There's a connection at 1527 from Calais Ville, taking about two and a half hours to Paris.

Thanks Geoff...I'm booking that one as I type :)

The SNCF will be very flexible with the validity of tickets from Calais or Boulogne for the next several days.

I've looked into this before...euroline buses are run by National Express I believe...the bus runs right onto the ferry...you go upstairs for the 1.5 hours crossing (it seems like 2.5 hours but French time is an hour ahead of UK time)...about 10 minute before the ferry arrives, they announce to return to your vehicle (or in this case your coach), the coach drives off and heads for Paris.

It is similar to the way many of the coach tours do it to get frm London to Paris but it's a long "ordeal"....we jusually leave London at 0700 and don't arrive in Paris (remember the time change) at around 1600 but you'll get there.

Thanks everyone. We are going to take a very early morning train to Dover, the ferry, and then an afternoon train to paris. Its a long day, but at least we will be in Paris for dinner...

Quite the mess!