The new EES system for entry into France/Spain etc
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GMJ
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I received the following reply from Eurotunnel Customer Service yesterday...
Thank you for contacting us.
The European Union have introduced a new Entry/Exit System (EES) and this will apply to non-EU nationals (including UK citizens) when entering or leaving the Schengen area. This is not a LeShuttle initiative, but we’ve been working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure your journey through our terminals remains smooth and efficient. While the new system started on 12th October, customers travelling with their cars will not see any changes when travelling with us until early 2026.
Thank you for contacting us.
The European Union have introduced a new Entry/Exit System (EES) and this will apply to non-EU nationals (including UK citizens) when entering or leaving the Schengen area. This is not a LeShuttle initiative, but we’ve been working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure your journey through our terminals remains smooth and efficient. While the new system started on 12th October, customers travelling with their cars will not see any changes when travelling with us until early 2026.
moonshadow
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I asked when we booked yesterday, it only takes a few extra minutes and is after check-in so you'll get on the ferry, in case that's what anyone is worried about?Will be going through Newhaven in early February. Spose we will find out, one way or another.
Doesn’t sound as if anyone this side of the water is really bothered.
GMJ
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No, we are worried about the usual (in)efficiency at the tunnel/ports which will inevitably take hours more rather than minutes.
The actual business of providing fingerprints and retina images would only take minutes I agree but being pessimistic I can see it being half baked.
The actual business of providing fingerprints and retina images would only take minutes I agree but being pessimistic I can see it being half baked.
marchie
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Winter travel should be less pressured, Graham; but, irrespective of the system efficiency, there will inevitably be a hold-up, because of the human behaviour ... Think of the supermarket queue and the old gits who wait until everything has been scanned, and only then do they search for their purse/wallet/phone before producing vouchers that expired in January 2025 etc. IIRC, the extra time required to clear each passenger is reckoned to be 90 seconds, but the Ports are content that clearance can be managed within the 'arrive 2 hours before departure' time frame - until it is extended to 3 hours - or longer ...
Steve
GMJ
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Having done winter trips through the tunnel for 10 years now we are used to the normality/holdups. It's whether there would be any need to allow even more time due to the roll out of this system.
As I posted in post #24 above there is no need to worry as it isn't in place yet.
As I posted in post #24 above there is no need to worry as it isn't in place yet.
marchie
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Praps where we have an advantage, Graham; we've been held up on just about every south coast Ferry Port, the Scotland-Norn Ireland and return, Bilbao and Santander return to Portsmuff, Mush, and I've been delayed on the the Red Funnel Cowes-Southampton Catamaran, where, in the end, the skipper went with the passenger vote and did the journey with no lights, signing off to the Port Authorities with a 'Coming across with power but no lights - warn other shipping will you?' - all that was missing was a declaration of 'Bandits at 3 o'clock Skipper', possibly because he didn't have the requisite choccy biscuits ...
Steve