Eurostar

Couldn't agree more.

I'm with Norma, couldn't agree more!! Edit: Frank you are right, but I think that most people when they say I just bought my tickets for the chunnel they are talking about the train.....Is that what you think Norma?

It depends on what you're referring to: the train or the tunnel. Eurostar is the name of the passenger rail service. (The company name.) Chunnel is the nickname for the Channel Tunnel. So, you take the Eurostar through the Chunnel. However, in 2010, the EU opened up rail service to offer more competition. Since then both Deutsche Bahn (Germany) and Trenitalia (Italy) have stated they want to offer service from the UK to their own countries in the near future.

"...I feel that it should be called by it's proper name, Eurostar..." But there are two Eurostars. One that goes under the English Channel, the other is the name of the high-speed train service throughout Italy.

Eurotunnel is the name of the company that owns and runs the tunnel between Britain and France. It is currently used by Eurostar to operate trains between London and Paris and London and Brussels. Other companies are planning to operate passenger trains through the Tunnel in the next few years, offering services to places like Amsterdam, Cologne and Frankfurt. There are very specific safety regulations for the design of trains carrying passengers through the Channel Tunnel. In addition to passenger train services, the Channel Tunnel also has vehicle carrying services for cars, buses and trucks. There are also freight trains through the Tunnel. Eurostar carries something like 80% of the non-car passenger traffic between London and Paris. It would now be the automatic default choice for anyone wanting to travel between the centres of the two cities. In Britain, people seldom say "chunnel". If going by train, they say "Eurostar", since the overall journey is much more than the short period spent underground. If going by car, they would probably say "through the Tunnel" in the context of a journey to the continent. Don't forget that you cannot leave or arrive in Britain without crossing water somehow, somewhere. The only tunnel crossing that water is the Channel Tunnel.

sorry...didn't know this was a touchy subject. I also got a private message about this( not from the original poster). I mean, good grief. I know the train is Eurostar, but to me I am traveling on a tunnel acroos the channel thus I am going on the chunnel. But don't worry I won't say that again here or in Britain. Sorry!!

If I speak to my mostly quite intelligent friends about taking the Eurostar to London or Paris, they all know I speak of the train under the English Channel. No one says "Ah, but do you mean the Eurostar train service on the continent or do you mean the train under the channel?" None of them confuses the two ..... but perhaps I just have exceptional friends?

When I get asked how I'm traveling between the UK and the Continent, I would be more apt to say: train, plane or ferry rather than Eurostar, P & O or British Airways. But also remember locals in many areas call things or places differently than tourists. Examples: In NYC, anyone who has visited is well aware of a major north/south thoroughfare called "Avenue of the Americas." However, to most New Yorkers, it's, "Sixth Avenue." If a long term resident of one of the outer boroughs of NYC says he is going into Manhattan, he will not say, "I'm going into Manhattan." He'll more than likely say, "I'm going into the city"even though he technically lives within the city limits of NYC. In Los Angeles, if I said I was going to L-A-X, everyone would know what I meant. No one called it Los Angeles International Airporteven though that was the correct name. With common slang, meaning is inferred. So, if someone said to me that they are taking the "train" from London to Paris, I would not need to jump in and say, "No, you're taking Eurostar." I would understand what they meant.

Christine, my apologies for others who have decided to belittle you over the use of one innocent word; it's outrageous. Some folks have way too much time on their hands to take time out of their lives to complain about something so petty! Enjoy your journey on the Chunnel. One more thing.... Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel, Chunnel.

What Frank II said. Since in America we don't see much European news, most people just remember when it was first being built and was nicknamed the chunnel. That's the last/only name we ever hear. If it's in the news again, it's called the chunnel. From now on, gently, nicely, correcting people is fine, so they don't look like idiots when they're overseas. Being snarky and sarcastic is not permitted. It's the chunnel rule.

I guess I'm a little slow - and I just wok up - but do I have this correct? I know Eurostar is the name of the train, but Eurostar is also the correct name of the tunnel under the channel? So, it's is correct to say -" I'm taking the Eurostar through the Eurostar tunnel" I realize this is overkill - just saying "I'm taking the Eurostar " implies that you'll be going through the tunnel.

Let me put it like this. We only call it the Chunnel when we are in Frisco.

I have never said "chunnel" but to each his own. Most Brits I know never say "chunnel." I tend to follow their lead.

Christine, my apologies for others who have decided to belittle you over the use of one innocent word; Well, the person who left me the message was trying to be nice, I think. She didn't want me to get strange looks over in England. I just thought it was kind of funny!

God I love you people. I take the train to Paris and no one ever asks it's name. (If it were my personal train I'd call it Bob) That said, I have never bought a ticket for a tunnel, ridden a tunnel nor flown thru one. I have had people ask me if you can see fish when going thru the tunnel.

Wow....did not know some people would get so up tight. Didn't mean for that to happen. I just think things should be called their proper names.....when my friends in England book their trips they say "we booked our tickets for the Eurostar"....not "we booked our tickets for the chunnel". Like when a child falls and gets a scratch...call it a scratch not a boo-boo.

Again, I couldn't agree more.

Laurel, I made my reservation on "Bob" yesterday for a May Paris to London trip. I decided to make it my personal train as you suggested. Thanks........

Laurel, you're so much fun!!!

It's not EuroDisney? So what is the real name...and is it as awful as "they" say?

A surreal and entertaining thread. The "chunnel" is the Channel Tunnel. The passenger train that goes through it is the Eurostar. Soon, other passenger trains will go through it. If you tell someone you are taking the train from London to Paris or Brussels, or vice versa, they will assume the train is the Eurostar. The actual tunnel part of the trip is only a fraction of the entire journey.

"...It's not EuroDisney? So what is the real name...and is it as awful as "they" say?"..." There are two parks at the complex with separate admission. There is the "magic kingdom" type park called Disneyland Paris, and the Walt Disney Studios Park. It's Europe's top tourist attraction, no other site on the continent gets more visitors. Most Disney fans consider the DL Paris to be the best out of all the magic kingdom parks anywhere in the world; Cinderella's Castle is stunning! I have enjoyed all my visits to Euro Disney.

How about: "I'm taking the choo choo through the chunnel to Cherbourg?"

What's the problem with Disneyland Paris? Who are "they"? I've been to Orlando, Anaheim and Paris. They are all good. There is no significant difference, except some of the rides have evolved as later parks were built. Staff and food decent at all. What's the big problem? Are the "they" people who actually went there?

I repeat. I love you people.

It's like when people want to know where to go for tea ....a lot of them say High Tea.....which is actually Afternoon tea...... Afternoon tea....is an elegant, light meal served 2-5pm (some start at 2) choice of freshly brewed teas, several kinds of finger sandwiches, scones and then some pasteries. High tea......is an evening meal served around 6pm or so that includes tea.

I believe the word "Chunnel" originated in Britain at the time that it was being built but quickly wore off, perhaps because it was a little too close to the word "Channel" and caused some confusion... I don't know. It's a mystery why some words stick and some simply fade away. Anyway, just to clear some things up: The official name of the tunnel is the Channel Tunnel, and in French le tunnel sous la Manche. The name of the company that operates it is Eurotunnel, and they also operate the car/truck-carrying shuttle trains that go through it. Eurostar is the passenger rail company that links London, Paris and Brussels. It uses the tunnel and presumably pays Eurotunnel for the privilege. Soon DB will get a concession to use the tunnel too. Personally, I think that "Chunnel" sounds better than the alternative, "Tannel", but maybe that's just me. "Tannel" sounds like a cheap fake-tan product (although it could be argued that Chunnel sounds like a made-in-China cheap imitation perfume!). EDIT - oops, sorry, just saw that I repeated much of what Bob from Bristol has already said. I really must read more carefully!

My older guide books (2002 ish) all use "chunnel". So maybe this is one way of dating us.

From now on I'm taking a ferry