Chunnel

I'm not sure, but beware that advanced purchase discounts on Eurostar are usually higher, way higher than the passholder discount.

Don't know why so many Americans want to call it the Chunnel. The Chunnel, at best, refers to the hole in the ground. And at worse is a somewhat derogatory reference to the project. Call it by it correct name, Eurostar. Call it Chunnel over there and you will get funny looks.

Pompous

Pompous? That's as maybe. But the information is correct. If you choose to ignore it perhaps that's actually pompous.

Apparently a new poster hasn't read the community guidelines.

I believe that Andre meant to say that advance purchase discount fares on the Eurostar are lower than the passholder fare. Booked up to 120 days in advance at eurostar.com, the cheapest discount fare is €42.50. A passholder fare ticket is £58.00 (€69.00). Furthermore, it cannot be bought online. You can only buy it at St Pancras International station or by calling the Eurostar office in London.

^^ Indeed, I had mixed reduction with discount(ed) fare.

Pompous is an adjective, so I assume it is an answer to the earlier question. The pompousness is apparent.

Glenn, For future reference, you might want to refer to the entity as the "Channel Tunnel" or "EuroStar". I'm sure your "Chunnel" comment was an unintentional choice of words, but hopefully this will avoid any future "unpleasant rebuttals" here on the HelpLine. Cheers!

You read responses, got offended, read the guide lines, emailed the Webmaster and yet still refer to the train excursion from London to Paris, as the Chunnel. Any relation to Dubbya?

Glenn, Enjoy your trip on the Chunnel train. The Chunnel train is a very relaxing way to travel between Paris, London, Brussels, and Euro Disney. It's not everyday one gets to travel by train underneath an ocean, and the Chunnel train allows you to do this in a stress-free fashion. http://chunnel.com

I found the answer to my question. A Eurail pass is valid for discounts on Eurostar's Chunnel trip throughout its window of validity, even if all of its travel days have been used. For example, suppose you have a "6 days in 2 months" pass, you use the first day on June 1, and you use the 6th day on June 10. The pass is valid for a discount on July 31 even though there are no "travel" days remaining on the pass. I am sorry for violating Rick's rule, "do not react openly to guideline violations". I was offended, but I should have simply made a report to the webmaster...which I have now done.

Just try to ignore the few posters on this site who have mistakenly assumed ownership...or you could say dictatorship. Obviously their momma's never taught them how to play nicely and share their toys ;-)

Michael, thanks for that website - love it! Puts it all in perspective. When the channel tunnel project was started every newspaper article (yes, we had newspapers then) called it the "chunnel" (contraction of CHannel and tUNNEL). Those of us who remember that time often refer to it by that name as that's what we were used to seeing. I'm sure nobody posting here and using that term mean it to be derogatory. I don't see why anybody should take offense at the term. Tim, thanks also for your comments, I agree wholeheartedly.

You can call it the Chunnel, no matter what that one rude person told you. I know two people who live over there and they call it the Chunnel sometimes.

Elaine,, are they American Expats by chance, lol It really is not a term used in the UK or mainland Europe, and it was a term coined by the American papers,, but still , its best to call it by its name, and insisting on calling it Chunnel even after being told that the LOCALS know it as, use and prefer it to be called the Eurostar says more about you then people who have tried to inform you .

I got this message from the Rick Steves Rail Department confirming what I wrote above: "You need not have any of the counted travel days left on your railpass, you you just have to take the Eurostar trip within the activated 2-month window." Also, regarding the topic that seems to have taken over this thread, here are some quotes from "Rick Steves Europe Through the Backdoor 2012": Page 122: The actual tunnel (a.k.a. the Chunnel) crossing... Page 123: Eurostar's monopoly on using the Chunnel track expired at the beginning of 2010. This is from Shakespeare: That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet. And this from me: Prescriptive linguistics is a tool pseudo-intellectuals use to make themselves feel superior. I appreciate polite comments, such as Ken's, that inform me if a term has connotations in Europe that I wasn't aware of. When I'm there, I'll be careful about my usage. In this forum, however, the term "Chunnel" is concise, very specific, and very searchable in this electronic age. I like it for these reasons, and, after careful consideration, will continue to use it here. I mean no offense to anyone.

Do what you like Glenn, use it here if you must, just don't expect people in France or the UK to know what you are talking about.

An American travel writer called it "chunnel" in one of his books,, does not make it so.. makes it an American using incorrrect term.
Also "chunnel" even as used by RS in the first quote ,, means the "channel tunnel" aka "Chunnel". As in the Eurostar has lost the monopoly on using the Chunnel,, which means the train we are referring to is in fact referred to by RS as the "Eurostar" not the "Chunnel" and if you real you read your post you mean and use "Chunnel" for the train. As said by others, , do what you want American who refuses to respect the correct usage and terms the locals use. Many people are not aware so err accidently and innocently, , but now you have been made fully aware and have said you frankly don't care and will stick to what you want,, if thats not rude then I guess one could call it arrogant.

Give the guy a break...everyone here knows exactly what is meant by the term Chunnel. It must be one of the top terms used by people everywhere searching the web for Eurostar information, as Google returns both the official Eurostar site and Rail Europe as the top two results when Chunnel is used as the search term. And there's no need for tourists researching information on the internet to be technically precise with every umlaut, accent, preposition, correct spelling, or proper term when all they're trying to do is get vacation information for crying out loud. The BBC has used the term Chunnel in recent articles, as has Deutsche Welle, The Local, and many others, and they're not American newspapers last time I checked. And I must have missed the part where Glenn, after being properly educated by self-proclaimed experts with much travel prowess, indicated he was going to flaunt his Americanism by intentionally using the term Chunnel "in error" with every Englishman and Frenchman he encounters while there.

The Eurostar is not the only train service that uses the Channel Tunnel. There are also vehicle transport trains between Folkestone and Calais, Le Shuttle. http://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/getting-to-eurotunnel/ Neither of them are referred to as the chunnel.

I totally get using it when first researching, if one does not know the train it called the Eurostar, makes perfect sense. And I do not think any bashed Glen by politely informing him of the correct term.
I do find it interesting that in his last posted paragraph he says he will continue to use the term. Sorry, that does tell me something. And no , I am no travel expert, and do not proclaim to be, but when you politely explain its a term that most locals do not use, that its considered media slang etc etc,, and then have someone say basically tough , I am going to keep using it.. nice. Please be sure to call your waiter over to the table by calling "garcon" too. People have done it, people may even know what you mean or want when you do that, but does it still make it the correct or polite thing to do?

First, we had to strive to "live like a local" when on vacation in Europe. Now, we're required to "speak like a local" when doing pre-trip planning at home. What's next..."bathe like a local" this summer (umm...no thanks)? Let's just ensure these new rules apply to everyone here. Don't ask for a rubber to make itinerary changes when doing your pre-trip planning for your U.S. vacation, when the proper term is eraser (unless, of course, you want a Trojan). Don't refer to our interstates or turnpikes as expressways or motorways. Don't call it DC, when everyone knows locals refer to it as The District. And you had better not refer to San Francisco as Frisco. Mac and cheese is not called Kraft Dinner, and it's restroom, not washroom or toilet. And while we're at it, don't ask for poutine at Wrigley Field. Oh, and it's vacation, not holiday! Alles klar, USA-bound friends?

Speaking of the Chunnel train, the fine folks who operate the Chunnel train are offering a 10% discount at the wonderful Galeries Lafayette department store. Simply hold-on to your Chunnel ticket present it at the welcome desk with your passport. More details here: http://tinyurl.com/chunnel-chunnel

Hey, it's like calling all IC cards "Pin and chip", which is analogous to refering to all sweetened carbonated drinks as "Coke". People will use the term they know.

Yes, that is a great link Michael,, its says simply present your "Eurostar" ticket and passport to recieve your discount. It does not say present your "Chunnel" ticket though does it?

Coming to a cinema near you Chunnel the movie: http://youtu.be/TUPu70uC8Bk

Ummm, I've stopped shaving...

Tried not to add my 2 cents to this one, but couldn't resist because I had just read this on the Rail Europe site for Britain. " And a speedy 186 mph ride on Eurostar through Kent takes you to the engineering wonder Channel Tunnel (or "Chunnel" to the locals) and then Paris in just about two hours. Brussels or Lille are even closer and make great day trips from London." Wonder which "locals" they were referring to.

ROTFLM(rear)O!!! (wiping tears) Just when you think you've got things figured out...all neat and compartmentalized...

I think it is great that Nancy added her recently found information. Why would other people be so critical of travelers using the word "Chunnel"? It is very immature to be so petty. There are many people who still refer to the Chunnel, instead of the Eurostar.

So how come poor Glenn got ripped a new one for using the word Chunnel when I have seen at least 2-3 other people post questions within the last few weeks using the same term yet no one has lit into them for their faux pas????

I think some people make up stories.. No one "ripped into " Glenn, he was merely informed it was an obselete term rarely if ever used by locals and that refering to the train by its correct name "Eurostar|" would be better. I personally have given up informing people since some are absolutely stubborn and set on being the way they are, even if they are using an obselete and incorrect term( the chunnel was the orginal slang term for the actual tunnel under the channnel, get it, "ch" "unnel" = "chunnel" ) . Americans, please, go on a forum where you are not in the majority, seriously ,try it, go to tripadvisor. com UK forums ,, and ask if the term "chunnel" is in common use. They will politely inform you that transport by rail between Paris and London is referred to as taking the Eurostar. And that is all Glenn got.. reread the original posts, before Glenn and some others got their backs up and declared they didn't give a hoot to be informed of the term used more commonly and correctly. Its impossible to help some people . I personally have been to Europe dozens and dozens of times, totalling hundreds of days, and I still learn things on forums, this one included ( we do have some great posters on here) wish others could open their little minds that they may be wrong sometimes, and say "thanks for the heads up" ,, instead of nah nah nah "

Speaking of the Chunnel, next time in London be sure to order a drink and grab a quick bite at the Chunnel Bar: http://goo.gl/maps/EXyO It's located next to the Chunnel train's former terminus at Waterloo Station.

Michael. Your post brought back some happy memories. a google search of the Chunnel Bar found a great blog about proper cafes. I used to work at Waterloo in the 1970s. Lunch was often in a cafe like this in Lower Marsh.
I guess you have seen the reviews. " And when did you last here the word 'Chunnel'? It's a splendid relic of another age, like the sound of a modem hand-shaking."

"relic of another age".. or now that explains alot. lol

While not quite relics of another age, some of us are old enough to have learned the term chunnel from the British media, while it was being built. And yes we knew then, it was a contraction of tunnel and channel. That's why it sticks in the mind.

Jenny, I am probably your age or older, being older doesn't mean one has to stop learning.

Who said anything about ceasing to learn? But educated people remember the past. My point is that in this thread at least one person suggested the the term was "derogatory." In a thread about language differences several others said that the term was invented by the U.S. press. Neither is true. It's merely an old nickname coined by the British themselves. It's not surprising that since the channel tunnel was in the news while it was being built, but not so much after it's completion, that many people in the U.S. now know it as the chunnel, since the British media referred to it that way. Eurostar's own website perpetuates that usage. I'm taking Eurostar round-trip through the channel tunnel this summer. But I wouldn't smirk at anyone calling it the chunnel. When my friends and neighbors ask if I'm taking the chunnel, I don't find it necessary to correct them. I just say yes. In the U.K. I'll say Eurostar. When I'm addressed in slang from old westerns or the valley girl era by foreigners (yes it does happen) I don't pretend I don't know what they mean. Nor do I correct them.

It's a NICKNAME!!!! .....like referring to NYC as The Big Apple. We all know what he means. Was he ripped a new one??? Maybe not.....but there were some pretty condescending posts added here. How about a little tolerance. Please. Reminds me of the "I am a traveller not a tourist" attitude, or correcting someone who's going up the Rhine instead of down the Rhine - does it REALLY matter? I call it Prententiousness. (Note - noun not adjective). Why can't we all just get along?????

Thank you Ceidleh, thank you Jenny, thank you Elaine. Why are some people on this board always so contentious, so quick to take offense, and so unlikely to just "leave it alone"? Sometimes the ridicule, sarcasm, and downright meanness just rolls off their fingertips onto the keyboard. It often overshadows the good (and politely offered) information shared on this board.

"do what you want (arrogant) American who refuses to respect the correct usage and terms the locals use." Oh no, that's not ripping a new one on a first time poster. Nor is asking him if he's any relation to Bush. True, he called someone pompous, but he apologized and said in the future he would bring up his issue with the Webmaster. "Ch"+"Unnel" = "Chunnel"? "Ch"+"Unnel" = "Chunnel"! OMG! I finally get it! Thank you so much for clearing that up. But here's a real stumper I can't seem to wrap my small American mind around: What rationale would a worldly Canadian use to determine whether to call something by the correct & proper name if it also happens to directly conflict with what locals actually call it? Examples: You visit Chicago. The name on the outside of the building says "Willis Tower", yet the majority of those arrogant Chicagoans still insist on calling it "Sears Tower" the same way a lot of them still refer to "Macy's" (correct name) as "Marshall Field's". You travel to Philadelphia & walk down to the waterfront. You ask a local where you might get a drink. He points & says "Over on Delaware Ave", but there's no sign for Delaware Ave. The correct & proper name for the street is now "Christopher Columbus Boulevard". You're hungry now. You look at the menu over the grill and step up to place your order "I'll have a steak sandwich with Cheez Whiz and fried onions, please". The 10 locals lined up behind you glare at you as does the grill guy who questions your order "You mean a Whiz wid?" What to do in this perplexing situation? Sorry folks, do not respond unless you are Canadian & have at least several thousand posts on the RS Helpline. I only seek to gain knowledge from a traveler, not a tourist!

Ceidleh, I am Canadian and I have a couple of thousand posts so is it okay with you if I respond? Thank you so much. My response to this entire foolish thread is if someone wants to talk baby-talk then let them.

To an American with 1000 posts to her name ( who freaking cares how many posts a person has,, do you dear?) I am a tourist not a traveller, and I stay in hotels, I don't even pretend to "live like a local " in apartments, and I have even taken a tour. Your assumption that I think I am worldly shows me you only chose to misunderstand why I said I had travelled alot, it was meant to show that even with months of travel experience I learn things all the time,, some people here like to act experienced and knowlegdable and have been to a place like three times.. I stated it before, I STILL learn things on this and other forums, and when I am corrected on something local I usually am happy to get that new knowledge ,, unlike some here.

True that no one here says Frisco, except for outsiders visiting....maybe. Yes, it is a nickname whether they use it makes no difference to me as a native. But didn't Otis Redding in 1967 use the term "the Frisco Bay?" That's good enough for me. On tourist vs traveler in Europe: I say it like this...yes, I'm a tourist while traveling, make no effort to blend in, "they" see and know I'm a tourist, be it in France, Poland, Germany, etc. On the Rhine...good point. I prefer going north on the Rhine myself to the lower Rhine area.

SIGH!!! This thread has to be one of the SNARKIEST in the history of the Helpline. After the Webmaster pulled us all into a room last August and gave us a stern talking-to, things were a little more pleasant for a while. But then someone asked a question and used a seven-letter word, somewhat incorrectly, but we all understood what he asked. So, we were off and running. Now it's deteriorating into an international incident. Obviously we cannot be trusted to play nicely on the weekend without adult supervision. I can't get either the Canadian-side or the American-side of my tiny brain wrapped around this behavior. 45 posts, and I think only two of them were related to his actual query.

Everyone should just relax, chill, and watch Spain vs Italy starting in fifteen minutes on ESPN, in the Euro 2012 soccer tournament....I mean football tournament....no no make that calcio tournament. Dear god what have I done!?!?!?

Michael, thanks for reminding me of the game, I was trying to patch up this international incident by watching Holmes on Homes, a Canadian contractor who repairs major mistakes in contracting work! I've been following this thread from the sidelines since it started and since I've never taken the " prefered underwater channel crossing name here" I didn't have anything to add but thought I could learn from it. And boy have I! Not to add fuel to the fire but some people make it their personal mission in life to correct what they feel are faux pas on the message board. Some do it nicely and some do it so much to their frustration that is sounds personal when they do it. For some reason whenever anything European is shown in what some consider a negative light corrections must be made or compared to something in North America when it has no reason to be part of the conversation at all. Last week I responded to a post, someone who has a long post history felt it was necessary to to respond to my post in a condesending manner and today I've seen they've done the same thing again, sometimes as we've all been told it's best to bite ones tongue and that is really the case on this board at times. Sometimes it's best to just take a break and find something else to do with our free time, get a fresh perspective, free our minds from something that has become a part of our lives but in reality it is something that is not really that important, especially to get upset about.
When Glen's Europe, has a question about the train, if he uses the nonpreferred name is it really going to affect anyone here, no, if they don't know what he is talking about it will take about 10 seconds to get it figured out, as most people feel, the people of both countries are friendly and willing to help so I doubt they'll take it as an insult if someone calls it by a name that may be out of vogue, they'll probably just laugh.

I'm pretty new here so this didn't occur to me before, but Glenn is probably still getting notices every time we post here. Maybe, no matter how cheerful any future posts are, we all should stop.

Here's the thing...no one has heard from Glenn and likely never will again. This is not the first time that a new poster has been run off the board by some of the regular "contributors" here after being berated for not knowing the proper "lingo" used by Europeans or those Helpline regulars who have been to Europe dozens of times/hundreds of nights, etc., etc. Go back to 4/14 and note Knoxville Tim's comment about how there are certain people on this board who have mistakenly assumed ownership of the Helpline. Or have a gander at the General Europe thread "Another Message Board?" - a new poster made the faux pas of dredging up a few old threads to post a link to her blog inviting people to check it out if they wanted some information about how to travel to Europe with their dog. No, she should not have promoted her blog on the Helpline and while some people nicely told her that it was against guidelines, this woman was told to "Get over herself" and then she questioned why the person who posted that was being "so mean" to her. I could say the same thing to the Helpliners suffering from the Little Dictator Syndrome - get over yourselves. If you find all these new posters so stubborn and arrogant for not wanting to follow your advice after you call them names when they ask a question, then go run off and post on one of the foreign travel boards if you feel that's where people will really appreciate you.

Ceidleh, Glenn and I are exchanging posts over on the "To the West" section on the Eiffel Tower. Hes fine. Apparently recovered from the "abuse". I have also pmed Rachel, shes fine too, and I referred to a board where she can post a link to a non promotional blog. Perhaps you should calm down .