Eurostar

You definitely can't board the Eurostar at Coquelles. Looking at the Calais bus website there is a bus route from Coquelles to central Calais and a bus shuttle service from the main Calais town station to Frethun, but I can't tell from the map how practical it is to get to the bus stop in Coquelles from the Eurostar terminal. I suspect you'll probably need to get a taxi. Also note that only a small number of Eurostar trains actually stop at Frethun at all. Although it may be a greater distance, I really think it would be more practical to drop your rental car in Lille and get the Eurostar from Lille to London. There are more trains and there will probably be a car drop close to Lille Europe station.

Thanks Philip. Looks like we have a little more planning to do. Jeff

I have used the Eurotunnel many many times and I am taxing my mind to remember where the Hertz is. I think it is off to the side on the access road just beyond the motorway exit but before the barriers for the tunnel. I seem to remember that it is a grey shack pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Not that the train station at Frethun is exactly cosmopolitan. If I were trying to do that I would pick a much more convenient spot to drop. What caused you to choose the tunnel entrance? There is a municipal bus stop at Place du Cantorbury next to the SuiteHotel/Ibis/Etap complex and across from the cinema end of Cité Europe but it would be a bit of a hike from what I remember is the Hertz. Another problem is the security fences. The Eurotunnel is in a high security area with ditches, ponds, fences and concrete barriers all around, so what might look like a straight line is actually a much longer path. I made an error in the car once and wound up going nearly 10 miles around to get back where I was supposed to be. Very few Eurostars from Calais is correct. I dislike Lille with a passion but will put up with it for an overnight. Which direction are you coming from?

Nigel,
Couple of issues. We purchased nonrefundable Eurostar tickets and I mistakenly thought we would catch the train at Coquelle, not Frethun. We will be driving up to Calais from the south and will arrive the evening before we leave, so there will just be some logistical issues getting to Frethun for a 10am train to London. May have to rethink when and where we drop the car off though. Thanks for your input. Jeff

OK, Jeff - not all is lost. Frethun is not all that bad from the town of Calais and perhaps your hire car company may have a shuttle that could take you to your hotel? Or perhaps your hotel could arrange a pick up or a taxi? Or perhaps the hire car could arrange a taxi? With them out in the middle of nowhere I'm sure yours would not be the first request. Could you drop the car at the Ferry Port east? - = - Make sure you check in for Eurostar early enough.

Nigel,
Thanks for the info. we'll look at dropping the car off at the ferry port, depending on where we decide to spend the night. Cheers. Jeff