HI all
Food on Euro tunnel is it only available at Ashford or do freight drivers have a car on the train to grab a sarnie and coffee and whats the price like…boss starts week after next using ET only.
Also running down into Belgium, where is this Elf garage just outside of Calais??
Cheers chaps
HNY. Liam
Freight drivers have their own car. If you have to take a break on the way down, get a decent meal whilst you take it. The food at Ashford and on the train leave a lot to be desired IMHO.
I had a feeling that Coffeeholic had done a trip on the train, but looking through his diary it seems I was wrong. I’m sure that someone has made a diary somewhere with photos of getting onto the train. It’ll just take a bit more searching, when I find it I’ll post a link for you
To get to the Elf at Calais. Drive out of the port on the main road to the A26. At the junction with the A16 take the road north signed for Dunkerque. Take the exit for Marck/Transmark and turn left at the top of the slip. Follow to the roundabout and turn right. Follow the road into the Elf station and parking area (I think this is right, but I never come into France via Dover/Calais, someone will put us right if needed). There is also a large supermarket there where you can get your dutyfrees. Tobacco products are cheaper in Belgium or Luxembourg though.
hello Liam, you go onto a seperate carraige on the train where you can eat, you just have to tell the person on the booking in booth that you want food, im not sure of price nowadays, probably around £5, its similar to airplane food, some is ok some is not so good. there is a 24hr burger van at the tunnel in the parking zone at the uk side. there is an elf garage at the French side, as you follow the one way system off the train, you eventually come to a little roundabout, turn left there and it takes you into a parking area, at top of parking area is the garage. its all very simple and straight forward. oh, and if you need the eurovignette, you can get it either at the garage in calais or at the building next to the burger van in England after the 1st check in, where there is also a beauro de change. you can park up for the nite at the french side but it does get VERY busy. no parking at the English side, for that,you have to go to Ashford, where if you show them your receipt from your journey you only pay half price{£4 instead of £8 the last time i stopped there.} Have fun!
Hi Liam,
Food on the train is a no no mate.
Burger van closes at about 22:00 now.
Ashford T/stop is no longer owned by eurotunnel now about £12 i believe, but a food voucher may be included in that?
Hope your boss has a good deal set up for the train already as i believe they want to charge those that just turn up £750 
Check out Shauns post
trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8256
There is also an Elf station at the Calais central turning beside Pidou’s 24hr booze warehouse normally accessed when coming off boat or on boat.
Failing that fuel up in Belgium depends on your route mate?
Cheers mate
Iain
hi liam, last time i used the train a cup of coffee was a quid and the meal was about £3.50, it’s not as bad as some will have you think, it all depends on how hungry you are really and how much time you have, like has been said if you are not in a hurry then stop somewhere else to eat or wait until you get to calais.
the elf garage is no longer and elf garage, it’s not a total, i think they all are now including the one in the terminal at coquelles.
if you want road tax for belgium you can buy it at any of the total stations, you will see the signs for the coquelles station as you exit the train, you need to get into the left lane for that one as you exit the train.
as for transmarck, when you exit the eurotunnel slip road follow the signs for dunkerque and veurne A26, it is also signed as belgium or belgique in some places. you will see the exit for transmarck and as you exit the motorway on the slip road you will spot the total garage lit up and to your left you can just spot the pidou warehouse.
there is also a scania dealer and an iveco dealer at the same junction and on the route into the total garage.
if you are intending meeting some other irish lads then it will be transmarck you will be heading for, there are always quite a few irish lads there, parking can be quite difficult late at night as it is a very busy place but there are a few parking places at the pidou if you are stuck, try not to park in calais overnight if you are returning home, there isn’t a safe place anywhere.
When you get to the terminal on the M20 you care asked at the peage if you want to eat, Say No, No No! Then drive around following the signs for the train, after doing French customs 
After driving on the train, you leave your cab and catch a bus
The bus will then take you to the carriage with the other drivers.
If you want to spot the newbies, watch who has a meal 
Very Few, It is absolute garbage, and served up in foil trays with plastic knives and forks 
If you have any pull with your boss! get him to change his mind. Use the ferries please, otherwise the ferry companies will follow suit and make us sleep on the deck.
Avoid the Tunnel at all costs, if you can,t avoid the food definately 
Not in my Opinion, but from experience
Wheel Nut:
It is absolute garbage, and served up in foil trays with plastic knives and forks
Just sitting near someone who is eating on the train is enough to make you feel sick… it stinks. It smells absolutely revolting, and always smells as though it was cooked 10 hours ago and has been kept warm ever since- that horrible “sweaty” smell.
Vince
First time I used the tunnel I had paid for a meal on the ‘pre-pay’ card at Ashford. (They didn’t take cash on the train)
I sat near the back of the ‘dining car’ and it took that long to get served (we were nearly there!!) I though “Right, there’s a lesson learned - sit near the front to get served quicker!” 
Anyway lesson two of the day was to follow when the food arrived!! “Eat before or after the train, NOT during, 'cos it was [zb]”!! 
Last few times I’ve had to use the tunnel it has been in a Sprinter so the [zb]-scoff was not an option!! 
If it needs creative spelling, it’s not allowed. L.
marcustandy:
If it needs creative spelling, it’s not allowed. L. ]
[/quote]
You mean we can’t say that the food on the EuroTunnel is a load of [zb]■■?
Vince
no you can’t VinceDenis F
shame you got edited there vince, i saw what you wrote origionally and you hit the nail on the head 
I would love nothing more than to grab a ferry ride rather than the tunnel…problem being it is very high value loads and we stop off in Rosslare for the night including the crossing to Wales (Fishguard) then its against the clock to get through UK and into the secure parking in Belgium. Waiting for ferry at Dover would cause us not to make the slot.
Am too used to Irish/UK work on Irish ferries and P&O where you get good food for free…what am I letting myself in for sheeeeesh lol
I dont even believe that you can guarantee a fast crossing either, there are too many things to go wrong in my experience. if its a busy period or the X Ray is switched on
If everything goes exactly to plan, than maybe, There were 2 of us coming home before christmas, I had a Gefco load and they pay the ferry and my mate had to use the tunnel, we left the Shell in Calais together and I was tipped in Coventry before he got there 
Ok maybe it was lucky, but I will always use that reason if they ask me why I didnt use the tunnel
Simon:
I had a feeling that Coffeeholic had done a trip on the train, but looking through his diary it seems I was wrong.
Not for years Simon, I haven’t used it since I had a major fall out with them and was escorted from the premises by the Kent Constabulary. I’m not banned it is just a matter of choice. Last time I used it the meals were free and they were over priced at that.
Coffeeholic:
Simon:
I had a feeling that Coffeeholic had done a trip on the train, but looking through his diary it seems I was wrong.Not for years Simon, I haven’t used it since I had a major fall out with them and was escorted from the premises by the Kent Constabulary. I’m not banned it is just a matter of choice. Last time I used it the meals were free and they were over priced at that.
OK Coffee,
We need “the gen” on the above incident,Somebody had to ask 
Sprinter:
Hi Liam,Food on the train is a no no mate.
Burger van closes at about 22:00 now.
Ashford T/stop is no longer owned by eurotunnel now about £12 i believe, but a food voucher may be included in that?
Hope your boss has a good deal set up for the train already as i believe they want to charge those that just turn up £750
Check out Shauns post .
trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8256There is also an Elf station at the Calais central turning beside Pidou’s 24hr booze warehouse normally accessed when coming off boat or on boat.
Failing that fuel up in Belgium depends on your route mate?Cheers mate
Iain
this months trucking mag,article on eurotunnel making it prebooking only.or get whacked for a tidy sum.
when asked do you want a meal say yes they may start putting enough for those that do,also for those that change there minds.
gavin c:
when asked do you want a meal say yes they may start putting enough for those that do,also for those that change there minds.
But is it still not pre-pay? (So how do you change your mind unless you’ve already ‘charged-up’ your card?).
pay in sterling or euros now.
marcustandy:
'cos it was [zb]"!!so the [zb]-scoff was not an option!!
If it needs creative spelling, it’s not allowed. L.
Cor blimey’ Lucy!! Bit steep moderating, eh??
I’ll give you the first one as I admit it was a ‘creative’ way writing bum (I used a 5 instead of an S ) but the second one■■? From the dictionary…
cack
– ORIGIN Old English, from Latin cacare ‘defecate’.
…see, I was using a polite variant of pooh!!
Hi
I use the tunnel more than ever as it can for me mean getting home that night.
One thing you should be aware of is the train has front and rear sections and one coach for each section. No one will tell you but make sure on arrival at your destination you exit the same door as you entered the drivers carraige as one coach goes to rear of train and the other to the front.
All the best
Les