Eurotunnel

[MotoPL]

Trying to get my Kombi booked onto Eurotunnel (bit of a family emergency).

Anyone else tried it?
What vehicle type is it?
It recognises my registration as a T32 Kombi, but won't accept it as being a van over 1.85m
But its definitely a van, and the VW brochure says 1.99m tall.

Ended up just declaring it as a van over 1.85 and not giving the registration.

 

[Gavandi]

Went earlier in year.
T30 LWB
Declared it as over 1.85
Don't try going through flexi plus as it's under 1.85.
You end up with the larger stuff but it's better because there's more width and you don't scrub your best alloys!!

 

[MotoPL]

Take it you didn't book with your reg. Number?

 

[Gavandi]

TBH.... I can't remember.

 

[Sturge]

I went through at the weekend as a tall car. As it was a hire kombi van I had booked the crossing with the car reg (discovery) and just explained at the booth. No problem at all. I had tried to change the booking with the reg number and it said it was a different class of vehicle, so didnt bother changing it as guess it would have been more expensive.

 

[MotoPL]

Ah ok. I won't worry then.

Currently says TBC for the reg and thought I'd have to confirm.

As I say, it recognised the reg. as a T32 Kombi, but said it wasn't a car over 1.85 or a van over 1.85.

Might give them a call.l to tell them to sort their system out!

 

[MotoPL]

So a bit of info for fellow Kombi owners.
I just spoke to Eurotunnel, and in their system a registration number resulting in a Kombi, is classed in their system as a minibus. So that's 10 seats or more and a more expensive ticket if you go with it.
Explained to them what a Kombi was (5 seats in our case) and they overrode the system thankfully and added the reg number manually to speed up check-in.

I think in the end they said they'd classify it as an MPV in the car over 1.85m section. (think they prefer using the van category for fully loaded vans on a commercial trip)

There really is a general problem on how to classify a Kombi isn't there. DVLA and VAT man say van. Tax man says maybe a car. Eurotunnel say Minibus.
Bizarre.

 

[RattyMcClelland]

Last year I took my t5 in.The car section under 1.85m tall. It scraped just under the barrier but on the train I had plenty of room. I was slammed however.

 

[Gavandi]

Slammed?

 

[Deaky]

I always book as a car over 1.85. I have to ring with my registration as eurotunnel think my van is a mini bus.

 

[Montecha]

Ditto on the Minibus classification- phoned up and it was cheaper than online. Travelling next week, as a car over 1.85M.

 

[Nick_D]

Same here just have to call and book over the phone, always go as a high car in our Kombi but it won't scan your plate so have to put card or reservation number into self check-in.

 

[simon]

I went through last week as a van over 1.85, I am towing a caravan so the height of the t6 should be irrelevant, still said no roof box so under 2m (less than the caravan) and happy days. I've only been on the Eurotunnel with motorhomes, caravans and coaches and find the width only an issue with our European caravan being 8ft wide...not alot of room for error, but the van no problems

 

[Oldrat]

Tunnel booked this am.
We rang customer services who said..
"VW Transporters, they are always a problem to book."
Advice given was,
book online as a high car but don't include the reg, as its not important to eurotunnel
Or book on the phone where they override the auto computer

Twas easy peasy.

 

[Sturge]

In case you dont know, you can get eurotunnel tickets with Tesco Clubcard points. I think you get voucher for 3 x value of tesco voucher so makes it a cheap way of crossing.

 

[Withakay]

Thanks to the info here I booked as a Tall Car > 1.85m and then used the web chat to add the registration to my booking, so thanks everyone for the useful info.

 

[Carlos999]

Strange, I've been booking my Caravelle as a car over 1.85m (with the registration) for three years now and never had a problem....

 

[Hinsley]

Strange, I've been booking my Caravelle as a car over 1.85m (with the registration) for three years now and never had a problem....

I've taken my Shuttle across as over 1.85m with the reg as well. I assume its because the Shuttle/Velle are classed as "cars" and others are "vans". Not sure why there would be a difference with a van with the same dimensions? They ask if its for leisure or business and its perfectly reasonable for someone to take a Kombi on holiday.

As others have said, I would try reg first and if thats not the result/price you want then do it as a manual entry and either call/chat to get the reg added/amended or just turn up and do it on the checkin.