A Picnic on Eurostar?

[calopez]

Just received an email from Eurostar regarding my journey from Paris tomorrow, saying I mustn't bring any meat or dairy products into the UK. This is a foot and mouth precautionary measure, and has apparently been in force since April, but this is the first time I've been aware of it.

I was planning to pick up some picnic items on the way to the Gare du Nord, to eat on the train. Has anyone done this recently? Alternatively, what about the food outlets in the Eurostar lounge? Are they still selling sandwiches, etc, that you can take on board? Or is it the case that the only food you can have on the train is what's available from the buffet?

 

[jfollows]

It’s been in force since April, yes.

I flew back from Greece then and nobody cared, asked or checked but that doesn’t mean they won’t of course.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Just received an email from Eurostar regarding my journey from Paris tomorrow, saying I mustn't bring any meat or dairy products into the UK. This is a foot and mouth precautionary measure, and has apparently been in force since April, but this is the first time I've been aware of it.

I was planning to pick up some picnic items on the way to the Gare du Nord, to eat on the train. Has anyone done this recently? Alternatively, what about the food outlets in the Eurostar lounge? Are they still selling sandwiches, etc, that you can take on board? Or is it the case that the only food you can have on the train is what's available from the buffet?

As long as you eat it before you hit the middle of the channel tunnel I don't think there's any issues (:
(In reality aren't custom checks, (which this would fall under?) done at the arrival end?)

 

[30907]

(In reality aren't custom checks, (which this would fall under?) done at the arrival end?)

Indeed they are.

 

[Nigel]

No problem if you want to buy something to eat on the train, I think the Eurostar departure area is selling the usual things, but I would never buy from there as they are overpriced.

There are usually customs officers at St Pancras (as well as Border Force). I have seen them occasionally stop people, but it has never happened to me.

 

[calopez]

Thanks for the advice. Looks like we should be OK, then. If there are any leftovers, I'll try to remember not to feed them to the livestock on our farm.
In deepest Middlesex

 

[TheSmiths82]

No problem if you want to buy something to eat on the train, I think the Eurostar departure area is selling the usual things, but I would never buy from there as they are overpriced.

There are usually customs officers at St Pancras (as well as Border Force). I have seen them occasionally stop people, but it has never happened to me.

I rarely use the Eurostar these days as I can't afford to do it every year like I used to, but I always thought the food was reasonable prices compared to a lot of trains. Also am I right in thinking the food is all sourced from the UK anyway and not France/EU?

 

[calopez]

In the unlikely event anyone is still interested, in the event, my question turned out to be academic. I was travelling to Paris by the NightJet from Vienna and was booked on the 1311 to St Pancras. Unfortunately, the NightJet arrived 90+ late, owing to a fatality on the line not far from Vienna. Luckily I was able to rebook on the 1442, which left enough time for a quick (but not rushed!) meal halfway between Est and Nord, so no need for a picnic.

I didn't spot any notices at Nord about the prohibition on importing meat and dairy products, so unless the X-ray machines are set up to detect them, as well as the expected AK47s and portable thermonuclear devices, I don't think I would have had a problem.

Still, it's good to know that I haven't endangered the UK agricultural sector by bringing in a small piece of Camenbert