Could Eurostar Operate With Reduced Border/Security Checks?

[Sorcerer]

So while I was wandering around London the other day I paid a visit to St Pancras International just because I enjoy admiring the station. But one thing I didn't admire was seeing a large line of people waiting for the check-in to open for a Eurostar departure about 90 minutes later. Given that the station has practically reached capacity, and seeing as the biggest obstacle to new services along HS1 lies with capacity at St Pancras as well as the appropriate facilities at other European destinations, it seems like a very inefficient way of operating a rail service by treating it like an airport, especially if one of the advantages of trains is (in most cases) the ability to turn up at shorter notice than you would at an airport.

So with capacity at St Pancras restricting potential new services from London to Mainland Europe partly caused by the long check-in times and security checks, could Eurostar and other potential international operators operate with fewer checks to help reduce waiting and check-in times? Obviously since we're not in the Schengen zone we probably won't be treating it like regular train travel, but could we not simply have passengers turn up and scan their tickets and passports before being allowed to board the train instead of being checked in 45-90 minutes before departure, going through security checks, and then left waiting in a small lounge before finally being allowed to board the train?

I admittedly don't know too much about the ins-and-outs of border customs, but seeing as HS1 and Channel Tunnel capacity is underutilised, and with climate change pushing us to consider use more greener ways of travel, should we not be trying to encourage the use of high-speed rail wherever possible instead of treating it like an airport? It also might open up more possible destinations because it'll be much easier to set up ticket and passport scanning machines instead of a whole facility for security and check-in and waiting areas. But even if that wouldn't work, could there not be better and more efficient means of operating an international rail service, or is this truly the best we can do with what we have right now?

 

[Topological]

The issue is surely that you have to have a border. Even if the border process is sped up, you then become reliant on that sped up process. Passengers start arriving later for their trains and then suddenly there is no flexibility for the days when things go wrong.

On a good day you could turn up at the airport 20 minutes before your flight closes, for a short-haul destination that might then actually be 30 minutes before departure. However, on a different day there could be a 30 minute queue at security.

It should also be noted that there is no formal border for international departures at an airport. Document checking is handled by check in, or online. That may be closer to the solution to speed up Eurostar. However, you do go through the arrivals border when you land.

* It is a very long time since I travelled on Eurostar. Maybe online document checking is done.

 

[SynthD]

That’s a Home Office matter, and they aren’t budging. The 90 minutes suggestion could be eased, but as EES is about to be introduced, let’s see what that achieves.

 

[popeter45]

the Security checks can be split into two, passport and baggage, Passport checks are easy to speed up once EES has all its processes and people can use E-Gates more and more, its baggage thats the limiting factor at that point.

 

[signed]

the Security checks can be split into two, passport and baggage, Passport checks are easy to speed up once EES has all its processes and people can use E-Gates more and more, its baggage thats the limiting factor at that point.

Will it? The bottleneck at Gare du Nord is definitely the passport control, the luggage xray takes a few seconds at most last time I was and was flowing.

Especially if they take to installing the same model of French eGates they have currently which are woefully unreliable at reading

 

[Matt P]

Short of the UK joining the Schengen Area, which wasn't even on the cards when we were in the EU, then the answer is probably no.

 

[philosopher]

That’s a Home Office matter, and they aren’t budging. The 90 minutes suggestion could be eased, but as EES is about to be introduced, let’s see what that achieves.

The easiest way I think would be to have all passport formalities done at St Pancras. If arriving into the UK you would go through first French / Belgian / Dutch passport control, then UK passport control. Then there would be no need for passport checks on the continent when using Eurostar, making new destinations far more feasible.

However from what I gather, even if the logistics of this were sorted out, the Home Office would not accept this due to fears passengers could try to stop the train, open the doors and make a run for it once the train gets to the UK.

 

[MrJeeves]

The easiest way I think would be to have all passport formalities done at St Pancras. If arriving into the UK you would go through first French / Belgian / Dutch passport control, then UK passport control. Then there would be no need for passport checks on the continent when using Eurostar, making new destinations far more feasible.

I believe this is exactly how the Disneyland Eurostar services used to work, and why there is still a Border Force area in arrivals.

 

[HSTEd]

The easiest way I think would be to have all passport formalities done at St Pancras. If arriving into the UK you would go through first French / Belgian / Dutch passport control, then UK passport control. Then there would be no need for passport checks on the continent when using Eurostar, making new destinations far more feasible.

However from what I gather, even if the logistics of this were sorted out, the Home Office would not accept this due to fears passengers could try to stop the train, open the doors and make a run for it once the train gets to the UK.

Once you are on British soil, international law grants someone the right to make an asylum claim at any time.
Even if they have to shout it past the EU passport post to the British one.

That is the problem that ultimately means juxtaposed requirements are here to stay.

 

[Mikey C]

Will it? The bottleneck at Gare du Nord is definitely the passport control, the luggage xray takes a few seconds at most last time I was and was flowing.

Especially if they take to installing the same model of French eGates they have currently which are woefully unreliable at reading

At Amsterdam a few days ago, it was definitely the security check which was the bottleneck. A massive queue to use the 2 scanning lanes.

but could we not simply have passengers turn up and scan their tickets and passports before being allowed to board the train instead of being checked in 45-90 minutes before departure,

At the moment all passports are stamped, so simple e-readers won't be enough by themselves.

 

[zwk500]

At the moment all passports are stamped, so simple e-readers won't be enough by themselves.

AIUI the proposal is for e-readers to issue a 'digital stamp' of some kind.

On a fantastically pedantic note, some passports don't get stamped at St Pancras, e.g. A UK & EU passport holder using both to travel would not have their UK passport stamped on exit from the UK and would not have their EU passport stamped on entry to the EU. I'm not sure if Irish passport holders would be exempt from stamps at both borders as well due to being EU & CTA.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jul 2025 ==

I believe this is exactly how the Disneyland Eurostar services used to work, and why there is still a Border Force area in arrivals.

AIUI the Home Office was prepared to accept the much lower risk of a train that was 99% British families returning from Holiday. However, as those trains have stopped, I think the passport checking area is being included in the remodelling for additional departure space, and it might not be possible to restart that method of operating. I think the Ski Trains had temporary facilities for juxtaposed controls (or at least facilities for temporary juxtaposed controls) but as they're now a change at Lille it's not relevant. Not sure what Avignon and Marseille had but that market has been hit hard by Brexit so also less relevant.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Once you are on British soil, international law grants someone the right to make an asylum claim at any time.
Even if they have to shout it past the EU passport post to the British one.

That is the problem that ultimately means juxtaposed requirements are here to stay.

Because an asylum seeker could wait for a Eurostar to get to Dollands Moor, press the emergency cord and escape onto Kentish soil to claim asylum?

 

[jon0844]

So while I was wandering around London the other day I paid a visit to St Pancras International just because I enjoy admiring the station. But one thing I didn't admire was seeing a large line of people waiting for the check-in to open for a Eurostar departure about 90 minutes later. Given that the station has practically reached capacity, and seeing as the biggest obstacle to new services along HS1 lies with capacity at St Pancras as well as the appropriate facilities at other European destinations, it seems like a very inefficient way of operating a rail service by treating it like an airport, especially if one of the advantages of trains is (in most cases) the ability to turn up at shorter notice than you would at an airport.

The queues are down to the people who decide to queue because they think it's like an airport. As you say, capacity 'airside' is limited so I don't understand why anyone wants to rush through - but, fair enough, a lot of people won't know this because they aren't regular passengers and that's possibly why it can be so bad in the summer months (for example, there are a lot of American tourists that use Eurostar for their European holiday; and they're likely used to strict American security).

If you want to get through to buy a coffee or go to the toilet, it's better to do that landside. If you want to shop, well, it's unlikely there are any significantly good discounts at duty free anyway (but you should still have time anyway). Basically, only go through when you're ready to get on the train!

Staff occasionally go along the queues and encourage people to leave and come back later, but people seem unable to relax because they have an airport mindset - so they stay and queue anyway. Get through so you don't miss the plane. You won't miss the train - once you're through, you're through. There's barely any walking to do to get to your train and boarding takes no time at all.

I get that Eurostar can't risk telling people to arrive later, for the sake of the one that then arrives 1 minute before and is denied boarding, but they could perhaps find a way to gently encourage people to arrive at St Pancras early (as you would at any airport) but not rush to go through. Find a nearby cafe/pub and relax!

Security is already really fast, and another reason why I think people panic. Of course, as airport security gets faster and faster with the new 'keep everything in your bag' scanners, perhaps the mindset will change. Security is not anywhere near as tight on the train, although I suppose nobody is going to willingly state that as a reason to turn up later!

 

[wilsontown]

On Eurostar at St Pancras you're told to check in 90 minutes before departure. That's clearly overkill but it's hard to blame people for doing what they've been told to do.

 

[Trainbike46]

I believe this is exactly how the Disneyland Eurostar services used to work, and why there is still a Border Force area in arrivals.

Not exactly - the French exit checks were in Marne-la-Vallee, but the UK entry checks were in London on arrival.

AIUI the proposal is for e-readers to issue a 'digital stamp' of some kind.

On a fantastically pedantic note, some passports don't get stamped at St Pancras, e.g. A UK & EU passport holder using both to travel would not have their UK passport stamped on exit from the UK and would not have their EU passport stamped on entry to the EU. I'm not sure if Irish passport holders would be exempt from stamps at both borders as well due to being EU & CTA.

I've never had my EU passport stamped by a UK border official. It is important to note that the "UK exit checks" aren't actually done by border force, but by Mitie security on behalf of Eurostar.

Are UK exit stamps even a thing? I didn't think that was something the UK did.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jul 2025 ==


AIUI the Home Office was prepared to accept the much lower risk of a train that was 99% British families returning from Holiday. However, as those trains have stopped, I think the passport checking area is being included in the remodelling for additional departure space, and it might not be possible to restart that method of operating. I think the Ski Trains had temporary facilities for juxtaposed controls (or at least facilities for temporary juxtaposed controls) but as they're now a change at Lille it's not relevant. Not sure what Avignon and Marseille had but that market has been hit hard by Brexit so also less relevant.

I think South of France had Lille shuffles.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jul 2025 ==

On Eurostar at St Pancras you're told to check in 90 minutes before departure. That's clearly overkill but it's hard to blame people for doing what they've been told to do.

I don't think it's always 90 minutes - my next Eurostar tickets suggest arriving 75 minutes before departure in London, and 35 minutes before departure in Rotterdam.

They could definitely reduce it to something like "We suggest you arrive 45 minutes before departure. Departure gates close 20* minutes before departure (for standard/plus tickets) or 10 minutes before departure (for Premier tickets or passengers with Carte Blanche/etoile status)"

*after EES has bedded in, closing the gates 20 minutes before departure would leave plenty of time, until then probably best to keep it at 30 minutes

 

[transportphoto]

The queues are down to the people who decide to queue because they think it's like an airport.

As others have pointed out, being told when to arrive isn’t helpful to the experience. I was told to arrive 70 mins before departure from Paris Nord not so long ago.

What I was also disappointed with was conflicting information about open drinks containers. One part of Eurostar saying it’s absolutely okay to rock up to security with a coffee, they even have special holders to put them through x-ray, and the reality being told to down your drink before entering the queues.

 

[rmHawk765]

The massive facilities at Ebbsfleet were constructed specifically to facilitate the checks being done there, but they never managed to organise this and so we're stuck with the current subpar system.

The situation is far, far worse at Paris Nord however, where the terminal is woefully inadequate. I've been in the worst of queues here before - there was one last year that was complained about en masse to Eurostar and resulted in hundreds having to catch the next services.

 

[zwk500]

As others have pointed out, being told when to arrive isn’t helpful to the experience. I was told to arrive 70 mins before departure from Paris Nord not so long ago.

What I was also disappointed with was conflicting information about open drinks containers. One part of Eurostar saying it’s absolutely okay to rock up to security with a coffee, they even have special holders to put them through x-ray, and the reality being told to down your drink before entering the queues.

That's interesting, I've definitely seen security at St Pancras put somebody's Costa coffee in a foam holder tray to go through the machine.

 

[jon0844]

As others have pointed out, being told when to arrive isn’t helpful to the experience. I was told to arrive 70 mins before departure from Paris Nord not so long ago.

It does usually take a lot longer to get into departures from Paris to London, so I would not turn up late there. You will be turned away if you arrive too early, and if you do turn up a bit late then they'll often let you jump the queue (but clearly they aren't going to tolerate everyone deciding to use this as some sort of fast track service).

My advice/experience applies to St Pancras. In all cases, I advise getting to the station in plenty of time so you're there and not subject to any last minute delays on a metro/taxi etc.

 

[signed]

You will be turned away if you arrive too early,

In my experience, you aren't turned away from being early. That's the main reason why queues are madness at Paris, they don't prevent people from climbing to the 1st floor too early which causes more fear and more queues.

 

[Farnborough]

it seems like a very inefficient way of operating a rail service by treating it like an airport

It's not "treating it like an airport" but "treating it like an international border" - which is what it is.