Eurostar Ticket Advice

[Wolfie]

Several months ago I booked a Eurostar trip with a friend, non-flexible non-exchangable tickets, to travel next week. Unfortunately work commitments mean that my friend now can’t travel. Another friend is interested in travelling instead but that raises other problems.

I have spoken to Eurostar who officially say that nothing can be done but unofficially the employee pointed out that the only place that names on tickets might be matched with passports is at Brussels/Paris (and possibly also St Pancras) inbound by the UK Border Agency. They also noted that the Border Agency is concerned with stopping illegals not UK nationals coming back into UK and that the info on Eurostar tickets does not relate to Advanced Passenger Information (API) as used by airlines as no passport or nationality info is sought when booking tickets.

Additionally I work for the UK Government and have regular dealings with UK diplomats in Brussels. I am aware that many of them have used Eurostar tickets in names other than their own, apparently without any issues. Furthermore there are websites in France and Belgium which resell Eurostar tickets; presumably while non-contract compliant such resale must be non-problematic or such sites would not exist – true or false?

I know this site does not encourage anything illegal but would just ask if anyone has experience of travelling on Eurostar recently using in tickets in names other than their own and, if so, did any problems arise? My second friend is keen to come but concerned he could end up stranded abroad!

I would appreciate any advice.

 

[Greenback]

I don't remember anyone ever checking the names on my ticket with those on a passport. Passport checks are conducted seperately. Thankfully it's not like an airline.

 

[philjo]

I don't use Eurostar regularly - I last used it in October. However I don't recall having to show the passwort & tickets at the same time to the same people - I used the ticket to get in through the barrier then show the passport to the border Agency staff at a separate desk.

 

[Wolfie]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I know that in Brussels UK Border Agency does check tickets after the Daily Heil's "Lille scare" of last year.

 

[Greenback]

I don't use Eurostar regularly - I last used it in October. However I don't recall having to show the passwort & tickets at the same time to the same people - I used the ticket to get in through the barrier then show the passport to the border Agency staff at a separate desk.

That's what happens on my journeys. At St Pancras the automatic barrier doesn't care what name is ont he ticket, and the BA staff just check passports.

Last time I came from Brussels I had a through ticket with DB, so I had to go to the ticket desk and get a Eurostar ticket issued. IIRC I bypassed any other ticket checks and went straight to have my passport looked at.

At Paris, the passport and ticket checks are also seperate whenever I've gone through.

I believe that the Man in Seat 61 has also commented that names don't need to match as the tickets and passports are also never looked at at the same time.

 

[reb0118]

When I have travelled on the eurostar it has been with both named tickets for the eurostar train only and London Spezial tickets issued by DB (no name). Often I travel with a group and on the approach to the barrier &c. I just dish out the tickets willy nilly to my companions without regard to the name on the ticket. We have never had an issue with eurostar, security, or immigration staff.

As an aside has anyone ever experienced a ticket check on board a eurostar service?

 

[transmanche]

As an aside has anyone ever experienced a ticket check on board a eurostar service?

Yes, on more than one occasion. It was between Lille Europe and Calais Frethun on a Brussels-London service. And it wasn't by Eurostar staff, but by French police - checking for miscreants trying to exploit the "Lille Loophole".

 

[Wolfie]

Yes, on more than one occasion. It was between Lille Europe and Calais Frethun on a Brussels-London service. And it wasn't by Eurostar staff, but by French police - checking for miscreants trying to exploit the "Lille Loophole".

Ditto but it was Eurostar employed private security.

 

[transmanche]

Yes, on more than one occasion. It was between Lille Europe and Calais Frethun on a Brussels-London service. And it wasn't by Eurostar staff, but by French police - checking for miscreants trying to exploit the "Lille Loophole".

Ditto but it was Eurostar employed private security.

I wonder if things have changed I haven't made that journey for about 18 months. On my journeys it was definitely police[*]: they weren't in standard police uniform, but they were wearing gun/baton holsters.

The train made a brief non-timetabled call at Calais Frethun to allow the police to get off (plus presumably any miscreants they'd apprehended).

* I assumed they were from SNPF (the French equivalent of BTP) - part of Police Nationale.

 

[34D]

I travelled through Brussel Zuid on my way back to St Panc. I recall showing both my ticket and passport to the UKBA staff.

 

[LexyBoy]

Tickets bought in person at the counter do not have any personal information on (just as with UK tickets), so I doubt it's used for anything under normal circumstances. At least this was the case a few years ago.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I recently bought two sets of Eurostar tickets at St Pancras; one for myself + my wife and a second set for a different date for myself + a railway friend; in both cases they asked for the name details exactly as they would be on the passport with the suggestion that "they were tightening up on tickets being sold onwards".

So they very likely will soon introduce a name check process...

 

[johnnychips]

I travelled through Brussel Zuid on my way back to St Panc. I recall showing both my ticket and passport to the UKBA staff.

Snap. The UKBA look at both, and stamp the ticket. I had a print-at-home ticket with name on - whether they checked they matched is an unknown matter.

Not sure if the tickets that look like airline tickets have a name on.

Surely a more pertinent matter is that if you buy an inflexible ticket, you have to take the risk you can't use it - that's why it's cheap.

 

[IKBrunel]

From memory, I think if you buy tickets with frequent traveller points they also don't have a name on.

 

[Wolfie]

My friend did take the risk and travel.

No examination of the ticket, other than the QR code swipe, was done at St Pancras.

At Brussels Midi my friend entered the gate by means of the QR code swipe. The UK Border Agency did look at both passport and ticket and, despite the fact that the names (and indeed gender!) were different on the passport and ticket, were quite happy to stamp the ticket as inspected. It seems all they care about is that the destination is UK (there is now a seperate channel in place before the UK Border Agency line which allows Lille passengers to by-pass the UKBA line) and that the passenger has a valid passport.

 

[IKBrunel]

great, a victory for common sense!

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Yes, UKBA just stamp whatever ticket is put in front of them in my experience. There have been various threats to 'tighten up' from ES staff but these have come to naught and many tickets are available without names on them. In addition, passengers getting off at Lille on Brussels _london trains now travel in their own separate carriage (18) and have a separate checkin line so eventually the stamping may become redundant. French PAF or ES's own security occasionally check tickets between Lille and Calais to find any unstamped tickets: I even saw someone thrown off the train last year at Calais presumably having fallen foul of this (causing 15 mins delay!)

 

[Goldfish62]

I recently travelled back from Brussels with a print-at-home ticket with the wrong name on it (because the wally friend who booked it gave the wrong name) and UKBA staff didn't take any notice.