St Pancras Eurostar changes

[mrmartin]

When visiting NL on Eurostar recently we were put in a different waiting area to normal (behind the business enterance).

I also noticed below the escalators to the platform there was a big unused UK Border Force area. Is this new for brexit?

 

[Mag_seven]

I also noticed below the escalators to the platform there was a big unused UK Border Force area.

I think that has always been there - of course it may see more use post Brexit!

 

[S-Car-Go]

It's an additional overspill departure lounge during peak times. Was made by annexing part of the arrivals area.

 

[sga962]

It's an additional overspill departure lounge during peak times. Was made by annexing part of the arrivals area.

^This. Internally known as T2 or Zone 6. Turned some of the staff corridors and part of the arrivals area into departures. Caused some issues with our fire system while they were doing the work, luckily now fixed

Not seen it in action yet but not sure how they handle queues with people trying to pass through between the arcade and the exit onto pancras road.

TBF the 2007 refurb was designed weird; not enough departure space and too much arrivals that was mostly wasted, but I presume they had their reasons.

 

[S-Car-Go]

^This. Internally known as T2 or Zone 6. Turned some of the staff corridors and part of the arrivals area into departures. Caused some issues with our fire system while they were doing the work, luckily now fixed

Not seen it in action yet but not sure how they handle queues with people trying to pass through between the arcade and the exit onto pancras road.

They take a few eligible punters at a time from the main queue, and filter them to the "alternative" T2/Z6 check-in. I say eligible because there is only the moving ramp access to the platform and no lift.

 

[eastwestdivide]

I used it mid-September when I arrived at St P an hour or more early for the 1104 departure to Amsterdam - I'd speculated that the reason was to keep the main departures area less crowded as there are 1014 and 1024 departures for Marne-la-Vallée and Paris. As I reached the Kings Cross side of the arcade queuing system for security, there were staff directing people for the 1104 to turn right into the overspill area.
When I returned at about 1800 yesterday, arriving into one of the East side platforms, the exit travelator took you down and past the same now-empty overspill area.

 

[Drifter47]

Plenty of space in the departure lounge at Ashford International, just not many Eurostar services calling there.

 

[Cloud Strife]

TBF the 2007 refurb was designed weird; not enough departure space and too much arrivals that was mostly wasted, but I presume they had their reasons.

I believe, but I'm open to being corrected on this, that the 2007 refurb was originally designed to accommodate passport/customs checks on arrival, as this was the original plan in the 1990's. Meanwhile, the juxtaposed border controls had proven to be a success, so St Pancras ended up with a huge arrivals area that was no longer needed.

Had the juxtaposed controls been there from the original plans, then I suspect the departures hall would haven taken up most of the space.

 

[Roast Veg]

Plenty of detention facilities on arrival, spent quite a while in there myself.

 

[duesselmartin]

Plenty of detention facilities on arrival, spent quite a while in there myself.

Being detained for what?

 

[tasky]

I believe, but I'm open to being corrected on this, that the 2007 refurb was originally designed to accommodate passport/customs checks on arrival, as this was the original plan in the 1990's. Meanwhile, the juxtaposed border controls had proven to be a success, so St Pancras ended up with a huge arrivals area that was no longer needed.

Had the juxtaposed controls been there from the original plans, then I suspect the departures hall would haven taken up most of the space.

This makes a lot of sense