Channel Tunnel

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The Channel Tunnel is the Eurotunnel that connects France with England going beneath the English Channel.

Direction France, (Calais)

The entrance of the tunnel is directly situated along the M20 at Exit 11a just North of Folkestone. It can also be accessed by the A20 (Ashford Road) which join the M20 at Exit 11 and Exit 12. This would the solution if you wish to join the Eurotunnel by foot.

Bear in mind that even if some people might seem resistant to the idea of helping someone to cross the Channel into France, many others won't be stressed with that idea, which is not exactly the case on the reverse journey. The crossing into the tunnel is paid per car, so a hitch-hiker does not incur any extra cost to the driver. The check-in is mostly electronic, so the driver doesn't need to speak with any ticket collectors or such who might conceivably ask questions re: hitch-hikers.

The crossing takes about 40 minutes, once in the train it is fairly possible to simply walk along the carriage to other cars and spot a car that might go direct to your direction and simply ask the drivers. Then you can catch a ride further south into France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands just by swapping cars.

Hitching to

Maidstone Services is the only services located along the M20 at Exit 8, it is most likely the spot to reach when hitching towards the M20. From there, you can show a sign or ask the people. Remind them that the Tunnel crossing is paid per car.

At the Tunnel entrance directly, of course logic would show that if you try to hitch at the booth itself it is more likely that they will booth you out of there. So keep discrete and away of any of this potential trouble. The best spot seems to be at the Exit 11a, coming from the Ashford Road on-ramp and standing along the road just before being beneath the viaduct. There is a wide shoulder and with a sign, you can be seen by the cars coming from the highway and they can pull aside if they wish.

Of course, it might end up being a jeopardy and what works quickly for some might not for others. Belgians seems more keen on picking people over the tunnel, so if you show a big sign marked 'B' you might get more lucky than simply Calais.

By standing nearby the viaduct, you are not being at view from the toll booths (which are 800 yards away), there is no camera (surprisingly) and you are still somehow nearby the local road. Maybe the police would not be keen on letting you continue, but they can only find you out if they happen to be passing by.

The French authority are usually pretty easy on passport checking and depending on what car you are in, you might end up not having to be controlled whatsoever.

Outside the Tunnel

Upon arrival in France while leaving the Eurotunnel, there is a Shell Gas Station located right at the exit before cars reach the highway. This place could be the right place to find another ride further if you didn't manage to find the right one inside the train.

Direction England, (Folkestone)

Applications-office.png This article is a stub. This means that the information available to us is obviously insufficient. In these places little information is available or the description is severely outdated. If you have been there, whether hitchhiking, for travel or as part of an organized tour − be sure to extend this article!