FERRY BOOKING
DRIVERS MANAGEMENT
VAT & EXCISE DUTY REFUND
English
FERRY BOOKING
DRIVERS MANAGEMENT
VAT & EXCISE DUTY REFUND
English
Book your Eurotunnel Le Shuttle crossing for trucks between Folkestone (UK) and Coquelles, just outside Calais (France), often searched as Folkestone to Calais or Dover to Calais by tunnel. Reserve your crossing and file your customs declarations in the very same system, GMR, ENS GB, ICS2, ELO and the HGV Road User Levy are all handled alongside your ferry booking, so there’s nothing left to sort out separately before you reach the terminal. Cross the Channel in 35 minutes, day or night, whatever the weather.
If you’re not a transport company but just a traveler, you can book your Eurotunnel crossing with smartferry.com.
| Crossing time | 35 minutes |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Up to 6 departures an hour |
| Operator | Eurotunnel (LeShuttle Freight) |
| Weather impact | None, runs 24/7/365 |
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Eurotunnel Le Shuttle runs a single route through the Channel Tunnel: Folkestone, in Kent (UK), to Coquelles, just outside Calais (France). It’s the same UK-France corridor as the Dover-Calais ferry, just crossed underground instead of by sea, which is why you’ll often see it searched as “Folkestone to Calais”, “Dover to Calais tunnel” or simply “the Chunnel”. There’s only one route and one direction pair, Folkestone ⇄ Coquelles/Calais. Unlike Dover, Eurotunnel doesn’t serve Dunkirk or any other French port.
A rail shuttle isn’t a ferry, and that changes what actually matters for a transport manager: no sailing schedule to work around, no swell to worry about, and border checks handled before you even board. Move Expert wraps the LeShuttle Freight booking together with the customs side of the crossing, so your team isn’t managing two systems for one trip.
LeShuttle Freight runs up to six departures an hour, so instead of booking a fixed sailing, you're booking a crossing window, with far more flexibility if your driver runs early or late.
GMR, ENS GB / ICS2 and ELO are handled through the same account as your Eurotunnel booking, and thanks to juxtaposed controls, both French and UK checks happen at the terminal before departure.
Your quote reflects vehicle length and travel time, shown as a single figure with no bundled surcharges to unpick at checkout.
Support for drivers and dispatchers across Europe, whenever your fleet is moving, not just during UK office hours.
| Crossing time | 35 minutes, the fastest crossing of the Channel by some distance |
| Distance | Roughly 50 km through the Channel Tunnel, the shortest fixed link between the UK and mainland Europe |
| Frequency | Up to six departures an hour, no fixed sailing to book around |
| Operators | Getlink, trading as Eurotunnel LeShuttle Freight, the sole operator of the Channel Tunnel |
| Shuttle type | Dedicated double-deck freight wagons, electric traction, drive-on drive-off |
| UK terminal | Folkestone, direct access from the M20 |
| French terminal | Coquelles, direct access from the A16 and A26, a few kilometres from Calais |
| Weather impact | None, the tunnel runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year regardless of sea conditions |
Both LeShuttle Freight terminals sit directly on the motorway network, with freight traffic kept separate from passenger vehicles.
Located just off the M20 in Kent, a few miles inland from the coast. Because it shares the same Kent road network as the Port of Dover, congestion measures such as Operation Brock can affect access to Folkestone as much as they affect the ferry ports, even though the tunnel crossing itself is never weather-delayed.
Sits directly on the A16/A26 junction, a short drive from Calais. French and UK border checks both take place here, at the same terminal, before your truck boards, so there's no second round of customs to clear on the English side.
The Channel Tunnel has a single operator, Getlink, running the freight service under the LeShuttle Freight brand (still widely known by its original name, Eurotunnel). There’s no operator comparison to make here; what you’re choosing between is the tunnel itself versus a ferry crossing, not one shuttle company against another.
Enter your truck's length and the number of people travelling. Unlike a ferry, you're not locking in one fixed departure time, you're booking a flexible crossing window.
See pricing based on your vehicle and travel time, with no separate fuel surcharge to add on top.
Your confirmation arrives by email straight away. At the terminal, your reference links to the automatic check-in system, so boarding is largely hands-free.
Tip: with departures roughly every 10 minutes, LeShuttle Freight is far more forgiving of a delayed driver than a fixed ferry sailing, but booking ahead still protects you against price increases during busy periods.
Pricing works differently here than on a ferry crossing, there’s no fuel surcharge to add on, since the shuttles run on electric traction rather than marine fuel. What does affect your rate:
A LeShuttle Freight booking gets your truck a place on the shuttle, it doesn’t replace your customs declarations. The good news is that because Folkestone and Coquelles run juxtaposed controls, most of this paperwork gets checked before you board, not after you’ve already crossed.
Your GVMS reference, required before check-in on either side of the tunnel.
The safety and security filing that matches your direction of travel.
Your Smart Border barcode, checked at the terminal alongside your GMR.
Required to drive a heavy goods vehicle legally on UK roads.
Your company's customs ID, and the declaration reference tied to your specific load.
Your consignment note, plus anything your cargo needs, though be aware the tunnel applies its own dangerous goods restrictions: some of the highest-risk ADR tunnel categories aren't permitted through the Channel Tunnel at all and have to travel by ferry instead. Always confirm your load's classification before booking.
| Dover to Dunkirk ferry | Eurotunnel Le Shuttle | |
|---|---|---|
| Crossing time | 35 minutes | Approximately 90 minutes |
| Frequency | Up to 6 departures an hour | Every 30 – 60 minutes at peak |
| Weather dependency | None, runs regardless of sea conditions | Can be delayed or cancelled in rough seas |
| Driver rest | Too short to count as a qualifying break | Can count as a break under some tachograph rules |
| Cost | Typically higher for the speed and reliability | Often more competitive, especially off-peak |
If a delayed sailing simply isn’t an option, whether it’s a just-in-time delivery or a driver already tight on hours, the tunnel’s weather-independence and frequency are hard to beat. If your driver needs the crossing to count as a rest period, or your budget favours off-peak fares, the ferry usually wins out.
Yes. “Folkestone to Calais” and “Dover to Calais by tunnel” both describe the same Eurotunnel Le Shuttle service. The terminal is technically at Coquelles, a few kilometres from Calais, and the UK terminal is at Folkestone rather than Dover, but it’s the same UK–France corridor as the ferry, just underground.
Eurotunnel freight prices are based on your vehicle’s length and your travel time, with no separate fuel surcharge added on top, since the shuttles run on electric traction. Get an instant quote through our booking tool, there’s no obligation until you confirm.
Create a Move Expert account, enter your truck’s length and the number of people travelling, choose your crossing window, then pay online. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away and links directly to the terminal’s automatic check-in.
Yes. The tunnel crossing takes 35 minutes against roughly 90 minutes for the Dover Calais ferry, and with up to six departures an hour, you’re rarely waiting long for the next shuttle.
No. Unlike ferry crossings, LeShuttle Freight runs underground and isn’t affected by rough seas or high winds. The service operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The same UK–France customs formalities as any Channel crossing: a GMR for GVMS, an ENS GB or ICS2 filing depending on direction, a valid EORI number and MRN, HGV Road User Levy payment where applicable, and an ELO barcode. Juxtaposed controls at Folkestone and Coquelles mean most of this is checked before you board.
Yes. Eurotunnel is the original, still widely-used name for the Channel Tunnel operator, now trading under the Getlink group as LeShuttle Freight for its truck shuttle service.
No. Some of the highest-risk ADR tunnel categories are excluded from the Channel Tunnel for safety reasons and have to cross by ferry instead. Always check your cargo’s classification before booking a LeShuttle Freight crossing.
Generally no. At 35 minutes, the crossing is too short to count as a qualifying break under most tachograph rules, unlike the longer ferry crossings, which can sometimes be used this way. Check current regulations for your fleet’s home country.
Not usually. You’re paying for speed, frequency and weather-reliability, so LeShuttle Freight fares tend to run higher than an off-peak ferry crossing, though the gap narrows during ferry peak periods.
Yes. Frequent users can set up an account with consolidated invoicing and, in many cases, negotiated rates, useful if your fleet runs this corridor daily. Contact our freight team to arrange it.
Because departures run roughly every 10 minutes, missing a booked slot is far less disruptive than missing a ferry sailing, you’ll typically be able to board the next available shuttle, sometimes for a small fee.
Yes. The shuttles run on electric traction rather than marine fuel, which significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the crossing compared with a conventional ferry, relevant if your company reports on transport emissions.
Yes, unaccompanied freight is accepted, subject to the same GMR, ENS/ICS2 and ELO requirements as an accompanied crossing.
Standard articulated combinations up to around 16.5m are accommodated as standard; longer combinations or abnormal loads need prior approval before booking.
Yes. The service runs 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including overnight departures, useful for time-critical or just-in-time deliveries.
There’s more flexibility here than on a ferry, but booking a day or two ahead during peak season still protects against price increases and guarantees your preferred crossing window.
Folkestone Terminal sits just off the M20 in Kent, and Coquelles Terminal sits on the A16/A26 junction a short drive from Calais, both positioned for direct motorway access with no detour into either town.
The Eurotunnel provides a direct connection between Folkestone and Calais, but transport companies have several other options for crossing the English Channel. The most suitable route depends on the departure point, final destination, vehicle requirements and journey schedule.
The Dover to Calais ferry is one of the main alternatives to Eurotunnel for trucks and HGVs travelling between the UK and France. Its frequent sailings make it a practical option for transport companies operating regular Channel crossings.
The Dover to Dunkirk ferry provides another freight connection from Dover to northern France. It can be particularly relevant for journeys towards Belgium, the Netherlands and northern Europe.
The Newhaven to Dieppe ferry connects the south coast of England with Normandy and offers another option for freight operators whose routes are better suited to Dieppe and northern France.
The Portsmouth to Caen ferry provides a direct connection between southern England and Normandy. It can be relevant for transport companies travelling towards western or central France.
The Portsmouth to Cherbourg ferry provides access to Normandy and western France, making it another option for transport companies whose final destinations are further west.
The Portsmouth to Saint-Malo ferry connects southern England with Brittany and can be relevant for freight operators travelling towards western France.
The Poole to Cherbourg ferry provides another direct connection between southern England and Normandy, offering an alternative route for commercial vehicles travelling towards France.
For journeys towards Brittany and western France, the Plymouth to Roscoff ferry provides a direct sea connection that can reduce the need for longer road journeys through northern France.
Running a different corridor entirely, Ireland, Scandinavia, the Mediterranean? See every freight crossing we cover, sorted by region. Browse all freight ferry routes in Europe
Save time and simplify your freight transport between France and the UK. Book your Eurotunnel LeShuttle Freight crossing quickly and efficiently, with a service designed to meet the needs of transport companies and professional hauliers.
Plan your crossing today and keep your trucks moving.