Dover-Calais last check-in

[skyhigh]

I'm travelling from Dover to Calais via P&O (and yes, if I could use a different company, I would - I don't have a choice unfortunately). I'm booked on the 0915 departure.

They state on their website that check-in closes 90 minutes before departure. Unfortunately- the first train I can get into Dover doesn't arrive until 0740 (with then a 30ish min walk to the terminal).

Does anyone have any experience if the cut off is a strict 90 minutes, or am I likely to be okay? If I am too late, will I be able to travel on the next departure?

 

[Huntergreed]

A quick search online suggests that the check in closes 90 mins before for foot passengers (not just the typical “please arrive x hours before” familiar from airports) so this sounds like a strict cutoff sadly.

I see the first HS1 inbound service is the 07:40 arrival. The way I see it, you’ll either need to stay the night in Dover, or hope the train is on time and get a taxi from the station to the terminal.

 

[Ediswan]

I see the first HS1 inbound service is the 07:40 arrival. The way I see it, you’ll either need to stay the night in Dover, or hope the train is on time and get a taxi from the station to the terminal.

The taxi plan would be 'optimistic'. Five minutes available to get from the train and check in for the ferry.

 

[paul1609]

I don't think it's possible to catch the 09.15 sailing coming from London by train you either need to stay overnight or change you booking to the 11.15

 

[Cloud Strife]

They state on their website that check-in closes 90 minutes before departure. Unfortunately- the first train I can get into Dover doesn't arrive until 0740 (with then a 30ish min walk to the terminal).

Does anyone have any experience if the cut off is a strict 90 minutes, or am I likely to be okay? If I am too late, will I be able to travel on the next departure?

I don't know how it is now, but pre-Covid, it was 60 minutes in practice. It's worth giving them a phone and asking them about what the current deal is, because I suspect that nothing has changed and that the bus is scheduled to turn up 60 minutes before departure.

 

[skyhigh]

Thanks for the replies.

In case it helps anyone, the current situation is that at Dover the bus does depart 90 minutes before departure - so you need to have checked in before then. Passport control happens after you have boarded the bus so you don't have to get through that before the 90 minute deadline.

On the French side - the bus still departs 60 minutes before the departure time so you'd get away with checking in up until that time.