Eurotunnel tickets and prices 2026

A LeShuttle crossing from Folkestone to Calais starts from £69 per vehicle each way, but the price you pay depends heavily on when you travel and how far ahead you book. This guide shows every ticket type, the real 2026 prices, and the practical tips that make the biggest difference to what you pay.

The fare covers your whole vehicle, including the driver and up to 8 passengers, so the price is per car rather than per person. Below you can compare live prices for your dates, then read on to understand exactly how the fares work and how to pay the least.

Should you book in advance or pay at the terminal?

You can buy a ticket at the LeShuttle terminal when you arrive, so booking ahead is not strictly required. But for almost everyone, booking online in advance is the smarter choice, and here is why.

When you book ahead you know exactly what your crossing will cost before you set off, with no surprises at the barrier. You can also compare prices across different departure times, and that matters more than most people expect: the same crossing can vary a lot depending on the time slot you choose. Early morning and late evening departures are usually the cheapest, while the middle of the day on a busy weekend is the most expensive. Booking in advance lets you see those differences and pick the slot that suits your budget.

Turn up and pay on the day, and you will usually pay one of the higher fares, because the cheapest advance prices are no longer available and your preferred departure may already be full. So while you can book at the terminal, doing it in advance gives you both the lower price and the peace of mind of a guaranteed place.

Eurotunnel ticket types and 2026 prices

LeShuttle offers several ticket types, each with its own price level and conditions. Here is the part that catches most people out: you do not choose the ticket type yourself. When you enter your travel dates and times, the booking system automatically applies the right fare for your trip. The only option you can actively add is a Flexiplus upgrade for full flexibility.

The prices below are the official LeShuttle indicative “from” fares for 2026, per vehicle, each way.

Prices are official LeShuttle indicative “from” fares for 2026, per vehicle each way, including up to 9 people. The exact price for your journey is calculated at booking based on your date, time and vehicle. On the cheapest fares a return journey must be booked.

What each ticket type means

• Day Trip & Overnight: the cheapest option, ideal for a quick hop to France, but you must return within 2 days and travel on your booked time.
• Short Stay Saver: good value for a trip of up to 5 days, with a little flexibility around your time.
• Standard: no limit on how long you stay, available as a single or return.
• Standard Plus: LeShuttle's recommended fare, with up to 4 hours of flexibility and a refundable option if your plans change.
• Flexiplus and Short Stay Flexiplus: the premium fares, with the freedom to board any train that day, priority lanes, lounge access and full refunds.

How to book your Eurotunnel ticket

Booking takes just a few minutes. Use the price checker above to compare fares and secure your crossing. Here is how it works step by step.

1. Enter your travel dates. Choose single or return, pick your departure date, and select an early or late slot if you want the lowest price.
2. Select your vehicle. Add your vehicle type and the number of passengers. The fare covers the whole vehicle, so passengers are included.
3. Compare the fares. The system applies the right ticket type automatically. Compare the price against alternative ferry crossings shown in the same overview, and add a Flexiplus upgrade only if you want full flexibility.
4. Pay securely and get your ticket. Complete the booking and your ticket arrives by email with a booking reference. At the terminal, your number plate is read automatically at check-in.

Want to see how often trains run and when the quiet, cheaper slots are? Check the Eurotunnel timetable for live departure times before you book.

What is the cheapest Eurotunnel ticket?

The lowest advertised fare is the £69 Day Trip & Overnight, but whether you can get near it depends on a few things you control. These are the tips that make the biggest real difference to your price.

• Book as early as you can. Fares rise as the train fills up, so booking weeks ahead rather than days can save you the most.
• Travel early or late in the day. The first and last departures are consistently cheaper than the busy midday slots. This single choice often saves more than any other.
• Go midweek. Tuesday and Wednesday are usually the cheapest days. Fridays, Sundays and holiday getaways are the most expensive.
• Keep the trip short if you can. The Day Trip and Short Stay Saver fares are much cheaper than a long open return, so if your plans fit inside the time window, you save.
• Compare with the ferry. On peak dates and during school holidays a ferry is sometimes cheaper. The booking module shows both, so you can see at a glance. For the full comparison, read Channel Tunnel or ferry.

Is a Flexiplus ticket worth it?

Flexiplus is the most flexible and most expensive fare. Instead of a fixed departure, it lets you turn up and board any train that day, with priority lanes and lounge access. It is genuinely useful, but only in the right situations, so it is worth being honest about when it pays off.

Flexiplus is worth it when: you are travelling on a busy peak day when trains fill up, your departure time is uncertain, or your plans might change and you want a full refund option. In those cases the extra cost buys real peace of mind and priority boarding.

Flexiplus is usually not worth it when: you are travelling in a quiet period, at an off-peak time, with a fixed plan. A Standard or Standard Plus fare covers most trips for a lot less. As a guide, a Standard fare starts at £127 while Flexiplus starts at £284, so you are paying roughly double for the flexibility.

If you are unsure, Standard Plus is a sensible middle ground: it gives you up to 4 hours of flexibility and a refundable option without the full Flexiplus price.

The Eurotunnel £25 return: does it still exist?

Many travellers search for the famous “Eurotunnel £25 return”, and it is a fair question. Back around 2019, LeShuttle ran a hugely popular promotion offering a return to France for just £25. It was a limited-time deal, usually tied to events like Black Friday, and it is not a permanent fare.

That exact £25 price is not currently available, and LeShuttle only rarely runs discount codes or flash promotions. The good news is that when a genuine deal does appear, it is usually short-lived and worth grabbing quickly. We track current offers on our discounts and deals page, so that is the place to check before you book. In the meantime, the advance-booking and off-peak tips above are the most reliable way to get close to the lowest fares available today.

Frequently asked questions

The simplest way to get a good price on your Eurotunnel crossing is to book in advance, travel early or late in the day, and keep your trip short if you can. Use the price checker above to compare fares and time slots, see how LeShuttle stacks up against the ferry, and lock in your crossing from £69 per vehicle. Booking ahead means you know your price before you set off, with no surprises at the barrier.