# Tests for travel by Eurotunnel



## barge1914 (Feb 1, 2022)

My heads buzzing after reading all the websites.
It seems we need at least an antigen test within 24 hours of travelling on Eurotunnel to France. Since it takes us a couple of days to get down there (too decrepit to do it in one) it seems we have to find somewhere down that way to get tests. We were planning stopping in Canterbury P&R the night before travelling. Has anyone figured out the logistics, I  or found a testing place thereabouts they could recommend?


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## REC (Feb 1, 2022)

We bought one online NXhealthcare. £11.99 each. Do it at home or a few hours before departure. Photo test stick on passport photo page ( leaving all passport info visable) and send it to them via the link in the receipt email. We got certificates back in six minutes the first time and fifteen minutes the second. Accepted by France no problems. But posted to UK address prior to leaving home. Took about three days max.


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## TJBi (Feb 1, 2022)

Have the test kit delivered to your home prior departure. Do the test on your way down, no more than 24 hours prior to UK departure time, and upload requisite images to your provider. Receive certificate by email.
A couple of links that you may find useful:






COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Pre-Departure Test | C19 (c19testing.co.uk)


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## pamjon (Feb 1, 2022)

We have a similar problem, no where near as bad as yours as we only 5hours from the port.
We decided to stop off at Canterbury the night before and do our tests at about 5pm so we would get our results back in time for the Ferry the next day, however, we were going to test ourselves the night before with the NHS tests to make sure we would be OK.
Mr. Macrons test 24 hrs before you go is a pain in the  A*** but we go to France because they provide for motorhomes and England doesn't.
We will be heading straight down to the south because of the warm weather. Our friends are there at the moment and they are in T. Shirts.
PJ


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## rugbyken (Feb 1, 2022)

the four of us booked tests at the sainsburys pharmacy and it honestly was a farce no checks on how you yourself carried out the test did all four of us at the same time but got a nice piece of paper to show the man £29 lots do the tests that you upload from£11-26 seem just as accepted , having been through the process would defi do the online next time but i’m sure if you weren’t comfortable online if you checked the folkestone pharmacies you could find someone to rob you sorry help you


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## barge1914 (Feb 1, 2022)

REC said:


> We bought one online NXhealthcare. £11.99 each. Do it at home or a few hours before departure. Photo test stick on passport photo page ( leaving all passport info visable) and send it to them via the link in the receipt email. We got certificates back in six minutes the first time and fifteen minutes the second. Accepted by France no problems. But posted to UK address prior to leaving home. Took about three days max.


Did you need printed copy or was it ok on phone?


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## trevskoda (Feb 1, 2022)

Simple fact, all the jabs do is protect you from pos death, with the jabs you can still carry and spread the virus, so from what I see is someone is making a lot of money out of this and hoodwinking folks.


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## RoaminRog (Feb 1, 2022)

Book an appointment at the Hope Travel Clinic in Folkestone.
Make sure your appointment is within 24 hrs of your departure time. £39.99


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## GMJ (Feb 2, 2022)

We just did this OP.

We also had a 2 day trip to the tunnel from home at the end of January. I looked into the place that does clinic tests in Folkestone (Hope Clinic) and spoke with them but it was obvious that there was no place to park the MH there. I didn't want to book an appt and organise a taxi due to not knowing what time we would get to site etc.

I therefore bought 2 tests from a company called Qured. They were 22 quid each but what I liked was that they answered all my questions prior to purchase very promptly. All we had to do was take the test; upload the pics to our account along with proof of ID (passport) on their website; then they uploaded the results to my account as well for downloading. They did this in around an hour.

It was an easy matter to upload these to the Tunnel website then for pre-checking...which made going through the border customs dead simple and efficient. The tunnel took around 11 hours to come back via email to say that the tests had been checked and certified.

Timings-wise: we did the tests at around 2.30pm; results back around 3.30pm; uploaded to Tunnel website before 4.00pm; confirmation received at 3.00am in the morning; we travelled at 10.20am.


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## Colinc (Feb 2, 2022)

We used the Qured test too - similar to GMJ.   Works well.  They send the test kits out pretty quickly too.  Some of the cheaper ones take longer to arrive.  So depends on how long you have before setting off.   One useful thing is that you don't have to book a date when you order the tests if you don't know the exact day you will travel.  So order them ahead of time.

Our verification from the tunnel website was almost immediate.  But best to do the test about 20 hours before travel to give max time and a bit of a buffer in case you miss a crossing and go on the next one.


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## charliechan (Feb 2, 2022)

DAM has a test centre in Ashford, book online or just walk in. we also had the NHS app that shows your covid vaccinations. they we email your test resorts, they say 24hours. our test came back with 12 hours


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## alcam (Feb 2, 2022)

trevskoda said:


> Simple fact, *all the jabs do is protect you from pos death*, with the jabs you can still carry and spread the virus, so from what I see is someone is making a lot of money out of this and hoodwinking folks.


Not insignificant surely ? 
And yes you _can _still carry and spread the virus but an awful lot less likely .


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## Deleted member 27480 (Feb 2, 2022)

Slightly off topic but once you are in France the rules have changed regarding the use of the French TousAntiCovid app when trying to enter museums, bars, restaurants etc. Previously you could upload your vaccination details to the French app via a Q code from the NHS site. According to *motorhomingfrance.co.uk* (six days ago) this facility is no longer available and you now have to visit a pharmacy once you are in France and show proof of your vaccinations in the UK and they will give you, at a price,  a Q code to upload to the French app.


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## TJBi (Feb 2, 2022)

britcoms said:


> Slightly off topic but once you are in France the rules have changed regarding the use of the French TousAntiCovid app when trying to enter museums, bars, restaurants etc. Previously you could upload your vaccination details to the French app via a Q code from the NHS site. According to *motorhomingfrance.co.uk* (six days ago) this facility is no longer available and you now have to visit a pharmacy once you are in France and show proof of your vaccinations in the UK and they will give you, at a price,  a Q code to upload to the French app.


Not sure that Alan (motorhomingfrance.co.uk) has got this right. If you follow the link from his web page to the French health service website, there is a long list of countries that are excluded from the pharmacy system. This list starts with EU members and includes a number of countries, of which the UK is one. The French language page (but not the English language page) states that these countries enable one to obtain an EU digital COVID certificate or equivalent, which is accepted in France. I deduce from this that UK residents can still use the NHS QR code, perhaps scanned into the TousAntiCovid app. I most certainly will not be trying to find a pharmacist who is prepared to ignore French government instructions and charge me for the privilege!


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## TJBi (Feb 2, 2022)

trevskoda said:


> Simple fact, all the jabs do is protect you from pos death, with the jabs you can still carry and spread the virus, so from what I see is someone is making a lot of money out of this and hoodwinking folks.


The test and certificate providers are not, so far as I can see, hoodwinking anyone. They are merely providing travellers with a service to enable them to satisfy governments' entry requirements. Some charge more than others.


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## rugbyken (Feb 2, 2022)

a mate travelling by car to his rented villa been turned away by bars in limoges & carcassone not recognising the we code on the nhs test both paper & phone


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## TJBi (Feb 2, 2022)

rugbyken said:


> a mate travelling by car to his rented villa been turned away by bars in limoges & carcassone not recognising the we code on the nhs test both paper & phone


Which is why I intend to go for belt and braces and scan the NHS QR code into the TousAntiCovid app.


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## rabW (Feb 2, 2022)

Thanks everyone for the information. We're in the same position as Barge, 2 days down to Canterbury from the Highlands so probably a couple of nights there to get the tests and uploads done before tunnel.


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## REC (Feb 2, 2022)

barge1914 said:


> Did you need printed copy or was it ok on phone?


Sorry, did not see you asked question. We uploaded it into eurotunnel site and printed off a copy for French border, although they accept it on phone ( and I had it as backup), it is quicker for me to give them the paper than try and find both tests on phone.  As it came by email, it probably would have been ok to find, but I hate fiddling with the phone and holding up the queue!


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## Colinc (Feb 3, 2022)

britcoms said:


> Slightly off topic but once you are in France the rules have changed regarding the use of the French TousAntiCovid app when trying to enter museums, bars, restaurants etc. Previously you could upload your vaccination details to the French app via a Q code from the NHS site. According to *motorhomingfrance.co.uk* (six days ago) this facility is no longer available and you now have to visit a pharmacy once you are in France and show proof of your vaccinations in the UK and they will give you, at a price,  a Q code to upload to the French app.


That report is wrong.  I was there last week and the TousAntiCovid works fine with the UK certificate.  You can also use the third jab code from the NHS - but TousAntiCovid more familiar to bars.


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## GMJ (Feb 3, 2022)

I had some good news yesterday. After battling the covid authorities in Wales I have managed to get my wife's records changed so that she now shows as having 2 jabs plus her booster. Therefore I can now upload her info into the TousAntiCovid app alongside mine.

Previously I could not as she has had 3 main jabs due to her medical situation. Her booster is due imminently which would be her 4th jab. The system could not recognise the 3rd jab so hence showed her as only having 2 jabs.

NB We ate in a resto here in Spain last night and were not asked to show any jab info. We did not try in France on our way down here over the previous 8 days.


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## barge1914 (Feb 3, 2022)

Has anyone experience of COVID checks at Swiss and Italian borders, if any?


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## Colinc (Feb 3, 2022)

barge1914 said:


> Has anyone experience of COVID checks at Swiss and Italian borders, if any?


We crossed Swiss, German and French borders last week.  No checks or forms on any if you have a had your jabs.  If asked the UK QR codes work (use the most recent of the two/three jabs).  It is linked to and compatible with the EU Digital Covid Certificate.  But we just drove strait across the border with no checks.

No sure looking at Italy you need to fill in a PLF and possibly have an antigen test no older than 24 hrs.  But read up on the site to check that.  In the past I've found that even when there are forms and tests needed there have been few checks when driving over a land border.  But best to follow the rules when crossing borders of course.

The above assumes you have been out of the UK for at least 10 days.

You can get all the rules for each country at https://reopen.europa.eu/en/ - the rules are in constant flux so always have a quick check on that site before driving over a border.


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## Deleted member 27480 (Feb 3, 2022)

TJBi said:


> Not sure that Alan (motorhomingfrance.co.uk) has got this right. If you follow the link from his web page to the French health service website, there is a long list of countries that are excluded from the pharmacy system. This list starts with EU members and includes a number of countries, of which the UK is one. The French language page (but not the English language page) states that these countries enable one to obtain an EU digital COVID certificate or equivalent, which is accepted in France. I deduce from this that UK residents can still use the NHS QR code, perhaps scanned into the TousAntiCovid app. I most certainly will not be trying to find a pharmacist who is prepared to ignore French government instructions and charge me for the privilege!


Thanks for that. It makes me doubt any other information on motorhomingfrance.co.uk.


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## TJBi (Feb 3, 2022)

britcoms said:


> Thanks for that. It makes me doubt any other information on motorhomingfrance.co.uk.


Alan has now updated that page to correct the error. I find that most information on there is pretty good, though I have occasionally contacted him in the past re minor inaccuracies.


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## GMJ (Feb 4, 2022)

I subscribe to his newsletter as well. I bought a book from there once regarding historical tours in France I think. Great book but no references to places to stay for the night, which I was expecting tbh.


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## Clunegapyears (Feb 4, 2022)

Ian,  we went onto Boots and got the cert on our phone within an hour. But better was a postal one to home and do in the van ... upload pic of passport and result. We used c19 for entry to Greece said max 12 hrs, but result back in just over an hour (office hours).


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## GWAYGWAY (Feb 5, 2022)

trevskoda said:


> Simple fact, all the jabs do is protect you from pos death, with the jabs you can still carry and spread the virus, so from what I see is someone is making a lot of money out of this and hoodwinking folks.


Only if you are 'fat, Black or  82.' The jabs are doing as much damage as the disease but to much younger people . It is only just getting going now.


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## GMJ (Feb 5, 2022)

GWAYGWAY said:


> Only if you are 'fat, Black or  82.' *The jabs are doing as much damage as the disease but to much younger people *. It is only just getting going now.



Could you please explain what you mean by that sentence?


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## GMJ (Feb 5, 2022)

France only requires a test done within 48 hours of arrival now, which eases things a little for those who have to travel some distance to the port/tunnel





__





						Entry requirements - France travel advice
					

Latest FCDO travel advice for France including on entry requirements, safety and security and local laws and customs.




					www.gov.uk


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## barge1914 (Feb 5, 2022)

As I read it, it now seems to require from orange countries (inc. UK) a PCR or Antigen test within 48 hours before travelling? It would seem a Sworn Statement is now only required for the unvaccinated? Has anyone gone through yet in February and can confirm this? And has anyone been asked for a rest on arrival?


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## Clunegapyears (Feb 5, 2022)

Drove from Fr to Italy on Monday... no border checks. 
We were 36 hr transit so no need for tests etc. Had done the EU plf but no one asked to see it. And no one batted an eye about us being in Italy.   More mask wearing, even when out in the countryside walking than we've seen ... and by a school group!!!  But doesn't seem to essential.


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## GMJ (Feb 6, 2022)

Mask wearing is highly prevalent here in Spain...much more so than in the UK. 100% compliance in supermarkets thus far plus I'd say 80% when folks are just out and about walking.


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## Colinc (Feb 6, 2022)

In most European countries shops and bars get heavily fined if they don't enforce mask wearing.  Hence pretty much 100% compliance.   Not fair on the bar or restaurant owner if you don't comply.


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## Ian reed (Feb 6, 2022)

barge1914 said:


> My heads buzzing after reading all the websites.
> It seems we need at least an antigen test within 24 hours of travelling on Eurotunnel to France. Since it takes us a couple of days to get down there (too decrepit to do it in one) it seems we have to find somewhere down that way to get tests. We were planning stopping in Canterbury P&R the night before travelling. Has anyone figured out the logistics, I  or found a testing place thereabouts they could recommend?


S


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## groyne (Feb 12, 2022)

Bl00dy typical, the day after we take the PCR test the French cancel them.


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## barge1914 (Feb 20, 2022)

Colinc said:


> That report is wrong.  I was there last week and the TousAntiCovid works fine with the UK certificate.  You can also use the third jab code from the NHS - but TousAntiCovid more familiar to bars.


Does Tousanticovid work also for the rest of Europe, or do you have to get local version too like Italy Green Pass?


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## GMJ (Feb 21, 2022)

By work, do mean accepted?

I have the Tousanticovid app on my phone here in Spain but haven't been asked for it yet. The certificates are on there but expire after 30 days so I will need to reload them for when we trade back through France, just in case.


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## Colinc (Feb 22, 2022)

GMJ said:


> By work, do mean accepted?


Yes


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## Colinc (Feb 22, 2022)

barge1914 said:


> Does Tousanticovid work also for the rest of Europe, or do you have to get local version too like Italy Green Pass?


It may.  I have used my NHS pass elsewhere in Europe.   Show the third one - the one for the booster.   Sometimes they scan it and it works - other times they just look at it.  Usually need photo id too - driving license or passport.   The UK scan codes are linked to the EU gateway and work the same as any other EU citizen out of their home country.


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