Eurostar check-in procedure

Eurostar check-in closes 30 minutes before departure for Standard and Standard Premier ticket holders. Business Premier ticket holders can check in up to 20 minutes before departure. 

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Eurostar check-in time

How early you check in for your train depends on your travel class:

*Please note that currently customers are advised to arrive 60 mins before departure time due to Covid-19 regulations.

Traveller type Minimum time before departure
Standard 30 minutes (45 mins on weekends and bank holidays)
Standard Premier 30 minutes (45 mins on weekends and bank holidays)
Eurostar™ carte classique holders 30 minutes (45 mins on weekends and bank holidays)
Business Premier
20 minutes
Eurostar™ carte blanche holders 20 minutes
Travellers who need assistance boarding the train. See Eurostar's advice for those with special travel needs page for more information. Please allow an extra 30 minutes in addition to the check-in time listed above
All travellers for direct Avignon or ski services Please allow 1 hour to make sure you have time to load ski or snowboarding equipment

* Eurostar carte blanche members may take one guest through Business Premier check-in on weekdays and up to 4 guests on weekends.

Check in at Brussels Midi/Zuid
Check-in at Brussels opens once the previous service has departed, so advanced check-in time will vary.

Eurostar check-in process

  • Eurostar passengers require a valid passport or identity card. You will pass through UK, French, Dutch or Belgian customs depending on the journey you are undertaking.
  • From 01 October 2021 onwards, EU, EEA and Swiss national identity cards will no longer be accepted as a travel document to enter the UK: a passport is now required. 
  • Non-EU passengers are responsible for checking if a visa is required for travel, prior to purchasing tickets.
  • Children under 4 years old travel free with Eurostar, so they don’t have to be included in your booking and won’t require a ticket. They won’t have a luggage allowance or a seat, so they will need to sit on the lap of a parent or guardian. However, all children will still need their own passports.
Exit checks are now in place when leaving the UK. Your passport will be checked by UKBA security staff before being checked by French passport control. This will only take a few minutes.

Collecting Eurostar tickets

If you have collect-at-station tickets that you’re picking up on the day of travel, be sure to leave a little extra time in case there’s a queue. Our Help article contains detailed instructions for collecting Eurostar tickets.

Manual check-in for Deutsche Bahn tickets

If you have a Deutsche Bahn ticket that includes travel on the Eurostar (for example a London Sparpreis fare), you will need to go to the manual check-in desk. Simply present your print-at-home Deutsche Bahn ticket to staff, who will print a boarding pass for you.

Eurostar luggage allowance

  • The ticket price includes 2 luggage per pax (up to 85cm long). You don’t need to check in luggage as long as it's within your allowance. There is no luggage weight restriction on Eurostar; you just have to be able to carry your bags onto the train. See our luggage requirements article for more information.