Across the English Channel by car with a dog? Of course!
Hey friends, it’s Kyon – professional traveler and self-proclaimed expert on dog passports. Today I’m going to tell you how I got from England to France through the Eurotunnel – without even getting my paws wet.
Summary for your humans (if they don’t like reading the whole thing)
✅ Book your ticket here 👉 www.leshuttle.com
✅ Pet passport – vaccines, microchip, tapeworm treatment, health check
✅ Pet Reception – check in depending on your travel direction
✅ Time buffer – arrive at least 60 minutes early
✅ Dog park & pet space – use them, they’re pawsome!
✅ Cuddle time on the train – don’t expect much of a view
✅ Careful: driving is on the left in the UK!
CHECK-IN
The very first gate you’ll see when traveling from England to France is check-in. Tell your humans this isn’t a “wing it” situation – you need a ticket and you need to check in on time (kind of like at the airport). Make sure to allow at least 60 minutes, because it can take a while, and nobody wants last-minute stress. I was ready in five minutes, of course – but you know humans and their paperwork…
Passport Control for Furry Travelers
Right after check-in, you’ll head to the Pet Reception – that’s the place where they decide if you’re good to go or if you’re heading back home to your dog bed
Direction Matters—Listen Up, Humans!
When traveling from England to France:
👉 First check-in, then Pet Reception.
When traveling from France to England:
👉 First Pet Reception, then check-in.
What Do They Check at “Pet Reception”?
Microchip – to make sure it’s really you and you belong to your human.
Pet Passport – yep, we dogs have passports too! Mine even has photo where I look like a runway model.
Rabies vaccination – the classic.
Tapeworm treatment (Echinococcus) – those sneaky invisible critters. I got my tablet from the vet two days before heading to England, she wrote it in my passport, and boom – everything was pawfect.
⚠️ Super important! If you’re going from France to England, you must have that tablet (Tapeworm treatment) 24–120 hours before crossing the border. If the timing’s wrong, they’ll turn you around – no paws allowed through.
Dog park: The place to go wild
After all the checks, we headed straight to the dog park – and guess what they had? Agility obstacles! I went absolutely wild there. Right at the entrance, a friendly guy handed Lucka a foldable water bowl, treats, and even poop bags. What more could a pup ask for? Honestly, I almost decided to move in.
Inside the terminal there’s also a Pet Space where you can just chill. And the whole terminal is dog-friendly—the doors even open automatically (I’m convinced they can smell us pups coming).
⚠️ Watch your timing before boarding the train! Keep an eye on the screens – they’ll tell you when and where to go. Sounds easy, right? But between that you’ll pass through two passport checks – one British and one French. It took a while and there were lines… but I didn’t mind. I just watched the seagulls.
By train – in the car, under the sea, no view
After passport control, you just drive your car straight onto the train. Biggest bonus? You get to stay together in the car!
I honestly thought I’d see fish swimming by… but nope! The tunnel goes under the sea, so there’s nothing exciting out the window. Instead, it’s the perfect chance for cuddles, a nap, or some well-earned chill time. The whole trip takes about 35 minutes.
Arriving in France is super easy – no stamp stamping or extra checks. You just roll off the train and… voilà! Straight toward the nearest croissant (well, your humans do – I stuck with my kibble).
⚠️ Mini tip for drivers: Remember, the UK drives on the left. So when you come back into France, switch your brain back to the right side of the road – don’t panic and mix it up!