Three stars for Eurostar - train that chugs Chunnel

0 Comments | Insight on the News, August 28, 1995 | by Ann Geracimos

A gradual descent, a pronounced whooshing sound, and suddenly the world outside grows dark. Otherwise, there is no sensation of change, no awareness of the depths -- both physical and historical -- into which our passenger train has just plunged. The smartly dressed attendants blithely pour coffee as though serving breakfast "underwater" were the most natural thing to do while traveling 100 mph.

It's very nearly thinking about the unthinkable, but we are 140 feet under the sea in the 31-mile-long Channel Tunnel, or Chunnel, on our way from London's Waterloo Station to Paris' Gare du Nord, a three-hour journey.

Pass the croissants -- or do we prefer eggs, sausages and bacon, English-style? Or maybe cold cuts and cheese, Dutch-style? The passenger trains that speed through the Chunnel connect England to France and Belgium; there are plans to extend service to the Netherlands in the near future. Food and languages aboard reflect this tripartite excursion, which has been a myth in the making since the idea was broached in 1802.

So much symbolism yet so little acknowledgment of it, except in the faces of a few passengers who look up and smile knowingly at one another as if to say, "Just think where we are now."

The Chunnel's anatomy consists of three tubes: two that carry rail traffic and a smaller one used for servicing the tunnel (and for emergencies). Car and passenger service on this long-sought and long-fought connection began in earnest in November, with hopes that the summer tourist season would validate the $16 billion undertaking. However, recent economic forecasts have been pessimistic.

Cars are transported through the tunnel on Le Shuttle -- half-mile-long, double-deck trains that travel between Folkstone, England, and Calais, France, in roughly 30 minutes. Passengers remain in their cars, which are secured inside special compartments containing only toilets.

People ride Eurostar trains, which seem designed to serve busy business folk. Travelers sit in handsome carriages on trains a quarter-mile long. First-class carriages in the middle of the trains offer roomier seats as well as free food and drinks.

The Chunnel's major advantages: It saves traveling time between London and Paris (or Brussels), and it's virtually weatherproof. Prices vary, but most rates are considerably less than one-way airfares: about $139 for second class compared with $240 by air.

Travelers to London and Paris are advised to check in at least 20 minutes before departure as a precaution against delays from random baggage checks. The fear of terrorism stalks these rails. Plenty of baggage carts are available, and blue-and-gold-uniformed guards and attendants stand by the entranceways.

On our trip, a warning signal sounded five minutes before departure at 6:57 a.m. The train pulled out cushion-smooth. Attendants waited on passengers in first class; trolley service was available in second in addition to stand-up cafe cars selling food and drink. In contrast to airplanes, the clean, ultra-efficient unisex toilets seemed spacious. Separate cars in both classes are reserved for smokers, but these looked only half-full. The liveliest part of the train that day was a nonsmoking first-class car in which passengers were serenaded by musicians from a Belgian video production crew. About an hour and a half later, the sleek vessel glided out again into daylight under the gray, wet skies of France. We stopped briefly in Lille where passengers could change for Belgium.

On our return two days later, just after noon on a Saturday, we climbed stairs in the station to a jammed waiting room above the main tracks. The food-service bar area was busy selling portable drinks and sandwiches. No first-class waiting room is available yet on the French side, but once aboard, lunch arrived in 15 minutes. Only once were we aware of the velocity of our trip when, whipping around a bend, the train swerved sharply, sending food trays toward the floor. We were traveling at 186 mph.

This time around, the trip through the actual tunnel seemed like a subway ride. Few people looked outside into the darkness, where all they could see were their own reflections in the windows. A car salesman and his wife from California who had paid $154 for a one-way trip first class said they probably wouldn't do it again, despite the free wine and hot towels, the general cleanliness of the train and the Godiva chocolates offered as a fillip on top of dessert. But then they didn't expect to visit Europe again very soon either.

We arrived at Waterloo 25 minutes late -- no one bothered to explain why. We had been advised to set watches back one hour, although there was plenty of time to do that while waiting in line to have passports and identification cards checked at the exit.