UKC

Planning a trip to font later this year but have recently notice on the site the max size for baggage is 80cm in all dimensions although any other details seem very vague. I am planning to take a bouldering mat with me which is bigger than this. does anyone have any experience with taking bouldering mats on eurostar? do they enforce it or not? If they do can anyone tell me what the fee for oversize baggage is.

In reply to getandy:

Will probably be an issue because they X-ray luggage being carried on, and a bouldering mat won't fit the X-ray machine I would think.

http://www.eurostar.com/sites/default/files/registered_baggage_flyer.pdf

Note the warning about it not necessarily getting on the train you are on. This is to me absolutely rubbish, and you may need to consider other options (does anyone hire them out perhaps?)

Neil

In reply to getandy: should fit in the machine as they can be up to 80 in all directions and the mat is about 60 in width and 25 thick only 1m long so it should go into the xray machine. The other option is to pay now for a checked baggage service but it will cost an extra 50 quid for the round trip. It will also delay us having to pick up baggage in paris.

In reply to getandy: it also says you can pay to take on any larger baggage but this will incur a fee. However it doesnt say how much anywhere.

In reply to getandy:

It does - it's the registered baggage service. The fees are clearly listed, there isn't a fee for carrying oversize stuff, the rule is that it is either allowed or it is not.

If it's under 85cm in all dimensions other than one, where it's slightly over, you may be OK. They don't stand there with a tape measure, but if it is obviously over they may stop you. Don't know if others have experience on this, as I've never tried, and you run the risk of "dump it or don't travel".

Neil

In reply to getandy:

If it's only 25 thick, can you double it over in some way?

Neil

In reply to getandy: not really its a very stiff foam mat (DMM Highball) might just have to run the risk the indication was definately that you could still check it in when you put your baggage through and a number of reviews i have read say they dont enforce it but guess its kinda a bit of a gamble as to what staff are working at the time.

In reply to getandy:

Yes you can do registered baggage right up to departure. But if you're going to do that, make sure you check in well before the half hour deadline.

Neil

FWIW

I've been through (with a big party all carrying mats some very big) on eurostar with absolutely no problem. They have one outsize x-ray machine (on the left as you queue up IIRC) and they just put the mats through this. No extra fees and no hassle. As we were all in one carriage it ran out of storage space and the eurostar staff were very nice and helpful about it and simply found space elsewhere.

Eurostar was a very nice way to travel and their service was properly good - they didn't go out of their way to be arseholes like so many of their competitors.

In reply to getandy:
I doubt you will have problems, but if you are still worried about your mat, you can have a contingency plan.

Unless it is brand new, I think you will be surprised how much you can reduce the length of the mat.

Get a couple of heavy duty straps and crank them up, the mat should fold to a point that is within the dimensions.

I would take the straps with you, but only use them if you are challenged as the mat does take a while to restore its shape if they remain on for any length of time.
I have a 25cm mat similar to the DMM but only a relatively small thickness of the mat is the stiff type of foam.

Failing that and more of a pain, but you can take out the foam and it will bend much more easily.

Many companies do have a habit of being very good for years and years then suddenly one day the rules start to be enforced more strictly.

In reply to MikeYouCanClimb: Its a newish mat got it at christmas. Dont really want to fold it up and all that and the foam is pretty stiff. I am glad to hear they dont fuss to much about it and i guess my contingency plan will have to be to check it into registered baggage if they kick up a fuss.