00:00 From October the 6th, the rules on how you catch the Eurostar from here in St Pancras
00:08 to Brussels, Paris or Amsterdam are changing.
00:13 This is what you need to know.
00:14 The key difference is that the European Union is introducing a new system known as EES,
00:20 that is Entry and Exit System.
00:23 And rather than just simply getting your passport stamped, you'll have to undergo biometric
00:29 checks such as having your face scanned and giving your fingerprints.
00:34 What does this mean for passengers?
00:35 Do you have to get here earlier than normal?
00:38 No is the answer from Eurostar.
00:40 It says it's going to stick with the current 45 minutes to 60 minutes ahead of journey
00:45 time.
00:47 Although on busier times you may have to get here 90 minutes ahead of your journey.
00:52 It says that reports you'll have to be here at least two hours in advance are incorrect.
00:57 Eurostar is spending 10 million euros upgrading its facilities here at St Pancras.
01:04 This will include increasing the number of kiosks from 24 to 49, the number of e-gates
01:10 from 8 to 11 and the number of manual booths from 9 to 18.
01:16 The idea is that it won't take any longer than it currently does to get through to the
01:21 other side of the border.
01:22 The issue here at St Pancras is that the French border is actually in London.
01:27 So these new rules apply at St Pancras and at Dover and Folkestone.
01:32 For air passengers they will undergo similar checks but on the continental side of the
01:37 border.
01:38 So if you arrive in Paris on an aeroplane you'll undergo the same checks at the French
01:43 airport.
01:44 Now what happens if you're travelling with children?
01:47 Well the rules are different if you're travelling with children under 12 years old because
01:53 they cannot use the e-gates.
01:55 They can use the new check-ins but they won't have their fingerprints taken so they can
02:00 scan their passport there but then they will need to go through to a manual check-in gate
02:05 probably accompanied by their family.
02:07 One thing that is changing though is the layout of some of St Pancras station.
02:12 The Vanuguo Cafe bar which is opposite the main ticket office is going to close and that
02:17 will be replaced by this new area for the automated check-in booths.
02:23 So passengers will have to arrive there first before they proceed further down the station
02:28 to what is now the main Eurostar entrance.
02:31 And finally what happens if you actually miss your train because of all these changes?
02:36 Well Eurostar is aware that this will be a more complicated system but it's done modelling
02:41 and it says it's confident passengers will be able to go through pretty much as normal
02:45 now.
02:46 However in the past it has helped some trains to give passengers more time to board and
02:51 it's possible that could happen in future.
02:53 In the end though these are changes not of Eurostar's making, these are EU zone changes
02:59 and simply Brits travelling to and from the continent using Eurostar simply have to get
03:06 used to the new system, keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best.
03:10 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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