Ice Axes and Eurostar

Declan, thank you for your work on this.  Great result! Let's hope it's the last time that the issue has to be addressed!

Brilliant result on this perennial issue - congratulations to all involved. It will make it much easier to promote carbon-friendly train travel to the Alps, thus supporting the club's climate care policies. As of today (12 Mar 2022) the Eurostar website doesn't seem to have been updated. Would it be an idea to make an image of the letter recieved from Eurostar available to wave at any over-officious security people?

In answer to John, I travelled Eurostar last week, declared my axe etc, and the frontline staff knew all about it, and waved me through. I had a copy of the Eurostar email ready, but didn:t need to call on it. 

Has anyone got recent experience of this?

Does anyone know if there are any restrictions on taking avalanche airbags on eurostar, the ones with a gas canister. Anyone taken one recently?

Never had an issue taking a snow pulse on Eurostar. Haven’t tried anything more pointy and my last trip was a couple of years ago so not recent experience sadly. 

Thanks Rob. I sent a question into Eurostar too. I’ll post their response.

Hi all,

I travelled with ice axe and crampons by Eurostar in March 2022 and had no problem.

PaulRobbins - I travelled on Eurostar with a Mammut airbag (with filled canister) on 30 Dec 22. At St Pancras they identified it in my luggage and had me show it to them. They discussed among themselves and then accepted it - I didn’t have to show any paperwork (Mammut provide some supporting paperwork on their website, aimed at airlines). I hadn’t declared it as I was not aware of a problem. On the way back through Paris there was nothing said. 

Thanks Magda and Freddy, very reassuring. Freddy, your experience reflects mine when travelling through airports with the airbag. Often lots of head scratching and whistling through teeth in the UK and even in one case an extended bag search. Whilst in Europe just waved through. 

Quick update. I have just been through security and passport control at St Pancreas for the Eurostar. Ice axe, crampons and airbag in same bag. Straight through. 

One final comment from me on this. A week after travelling I received a reply from Eurostar to my question about avalanche backpacks and ice axes. For avalanche back packs they referred me to the information on the website (therefore no help). For the ice axe they said it is a prohibited item and would not be allowed on board. 

From Paul Robbins' comment, it looks as if not all Eurostar staff are aware of the official policy. Despite Declan's comment at the top of this thread, there also still doesn't seem to be an unambiguous statement on the Eurostar website (perhaps they need a nudge!). It might be wise for anyone travelling with an ice axe securely packed in their luggage to take a printout of Declan's post (or the equivalent statement on the Alpine Club website at http://www.alpine-club.org.uk/news/sustainability-news/943-eurostar-clarifies-position-on-mountaineering-equipment)

Just heard from son Ian, tarvelling back from Argentiere meet and his ice axe was taken off him on Euriostar, was told that company policy is that they are not allowed. seems like he persuaded the conductor to return it after the joiurney, but this was not neccessarily going to happen. Beware!

Problems with Eurostar and ice axes continue. We were fine going from London to Paris. We were stopped by the French customs and security checks. They are independent of Eurostar and so were not familiar with Eurostar policy. Fortunately I had the letter from Stuart Younie printed out ready to hand to them. A manager from Eurostar was called who said eventually that it was ok  but only after consulting the letter. For anyone travelling on Eurostar  I recommend taking that letter and be prepared for delays of 30 minutes for extra checks. 

Just returned from a trip to Arolla.  No issues with an ice axe and boot crampons on Eurostar in my big bag.  Ice axe well buried, and packaged with duct tape and cardboard.

Thank you Declan for all your efforts with this. The next challenge is UK train companies and in particular ScotRail. Fingers crossed that UK train companies see the light. 

Good work. In other sustainable modes of transport, Megabus policy is: "You can bring your skis/snowboards, as long as they’re in suitable protective packaging and meet the requirements of our luggage policy* (size and weight). We don’t have any special racks for carrying skis/snowboards, so they’ll be carried in the hold of the coach - and will count towards your luggage allowance. If we agree to carry skis/snowboards on any one journey, it doesn’t mean that we’ll be able to carry it on your subsequent journeys...we only ask that it weighs no more than 20kg. It can’t be any bigger than a standard ‘large’ suitcase (75cm x 50cm x 32cm)" which is not encouraging. One wonders if anyone at Megabus has ever seen a ski. And if you get past the size restriction on the way out, they may refuse them on the way back. 

Perhaps a letter to them would be helpful. I don't suppose they will ever get overwhelmed by skis in the UK and bus operators on the continent seem to manage when they are carrying mostly skiers. It seems an arbitrary rule addressing a nonexistent problem.

No problems today at St Pancras with a bag containing ice axes, crampons, rope, etc. etc.  We had the Eurostar letter handy but did not need to use it.

Today at Gare du Nord we had to unpack our (shared) bag so that they could look at the axes.  The security people checked with Eurostar who gave the all clear.  Again, no need to show the Eurostar letter but it was reassuring to have it handy.  It's worth allowing a bit of time at check in for this.

Just returning from Terry Ralphs’ excellent intro course in Leysin. Had to unpack bag completely at St Pancras a week ago but no real trouble once they saw what all the pointy things were. Today at Gare du Nord again pulled out with a focus on the ice axe. The bag scanner notified his boss who made me show him the axe and called HIS boss. While we were waiting I started showing him the letter but fortunately when the big boss arrived he said (in French) “it’s an ice axe! It’s on the list!”  So all good but definitely expect to have to get stuff out and have the letter hand on phone or printed out. And of course being completely solid that it’s all already approved makes all the difference in the conversation. Thanks so much Declan and others for pursuing this and providing the clarity. 

Unfortunately a negative Eurostar experience with an airbag canister today. Travelling London - Paris last week I was asked to show them the cartridge (Mammut, steel). The very helpful security assistant checked with her manager who immediately confirmed it was ok. 
 

Travelling back Paris - London today I was asked to show the cartridge and immediately told it was totally forbidden. When I explained I had travelled out with it I was told the French had different rules. The junior Eurostar supervisor seemed to be suggesting the canister was dangerous to children because it contained something which would hoover up the oxygen in the carriage if it escaped. The customs official said it was clearly stated in the regulations and that I should have read them when I booked. I asked him to show me and he shrugged his shoulders. There’s nothing on the Eurostar website about them - the only reference to compressed air is in the context of air guns. Eventually a more senior manager (Gary) came over and explained that airbag cartridges are prohibited as the increased pressure in the tunnel makes them liable to explode like a grenade. I don’t follow the physics of that but he told me with some satisfaction that he had confiscated five last Saturday. 
 

However he did tell me that just this once he would let me travel with it as I had come out with it, but that it would go on his daily report and should never happen again. 
 

Gary was clearly indicating that air canisters are prohibited as a matter of Eurostar policy, but the justification he offered and the absence of any mention on the website makes me doubt it. 

Thanks Declan, much appreciated.