UK people who were adults when the Chunnel opened, what was it like?

It was deeply disappointing as I'd been expecting it to be like when you can walk through a tank at the aquarium.

Edit: oh. You're asking adults at the time.nm.

I was in my early 30s at the time but I lived up north and didn't go to France ever so nothing changed at all.

I haven’t taken the Chunnel but my parents take it instead of the ferry. Before that we used to take the ferry or the hovercraft (unless my memory is mocking me). So the main change for us was how to cross the channel, nothing more.

Otherwise I’m not sure what you mean by a change. A change in what?

Nothing changed. I'm not sure what you were expecting would change - the only difference was that instead of driving to Dover, putting your car on a ferry and then getting off in France, you'd drive to Dover, put your car on a train and then get off in France.

The Eurostar passenger services started a year or so later iirc, but again although it was fun to be able to take the train to Paris rather than taking the plane or boat, it didn't really affect anyone who wasn't travelling to Paris anyway.

Technically an adult at the time, nothing noticeably changed at all, I guess folk in Dover would've noticed any change more. My uncle in London went across on wine runs more often... Hovercrafts were a lot cooler, if a lot less practical.

Do ppl actually call it the chunnel?

Not from the UK, but it was for the most part an impressive experience. It took a lot longer though at customs getting the car scanned for illegal stuff, as we came from Amsterdam, then the ride itself on the train. Even the tires where pulled off and went through a scanner. Going back was a lot easier going through customs.

Weird feeling you are in a car on a train under the North Sea. Bringing your own car to a country you could only go by airplane or ferry. Once in Dover we travelled the south coast to Paignton, but all of a sudden you are driving on the leftside.

Second time we went to the UK we didn't get scanned so it was really a quick experience getting from Amsterdam to Paignton. I remember everything was flooded though, apparently it had rained for three months, the time between our two visits.

Nothing really changed. Some people who would have taken a ferry changed to the tunnel. But flights became cheaper so the number of people using ferries dropped anyway.

Had you been able to drive straight through then it would have had a bigger effect.

Never taken it but it would have been handy as a kid as we did the Dover-Calais crossing more but switched to Portsmouth-Le Havre.

Friends in London find it handy. Being from The North it hasn't impacted my life. Now if they'd run a high speed rail link down the east coast right to the Chunnel that would be a game changer.