Simon Lejeune, Eurostar’s chief stations and safety officer, said: “We’ve got a big job on our hands to educate our passengers, to start talking around EES publicly and to make sure there is an awareness there.
“We are investing in our passenger information processes and we are going to design a checklist that enables passengers to know exactly what to expect.”
Under the extended check-in process, non-EU passengers will be expected to read and digest emailed travel guidance on negotiating the EES system before they travel.
On arrival at St Pancras they’ll first encounter a row of automated kiosks, where they must have their passports scanned and
fingerprints and a facial photograph taken
.
They must also answer questions about their trip, specifically how long they intend to stay, if they will be lodging in a hotel or private accommodation, if they have a return ticket, and whether they have sufficient funds to repatriate themselves.
While France provided funding for 24 kiosks, Eurostar’s calculations showed that was insufficient to prevent potential logjams. It prompted Eurostar and High Speed 1, which owns the lease on St Pancras station, to pay for a further 25.
After passing through the kiosks, passengers will wait in the departure area before being called to the security barrier for luggage scans. They will then clear the UK border at a further set of booths, much as before.
On reaching the final barrier, representing the border with the EU, first-time
travellers must provide their fingerprints for a second time
and have a further photograph taken, this time by French border police. The number of staffed booths has been doubled to 18, and three new e-gates, which can be used by repeat travellers, have been added.
Only then will people be able to ascend to platform level and board their train. There’ll be no further checks on arrival, the same as today.
Once Britons have made an initial journey their EES records will be stored for three years, though even then they’ll have to have a facial scan taken at the kiosks before every trip.