Eurostar - Advance passenger information
From 1 April 2024, Eurostar is required by the UK government to collect Advance Passenger Information (API) for anyone on your booking before your customers travel to/from the UK.
Your customers won’t be able to get the tickets until they’ve completed this information.
What is Advance Passenger Information (API)?
Advance Passenger Information (API) is required by the UK government for people leaving or entering the UK, as part of their border control measures.
Everyone on your booking must provide the following information as it appears on their travel document (in most cases, the passport):
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Nationality
- Travel document type
- Travel document number
- Travel document country of issue
- Travel document expiry date
Important: national ID cards can only be used in a limited number of cases. If in doubt, please use the passport or check if they’re eligible to use their national ID card before completing the API.
Who needs to provide their API?
Everyone who has booked a Eurostar ticket to or from London. API is not needed for children under 4 who travel without a ticket on an adult’s lap. But if you have booked a ticket for a child under 4, you will need to complete their API too.
How do I provide my API?
You need to go to Manage your booking to provide your API. Enter your booking reference and last name to access your travel details, then follow the instructions.
When do I need to provide my API?
You need to provide your API as soon as possible before departure. You won’t be able to collect your tickets until you do.
Do I still need to bring my passport and/or travel documents when travelling?
Do I still need to bring my passport and/or travel documents when travelling?
Yes, they do. The passport (or other valid travel document) will be checked by border staff at the station before departure. Please ask your customers to get to the station at the recommended arrival time to ensure they have enough time for ticket, security and border checks.
Important: UK border rules are changing. They may need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) if they don’t currently need a visa to enter the UK. Make sure your customers have everything they need well ahead of their journey. Otherwise, they won’t be allowed to travel.
Can the details be changed?
If you’ve provided incorrect information or the passenger has changed passport, you can resubmit the API before departure. You won’t be able to update the existing form as details are encrypted as soon as they are submitted. But you will be able to complete a new form which will replace the old one.
Is API required for each journey leg?
No – once API is submitted for a booking, both outbound and inbound tickets are released.
Is API stored for future bookings?
No – frequent travelers need to resubmit their information for each booking. We are working on a solution for storing Advance Passenger Information in future.
Is the data secure?
API is encrypted as soon as it’s submitted. That’s why the details can’t be viewed again once provided. The data is only stored in our systems until the travel date and is deleted after travel. The data is only used for border security measures and is securely transferred to relevant authorities through a dedicated system.
How does it work with multiple pax?
Advance Passenger Information must be entered for each traveler on the booking. If there are 2 people on the booking, you can enter and retrieve the ticket of one passenger even if the information is not yet submitted for the other person.
Who does the passenger contact in case of issues?
If a passenger with a third-party booking is using MYB to submit their Advance Passenger Information and the ticket is not retrieved, they should contact Eurostar Customer Care. Their contact details are here.
Is API required for exchanges made to existing bookings?
No. For existing bookings, API is not required if an exchange is performed before the 2nd of April, even if the travel date is after 2nd April. If an existing booking is exchanged after the 2nd of April, API will be required to download the new tickets.
Is API required for exchanges to bookings made after 2nd April?
No. If Advance Passenger Information has already been entered, and then an exchange is made, resubmission of API is not required to retrieve the new tickets.
How does it work with connecting Eurostar services? e.g. London to Cologne via Brussels
If you have a booking with a cross-channel segment and a continental segment, you can access the ticket for the connecting continental service without entering Advance Passenger Information. API is required to access the tickets for the cross-channel service.
Is API required for group bookings?
No – API will not initially be required for group bookings of more than 10 passengers. This will be required in the future and the solutions for group bookings are to be confirmed.
Can agents enter API using MYB?
Agents can provide API on behalf of the traveller via Manage Your Booking using the PNR & Last Name of the traveller. Agents are responsible for collecting and entering the correct passenger information. If a traveller buys their ticket at the station, the traveller is responsible for entering their API directly via an SST machine, or via MYB or the Eurostar App. ___________________________________________________
Additional FAQs
Q. I have added incorrect Date Of Birth while booking London route tickets, however, I added the correct Date Of Birth as per passport while filling API form. Will this conflict of information create a problem to use the ticket?
A. As the information collected through API gets encrypted & goes directly to the government of UK for border control, Eurostar neither collects, nor uses API information during the ticket checks. Hence, it will not be a problem to use the ticket with an incorrect date of birth, as far as the passenger type (such as adult or child) is correct.
Q. I have made a minor mistake in adding the name on the booking, but correct details have been added to the API form. Will it create a problem if API details do not match with the ticket?
A. As the information collected through API gets encrypted & goes directly to the government of UK for border control, Eurostar neither collects, nor uses API information during the ticket checks. Hence, it will not be a problem to use the ticket even though there is a minor mistake in name added to the booking.
Q. My passport has my maiden name (which has also been filled in the API form) but the booking has the last name after marriage. Will this be a problem?
A. There No problem to use the ticket, as far as you carry the marriage certificate as a proof of name change.