UKH

Per https://www.eagleskiclub.org.uk/forum/ice-axes-and-eurostar, Eurostar are supposed to be accepting axes+crampons again... but has anyone actually tried it?

My friend's ice axe was confiscated when he travelled on Eurostar in May.

twice been ski touring, this year and last, carrying axe and crampons and a copy of the letter mentioned in the link. each time we made a deliberate point of mentioning to the staff at security that we're carrying mountaineering equipment - and they just gave us a blank look as they clearly had no idea of the "policy"....

I've just come back from an Interrail trip to and from Valais via the Eurostar and had no issue taking mine - like the poster above I took a printed copy of the letter and mentioned to staff when I reached security that I was carrying mountaineering kit, but nobody seemed remotely bothered and everything went through security without issue (no need to show the letter to anyway). 

Hi pero

can you get your friend to write to Mountaineering scotland?  this does seem to have become a problem again and a bunch of English/Scottish clubs are going to have another go at it

FWIW, just had a nightmare getting back through Brussels. Was fine on the way out, but Brussels staff told me that it was different rules in Belgium. 20 minutes of arguing and having the mountaineering Scotland email saved on my phone was all that eventually got us through.

Brussels security tried to tell me I couldn't take skis on a few years ago - the website clearly says you can. It was sorted by getting them to speak to someone from Eurostar but caused some hassle I could have done without. I get the impression Brussels don't see a lot of skis/ice axes etc whereas the French ones see them pretty regularly. To be honest I'd be wary of taking anything not permitted on the website - especially through Brussels!

Just went through london to Paris with them with no issues.

Not mountaineering gear specifically but on the way back from wild camping in France I took a massive camping knife and axe onto the Eurostar in France and they didn't care at all as long as it was packed.

Nearly crapped myself when I remembered I had the knife in the bag

I travelled London-Brussels return twice this year, in March and August

The outbound from London was smooth both times, I just told the security before my equipment went through the xray that I had an ice axe.

for the return in March 2023 from Brussels, i showed the douane/security a copy of email received my the president of the eagleskiclub and after much argument the actual trainconductor for my train past by and he said to drop off my bag with the ice axe at the locked compartment on the train next to the first class carriage. And to find him again after the train pulled into St Pancras. 

for the early August 2023 return from Brussels, i told the douane I had an ice axe, showed the eagleskiclub email  but  was immediately told that it was not allowed. I argued that everything was fine for my previous trip in March, but was told rules are different between those of the brussels security and eurostar; And that the eagleskiclub email was for eurostar and not the brussels security. Luckily the belgian friend who dropped me off was able to retrieve it and keep it for now. I have just emailed eurostar requesting confirmation of mountaineering equipment specially for the Brussels station but doubt i will get a reply.