EUROSTAR HIGH SPEED LONDON - PARIS
"Chunnel" Train To Paris or
Brussels from St. Pancras Terminal
You
roll
smooth and quiet past fields of green and yellow
as the world races past at
165 miles an hour. Then, the scenery goes dark for
about 20 minutes as you pass under the English Channel, then
more green fields, then the suburbs of Paris.
You’ve just taken the Eurostar high speed “Chunnel” train
from London to Paris. The Eurostar high speed train runs its
trans-channel tunnel service between
London and Paris - or Brussels - from the St. Pancras
Station International
Rail Terminal. The Gare du Nord is the Paris terminal for the high speed
line which runs under the English Channel from London. The trip from London
to Paris takes about 2 hours 20 minutes.
The London to Brussels route is just under 2 hours.
Book
Tickets from Rail Europe Eurostar Tickets Booking
Why Eurostar train instead of flying?
Compare the Eurostar to flying. Think convenience
and comfort. A chance to chat with your friends, family and others you
meet
on your journey through the Chunnel. Check-in
for the high speed train is 30 minutes, a little more
if you have a lot of baggage.
Each passenger on Eurostar is allowed 2 pieces of luggage
and 1
carry-on bag. You get on in one city and get off in the middle of the
other, a short cab or subway ride to your hotel. No need for airport
transfer bus or rail trips (see Paris
Opera-Louvre Hotels).
There are more seats available on the train. The Eurostar
has a 91% on-time performance. If connecting
at an airport, though, flying might be more convenient.
What About Ticket Cost?
The Eurostar has four price classes for its tickets - Economy, Freedom,
Comfort and Premier, which are basically Second Class or First Class
with
non-refundable "restricted" and
refundable full fare (flexible) tickets. If budget travel is your main
concern there are a few things to consider - a restricted ticket is like
an economy
air ticket, no changes or refund. A flexible ticket means you can
change the time
or date. Cost for a Eurostar London to Paris ticket in dollars ranges from
a low of around $63 to $171 for one way Economy Restricted, up
to $446 for Premier First
Class Service including a meal. Prices can vary significantly depending
on time of year (summer will be higher), departure time (rush
hour) advance reservation
and occupancy. If you are willing to be flexible with your travel times,
cheaper tickets are available for
less
popular
travel
times.
Discounts are available if you have a Eurail Rail Pass (see How Rail Passes Work). There aren't really any ticket discounters for the Eurostar, though special promotions are offered from time to time . If you’re traveling for vacation and pleasure, look for a train outside of business rush hours for a cheaper ticket. Seating is all reserved on the Eurostar so the more in advance you get a ticket the more seats will be available. You can walk up and get a ticket at the ticket window, but don’t expect the cheapest price.
Cost Compared to Flying
An airline ticket from London to Paris on British Airways from Heathrow to Charles DeGaule will cost between $91 (£59) and $198 for Economy, but there are baggage weight restrictions for checked baggage at the lower economy price and it is non-refundable, so if you have a lot of luggage add more for the air ticket or if you want change dates. The flight is an hour, but getting to the airports on both ends and boarding times, plan about 4 hours, and add transfer costs of about $40-60. A discount flight from an airport like Stansted add another 30 minutes, and with new airport fees the ticket price will be about $80-120 but add more transfer costs and beware of tighter baggage restrictions (see Discount Airlines).
St Pancras London International Terminal
The
International Terminal at St. Pancras may be a more convenient terminal
for Eurostar high speed trains connecting
to trains from
St. Pancras and Kings Cross stations
to points north of London, it is a little bit north of the central heart
of the city. The tube stop for
St Pancras is the underground station at King’s Cross
Station across the street, and a few Underground stops before arriving
at the heart of tourist London. St
Pancras' old track
platforms appeared in the Harry Potter movies, but the new glass
arched ceiling of the international station adds light to
the concourse of upscale shops and restaurants.
Hotels Near the Eurostar International Station
There are a number of small budget private tourist class hotels in the neighborhood around St Pancras, located two streets to the south of Euston Road. A Tourist Information booth is right across the street with a list of current room vacancies for a short stopover. A Premier Travel Inn budget hotel is located a few blocks away on Euston Road, a Comfort Inn is a block away and the new Pullman Hotel London provides a business class hotel environment two blocks west of Kings Cross, or for 1st class travel style the St Pancras Renaissance. © Bargain Travel Europe
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See Also:
EUROSTAR CHANNEL TRAIN LONDON TO BRUSSELS
THALYS HIGH SPEED PARIS TO BRUSSELS
EUROPEAN
HIGH SPEED TRAINS
TGV, ICE, AVE - Europe Fast Rail Travel
THE REAL "BIRTH" OF FRANKENSTEIN
LONDON PUB TOUR
