Taking the Eurostar between Paris and London

There are quite a few different ways to get between London and Paris, but until some sort of teleportation system is invented, the Eurostar train through the Channel Tunnel will be the best way to go. The trains run often, and the journey takes around 2 hours and 15 minutes, or a bit longer on the ones that have a couple brief stops along the way. If you took a helicopter you could probably get from city center to city center quicker, but aside from that this is the fastest and most comfortable way.

But taking the Eurostar isn’t exactly like taking a normal city-to-city train in Europe. There are a few things you need to be aware of before booking as well as before traveling. We’ll discuss all the details you need to know for this journey below.

Fares for the Eurostar

The most dramatic difference between the Eurostar and nearly every other train in Europe is the pricing system. Fares for the Eurostar work exactly like airfares typically do, which means that buying early and booking an off-peak train will get you the lowest fares, and buying on the same day for the peak-time train will cost a fortune.

Round-trip/return fares
Under specials that are frequently running, you can get a return ticket between London and Paris for £59, or only £49 if you are under 26 years old. If you book in advance you can often find a few departures these fares are valid on, and other departures might only be a bit more expensive. But if you try to book only a few days before you go you might find prices up to £160 return. It all depends upon availability.

One-way fares
Until recently, the Eurostar treated one-way journeys like the airlines used to, in that the price was often far higher than if you actually bought a return journey. Now they do offer some special prices, starting at £51 each way. Again, this is based on availability, so it’s best to book as early as possible. The cheapest tickets are non-changeable and non-refundable, so it’s important that you are ready to confirm before buying them.

Buying tickets
You can buy Eurostar tickets online or over the phone.

Stations for the London/Paris Eurostar

London

As of late 2007, the new high-speed line in England is complete, and now the Eurostar trains go in and out of St. Pancras Station instead of Waterloo. This location is more convenient for more travelers, as St. Pancras is located near the heart of the touristy part of London, near many hotels, and next to King’s Cross Station. It’s also the biggest interchange of any London tube station, being connected to six different lines. The station is called King’s Cross St. Pancras, and is easy to reach from anywhere in central London.

Paris

The Eurostar goes in and out of Gare du Nord, which is in the north-central part of Paris, and quite easy to reach from most tourist areas. It’s connected to the Paris Metro by several lines, and an underground tunnel also takes you to the La Chapelle station on the #2 line, which goes directly to Montemarte and the hotel district near the Champs Elysees.

Checking in for the Eurostar

Another similarity to flying is the check-in process. Second Class passengers are required to check in at least 30 minutes before departure, though First Class passengers can still make it only 10 minutes early. Part of the reason for this is that you have to enter a separate part of the terminal, and then go through airport-style security and screening. If the lines are long this can take some time, so it’s really best to be there an hour before departure. Finding the actual Eurostar terminal within the station can be confusing, so if you aren’t sure where it is you might give yourself even a bit more time.

Once you’ve checked in you’ll be in an international lounge with a bar, café, and several shopping opportunities. About 15 minutes before departure they’ll announce that boarding is open, and you can make your way onto your coach and be seated.

The journey itself

The Eurostar trains usually leave on time, so again, make sure you are there early. The seating in 2nd class is similar to the seating on short-haul planes, meaning that the seats are fairly narrow, and you won’t have much legroom. It’s normally fine for the 2.5 hours you’ll be seated, but there isn’t as much room as a normal European train.

You can usually select your seat in advance, or at least choose an aisle or window seat. Many people do go back and forth to the 2 catering cars, so if you don’t like being bumped in the shoulder all along the way, you might want to avoid an aisle seat. And to be perfectly honest, the scenery on both sides of the tunnel is really nothing special, so having a window seat isn’t a big deal for most people.