Taking the train is easily the most civilised and stress-free way to reach France.
Hop on Eurostar from London to Lille or Paris, then take a 186mph TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse
or High Speed Train) to Avignon,
Marseille, Nîmes, Montpellier, Perpignan, Lyon, Bordeaux, Rennes
or Nantes, through the countryside with a glass of vin rouge
to hand... Or save time, taking a late afternoon
Eurostar to Paris then a couchette on the overnight 'Train
Bleu' from Paris to Cannes, Antibes, Nice or Monte Carlo.
It's comfortable and affordable: London to Paris starts
at £69 return, London to Lyon or Bordeaux from £109 return,
London to Marseille, Perpignan, or Nice from £119 return.
Unlike a flight, that's city centre to city centre, with no
baggage fees, no airport taxes, infants go free,
significantly less impact on the
environment, and bring
your own bottle of wine for the journey if you like as there's
no rules against that on the rails.
On this page...
This page explains the best routes, train times, fares, and
will help you buy the cheapest tickets from:
The easiest option is
Eurostar to Lille then a direct TGV to many French citieswith no need to cross Paris. Travelling via Paris
gives more options but usually requires a change of station by
metro or taxi.
Eurostar is the
high-speed passenger train from London to
Paris via the Channel Tunnel. In London, Eurostar now leaves from
the beautifully-restored St Pancras station, and in Paris it
arrives at the equally historic Gare du Nord in the city
centre. Eurostar
runs every hour or so throughout the day, taking just 2
hours 15 minutes now that the whole UK
high-speed line has been competed between London and the
Channel Tunnel. On the special high-speed
lines, Eurostar reaches 186 mph (300 km/h). From
central London to central Paris, Eurostar is faster than
flying as well as more comfortable, more convenient and more
reliable. Typically, 95% of Eurostar trains run on
time or within
15 minutes, against just 63-68% of flights on the same routes. It's not surprising that Eurostar has now
captured over 70% of the London-Paris market from the
airlines...
Eurostar fares are like airline fares. You must book
in advance for the cheapest seats, if you wait until the day
of departure it will cost you a lot more. If you book
early (maximum 120 days in advance), London to Paris fares start at
£39 one-way, £69 return 2nd class
or £107 one-way, £189 return 1st class (limited availability at these prices, no refunds, no changes
to travel plans). There are no Eurostar services on
Christmas Day. Some Eurostars stop at Ashford in Kent,
many call at Lille in Northern France, a few call at Calais
Fréthun station a few kilometres outside Calais.
Booking tips:
- Use this
form to book direct with
www.eurostar.com, with no booking fee & all the cheap
fares shown.
- St Pancras
is Eurostar's London station. It'll book
through tickets starting in 130 UK towns & cities,
or buy a special connecting
ticket from any UK station.
- This form
is set up for journeys starting in the UK, to book a
journey starting in Paris or Brussels,
click here.
- You can
print out you own ticket, collect tickets at the station
in London, Lille or Paris, or they can be sent to any UK, French or Belgian address.
You choose!
- Booking opens
120 days before departure.
- If you're
going beyond Paris, it can be better to book using www.raileurope.co.uk,
see the section relevant to your final destination for
advice.
- Business
Premier & Leisure Select = 1st class with drinks & meals
included. Standard = 2nd class.
Before June 2009 there was a problem
with one-way fares on Eurostar. If you asked for a
one-way journey you were often only offered an expensive fully-flexible one-way
ticket for £155, even when a £59 return ticket was available
on the same train! But as from 16 June 2009 they now
offer sensible one-way fares right across their price range
(in other words, one-way fares that are cheaper than the
equivalent return!).
So the problem should now have been solved. However, if
for any reason you can't find an affordable one-way fare,
by all means check the price of a return ticket and buy it
if it's cheaper, throwing away the return portion after
using the outward part.
If you're only
going from London to Paris, the easiest
and cheapest way to buy tickets is online at
www.eurostar.com. You can print your Eurostar
tickets on your own PC printer or you can collect them at the
station before departure, or they can be sent to any UK,
French or Belgian address (the first two options are useful if you live in the USA, Canada,
Australia and so on). You can also book by
calling Eurostar on 08432 186 186 (+44 1233 617575from outside the UK). Eurostar
bookings now open 120 days (4 months) before departure. If you are going beyond
Paris,
www.eurostar.com can book tickets to the most popular
destinations in France, although it is often better to book
journeys beyond Paris at
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com as
explained below.
Tips on
choosing a specific Eurostar seat.
Eurostar moved to St Pancras on 14 November 2007...
The final section of high-speed line between London and
the Channel Tunnel opened on time on 14 November 2007.
Eurostar now uses St Pancras as its London terminal, no
longer leaving from Waterloo. An all-new Eurostar
timetable has been introduced and the London-Paris journey
time has been cut to just 2 hours 15 minutes, city centre
to city centre.
What's it like on board Eurostar?
What's the journey like?
See the Eurostar page for more information about
Eurostar, including station facilities at St Pancras, checking in, luggage arrangements, food
and drink on board, an account of the Eurostar journey and
tips for choosing the best seats. You must check-in for your Eurostar at least 30
minutes before departure (15 minutes for 'Business first'
ticket holders), to allow time for a security check before
accessing the terminal departure lounge.
Eurostar has 3 classes, business first class (branded
'Business Premier'), leisure first class (branded 'Leisure
Select' until Aug 2010, 'Standard Premier' from Sept 2010),
and Standard class. There is a virtual tour of Eurostar at
www.eurostar.com.
The environmentally sound way to travel...
Eurostar has
commissioned research estimating that a trip from London
to Paris on a Eurostar train emits 11 Kg of CO2 per
passenger, over ten times less than the 122 Kg per
passenger emitted by a London-Paris flight. In
addition, planes emit the CO2 directly into the upper
atmosphere, where it is thought to do around 2.5 times the damage of the same
CO2 emitted at ground level. Another good reason for
treating yourself to a train journey!
More information on the
environmental impact of trains versus flights.
City breaks to Paris (Eurostar + hotel)...
You can find short breaks to Paris combining Eurostar and
hotel at
www.eurostar.com and
www.lastminute.com. This is often cheaper than
trying to book Eurostar and a hotel separately
(allegedly, buying a hotel-inclusive deal can sometimes
be cheaper than buying a normal Eurostar ticket on its
own, if all the cheaper fares have sold out). To
pre-book city tours or evenings out whilst in Paris, try
www.isango.com. For short break and longer
holidays by train to all parts of France, try the French
Travel Service,
www.f-t-s.co.uk
or call
0844 84 888 43 (please quote 'seat61' when you book).
It's still possible
to travel from London to Paris by train and ferry if you
want. It takes about 9 hours,
and you now have to buy separate train and ferry tickets.
Taking train and ferry also normally costs
more than a cheap return ticket on Eurostar. But on
the plus side, you get to sail across the English Channel
from the White Cliffs of Dover, you avoid going through
the Channel Tunnel if that's an issue for you, and if you
have to travel at very short notice when all cheap
Eurostar tickets are sold out, it can sometimes be
cheaper, as the domestic trains and the ferries are both
basically a 'walk up, buy a ticket and hop on' type of
service. For more information,
see the London to Paris
by train and ferry page.
UK towns & cities to Paris
with a Eurostar 'through ticket'...
You can now buy through tickets from over 130 different UK towns and cities to
or from Paris
or Lille. Use the
online booking form above to see
which UK stations have through tickets to Paris, & to book online.
This is usually the cheapest option, though not always.
Incidentally, you can only buy tickets to or from these
130 regional UK stations using the UK version of
the Eurostar website. These 130 UK towns & cities
will not appear as destinations if you use the French or
Belgian versions of the Eurostar site. So if you
live in France and want to buy a one-way or return ticket
from (say) Paris to Birmingham, you will need to clear
your cookies, go to
www.eurostar.com and make sure you arrive at the
country selection page, then select 'United Kingdom',
irrespective of where you actually live. The reason
is that UK train companies don't want to do business in
euros, only in pounds. Or perhaps they just don't
want French or Belgians going to anywhere beyond London!
UK towns & cities to Paris
with separate Eurostar & UK train tickets...
If your local station isn't listed on the Eurostar booking
form, or if it is listed but you find no availability when
you try and book a through ticket, you can buy a train ticket to London
separately from your Eurostar ticket. You can either
buy a normal domestic ticket, at whatever the cheapest
price happens to be, or you can buy a ticket to a
destination called 'London International CIV', designed for
use with Eurostar tickets. There are European Open
or Saver fares from most UK stations to 'London International
CIV',
which include the Underground
fare across London to St Pancras (if required) and which
generally have
few or no time restrictions. This is the
major advantage, as it means you can travel affordably
even in the Monday-Friday business peaks if you need to
connect with a Eurostar. For more details, and to check prices from your
local station to London International, and to buy these
tickets online, see the
How to
buy connecting UK train tickets page.
West of England or South Coast to Paris...
If you live in the West
Country or along the south coast, also consider a ferry crossing
from Plymouth, Poole, Southampton, Portsmouth or
Newhaven
to France, then a train
onwards to Paris. Step 1, check ferry routes, times and fares at the
Seat61 Ferry shop, or at Brittany Ferries,
www.ldlines.co.uk
or
www.condorferries.co.uk. Step 2, check UK
train times from your local station to the UK port using
www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Step 3, check French train times & fares from the French port to Paris, and book online, at
either www.raileurope.co.uk
(in English, for UK residents) or
www.voyages-sncf.com (English button at the bottom).
Allow at least an hour, preferably 90 minutes, between train and ferry on both
sides of the Channel.
From Devon or Cornwall, you can also use the overnight
'Night Riviera' sleeper train to London then a morning
Eurostar to Paris,
for details see here.
Scotland to Paris...
By daytime trains... You can book through
tickets from Glasgow or Edinburgh to Paris by daytime inter-city train &
Eurostar at the
Eurostar website. This occasionally (wrongly) comes up with 'no trains
available', but you can always combine a ticket from Scotland to London
International CIV as explained here, with a
London-Paris Eurostar ticket booked separately.
By Caledonian Sleeper + Eurostar: A time-effective way to avoid flying
is to hop on the overnight Caledonian Sleeper from Inverness, Aviemore,
Aberdeen, Perth, Dundee, Fort William, Glasgow, Edinburgh to London, then take a morning
Eurostar to Paris.
See the Caledonian
Sleeper page for details.
Northern Ireland to Paris...
Belfast to Paris via
London: You can buy a
Belfast-London combined train+ferry ticket, see
the Northern Ireland page for timetables,
fares & advice for this journey. Then book Eurostar separately at
www.eurostar.com. Allow plenty of time to cross London, including
time for the Eurostar check-in and any delay to your train from Stranraer or
Holyhead to London.
Belfast to Paris via Dublin & Rosslare:
Alternatively, travel by train from Belfast to Dublin then
Dublin to Rosslare (see
www.irishrail.ie), then sail by Irish Ferries cruise
ferry to France (see
www.irishferries.ie) for a train to Paris (see
www.voyages-sncf.com). To plan this, start by
checking ferry sailing dates & times, then work out the best
connection from Dublin, then the connection from Belfast.,
A Eurostar runs direct from London to Disneyland Paris
daily except Tuesdays & Saturdays (it runs daily in school holidays
from21 July to 3 September & from 20 October to 1 November).
It leaves London St Pancras at 09:53, calling at Ashford at
10:28 and arriving Marne la Vallée-Chassy,
the station right next to Disneyland Paris, at 13:31.
The entrance to the Disneyland Park, Disney Studios and Planet
Hollywood is just outside the station to the right.
Double-check Eurostar times and book online at
www.eurostar.com. Returning, the Eurostar
leaves Disneyland (Marne la Vallée-Chassy) at 19:37 and arrives Ashford
20:37 and London 21:12.
Remember to allow for the 30 minute Eurostar check-in, at the top
floor level of the station.
Disneyland Paris
information & holidays...
See
www.disneylandparis.com to book holidays and short breaks to
Disneyland Paris, including the Eurostar, hotel accommodation and
entrance to the Disneyland park.
Regular Eurostars link London with
Lille (Lille Europe station, an easy 500m walk from Lille city
centre) and a few Eurostars call at Calais Fréthun, a couple
of miles from the town of Calais itself. Go to
www.eurostar.com to check times, fares and to book online.
The other way to reach Calais is by train and ferry via
Dover, see the London to
Paris by train and ferry page.
London ► Boulogne, Etaples, Le Touquet, Amiens & Northern France...
The easiest way to reach any of these
places is to take Eurostar from London to either Calais
Fréthun (though only a few Eurostars call here) or Lille
(served by regular Eurostars throughout the day), and change
there onto a French regional train. The good news is
that the online system at
www.raileurope.co.uk
(in English for UK users, tickets sent to any UK address) or
www.voyages-sncf.com (in several languages, tickets sent
to any European address) can book both the Eurostar and the
regional French train. The not-so-good news is that
neither of these websites is very good at identifying journey
opportunities. So the best way to check train times and
buy tickets is this:
Go to the German Railways all-Europe
online timetable,
http://bahn.hafas.de. The English button is at upper
right. This system is excellent at identifying journey
opportunities, even ones which involve a change of train.
You can rely on the Germans!
Enter 'London' and your final
destination, for example 'Boulogne', 'Amiens', 'St Quentin',
Le Touquet or 'Etaples', whatever...
Find a journey option that looks
suitable for you, and make a note of the trains. Some
suggested journeys will involve a change at Lille (often
involving an easy 500m walk between Lille Europe station where
the Eurostar arrives and Lille Flandres station), some a
change at Calais-Fréthun and occasionally even a change in Paris (via
Paris is admittedly a long way round, but it can sometimes be
a better bet).
Now go to at
www.raileurope.co.uk
(in English for UK users, tickets sent to any UK address) or
www.voyages-sncf.com (in several languages, tickets sent
to any European address), and first book the Eurostar from
London to Calais Fréthun or Lille & back.
Still at
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com, click 'add another ticket' and book
the regional train from Calais Fréthun or Lille to your final
destination and back.
The train & ferry alternative...
Alternatively, you can travel from
London to Calais, Boulogne, Etaples or Amiens by ordinary
domestic train to Dover and ferry to Calais,
see the London to Paris by
train and ferry page for details.
Above: St Tropez is perhaps the nicest town
on the
French Riviera. It has no station, but there is a
bus link from St Raphael railway station.
Take Eurostar &
TGV to the South of France...
The
most relaxing way from London to the south of France is to take
Eurostar to
Lille and make a simple same-station change of train onto a
186 mph high-speed TGV from Lille
to
Avignon, Marseille, St Raphael, Cannes, Antibes or Nice, with no need to cross
Paris. As far as Lyon, the TGV passes rich green
farmlands and small French villages with pretty churches.
After Lyon, the TGV runs along the Rhône
Valley, crossing and re-crossing the River Rhône,
flying at ground level through the hills of Provence over
some impressive viaducts to reach Marseille. Watch
out for a dramatic viaduct over the Rhone just before
Avignon, with views of the famous 'Palais des Papes' in the
distance to the left (though if you can spot anyone dancing 'sur le pont
d'Avignon' you've got better eyesight than me). You'll
catch a glimpse of Marseille harbour with its Chateau d'If
of Count of Monte Cristo fame to your right just before
arriving at Marseille St Charles station. If you're bound for
Cannes, Nice or Monte Carlo, the scenery along
the Cote d'Azur is wonderful, especially beyond St Raphael, as the train runs all along
the coast past yacht-filled harbours, rocky inlets and
millionaires' villas. Take a
bottle of wine with you (there's no rule against this on
the rails), put your feet up and enjoy the ride...
Alternatively, there's a wide choice of departures via Paris, by
Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord,
changing trains & stations by metro,
then taking a TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to the south of
France (and if you have time top spare at the Gare de Lyon,
why not eat at the remarkable
Train Bleu station
restaurant, or at least visit the bar?). Some trains from Lille to Marseille and many
trains
from Paris to Marseille, Nice & Monte Carlo are now operated by impressive double-deck 'TGV Duplex'.
make sure you get a top-deck seat for the best views!
What are TGV trains like?
...or save time with the overnight sleeper.
It takes no
more time out of your day than flying. Take the 16:55 Eurostar to Paris
(16:25 at weekends), then a time-effective
'Lunéa' sleeper train with
comfortable air-conditioned couchettes (simple sleeping
berths with rug, pillow, mineral water provided) overnight
from Paris to Cannes, Antibes, Nice or Monte Carlo arriving in time for
breakfast. Travelling this way may also save a hotel bill, and it's cheap, too.
There's a daily all-year-round sleeper train from Paris to
the French Riviera (the famous 'Train Bleu', no less), shown in the timetables
below.
What are Lunéa trains like?
Nice to Monte Carlo by local train every 15 minutes, takes 25 minutes...
How to
read these timetables Each column is a
service you can take. You read downwards, changing
trains where you come to the grey bar.
I'd recommend going via Lille (that's the timetable
above) as it's much easier when you've luggage & kids,
compared to changing trains & stations in Paris by
metro. On the other hand, you often find cheaper
fares available and a wider choice of departures via Paris
(that's the timetable below).
Palm trees & TGVs at the Gare de Lyon in Paris...
If you fancy a coffee, beer or meal while waiting,
check out the famous
Train Bleu bar & restaurant.
Please check
these notes...
* The sleeper
train serves Paris Gare
d'Austerlitz, not Paris Gare de Lyon.
**
Summer Saturdays direct Eurostar London-Avignon,no need to
change in Lille. Runs London-Avignon on Saturdays 10 July to 4 September 2010,
fares from £99 return. Runs Avignon-London on
Saturdays 17 July to 11 September 2010.
Arrives/departs Avignon Centre station, not Avignon TGV
station.
*** Departs
London 16:32 on Fridays.
Note A:
Runs daily except 24, 31 December. Departs London
16:25 at weekends. By Eurostar
London-Paris & the famous 'Train Bleu'
Lunéa sleeper train
between Paris & the South of France, with 1st class
4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes &
reclining seats. Important: Due to work
on a tunnel in Monaco between May & December 2010, the
Train Bleu will run Paris-Nice rather than
Paris-Nice-Monaco-Menton-Ventimiglia. During this
period, change at Nice for local trains to/from Monaco &
Menton.
Note B:
Runs daily. Requires an overnight hotel in
Paris, see below to book a hotel.
Take any Eurostar you like, times may vary.
Note C:
Runs daily until 19 September 2010, then Saturdays & Sundays
only from 20 September onwards.
a = departs
from Paris Gare d'Austerlitz, not the Gare de Lyon.
b = extended to
start from Toulon on Saturdays only.
c
= Avignon town centre station, not Avignon TGV
station.
d = extended to
Toulon Sat & Sun only.
e = Eurostar
times vary, so check exact times for your date of travel
when you book.
f = arrives/departs
from Lille Flandres station, an easy (500m) walk from Lille Europe
Eurostar/TGV station.
g = Eurostar
connection varies. It leaves London at 08:27 on
some Tuesdays & 08:57 on some Saturdays.
h = extended to
Toulon on Fridays & Sundays only.
m
= change at Marseille.
n = change at
Nice.
Avignon
TGV station is 3 miles from Avignon city centre.
A shuttle bus meets most trains, taking
10 minutes to or from the city centre.
Aix
en Provence TGV station is 10 miles from Aix city
centre.
St Tropez:
For St Tropez, travel by train to St Raphael. Buses
to St Tropez leave St Raphael railway station ('St Raphael
Gare SNCF') every couple of
hours, journey time 90 minutes. See
www.sodetrav.fr for timetables & fares. You
will need to buy a separate bus ticket on the bus.
Be warned that traffic into St Tropez in high summer can
be a nightmare!
Juan les
Pins, Villefranche sur Mer, Beaulieu sur Mer:
These places all have railway stations on the
Cannes-Nice-Monte Carlo main line, served by more or less
hourly local trains. However, long-distance trains
don't stop there. So for Juan les Pins, travel to
Antibes and switch to a local train there, journey time 5
minutes. For
Villefranche and Beaulieu, travel to Nice and change to a
local train there.
There are many
other trains between Paris, Avignon, Aix & Marseille, only
a small selection is shown here.
London to Avignon, Marseille, Cannes, Nice from £68
one-way, £119
return...
London to Avignon,
Marseille, Toulon, Cannes, Antibes or Nice starts
at £68 one-way or £119 return 2nd class, £135 one-way
or £239 return 1st class
by Eurostar+TGV via either Paris or Lille.
Check these online booking systems
to see available ticket prices for your date of
travel.
Children under 4 go free. Children 4 but under
12
£54 one-way, £95 return. Youth fares (aged
12-25) start at £65 one-way, £109 return. Senior
fare (over 60) from £65 one-way, £109 return.
Like air fares, the adult, youth & senior fares increase as the cheaper
seats are sold, so book early and shop around for the
cheapest departure. Non-changeable,
non-refundable. Not valid on overnight trains.
See the
how to buy tickets
section.
Special
bargain fares for summer 2010, £69 return from
London to Lyon, Avignon, Aix en Provence, Marseille...
Eurostar have announced a very special
offer of just £69 return from London to Lyon, Avignon, Aix
en Provence, Marseille ,
only available direct from the Eurostar call
centre on
08432 186 186. It
uses a trial airline-style 'code share' with French TGVs
involving a simple same-station change of train at Lille
Europe. No refunds, no changes to travel plans,
available on specified departures from 11 May 2010 onwards
while seats last.
Or buy separate
Eurostar & TGV tickets...
It can sometimes be cheaper &
more flexible to split the booking and buy separate Eurostar and TGV tickets.
London-Paris by Eurostar
starts at £39 one-way or £69 return, London-Lille £35
one-way or £65 return.
Cheap 'Prems' fares from Lille or Paris to
Avignon, Marseille, Nice or Monaco by TGV start at an amazing £19 each way.
Check these online booking systems
for fares.
2. Paris to Cannes,
Antibes, Nice or
Monaco starts at £14 one-way, £28 return in a
reclining seat, £25 one-way or £50 return in a 6-berth
2nd class couchette, or £45 one-way or £90 return in a
1st class 4-berth couchette. Fares rise as
cheaper tickets are sold.
Try this first: Special bargain fares for summer
2010, £69 return from London to Lyon, Avignon, Aix en
Provence, Marseille...
Eurostar have announced a very special offer of just £69
return from London to Lyon, Avignon, Aix en Provence,
Marseille , only
available direct from the Eurostar call centre on08432 186 186.
It uses a trial airline-style 'code share' with French TGVs
involving a simple same-station change of train at Lille
Europe. No refunds, no changes to travel plans,
available on specified departures from 11 May 2010 onwards
while seats last.
www.raileurope.co.uk is French Railways' UK subsidiary,
and their website can sell you a ticket from London (or
Ebbsfleet or Ashford) to any station in France by Eurostar,
TGV, overnight train or any other French train, with all the
cheap deals available and no booking fee if you use a debit
card & collect tickets at the station. In fact, it can
sell you a ticket for any train journey within France, and
for most direct international trains to or from France.
However, if you're travelling from London to a major city in
France by Eurostar & daytime TGV, it's worth checking prices
on
www.eurostar.com as well, because sometimes one system
offers cheaper prices than the other. And
www.eurostar.com can book Eurostar+TGV tickets to France
starting in over 130 UK towns & cities to France, not
just from London.
If your destination isn't listed, go to
www.raileurope.co.uk
and you can type in the name of any French station.
Tickets can be collected at St Pancras or any French station free of charge, or sent to any UK
address for a £1.95 fee.
There's no fee for debit cards, but they charge a 2% fee for credit cards. Only
UK-issued credit cards are accepted.
Children under 4 free, no ticket required. 'Children'
means children who are 4 & over, but under 12.
French train reservations open 90 days before departure, you
can't book before this. But if you ask
www.raileurope.co.uk
for a date more than 90 days ahead it will offer to send you an
email reminder when reservations open. A
useful facility!
If your date of travel is more than
90 days ahead, try a date within the
next 90 days to get an idea of prices. Be warned that the 90 days is often
squeezed to less than 90 in the few weeks after the European-wide timetable changes in
mid-June & mid-December. Try for a date before the
timetable change to get an idea of prices.
First, try booking from London to your
final destination all in one go, for example 'London' to
'Nice'. If you don't see any cheap fares, or if you
want to stop off in Lille or Paris, try booking your trip as two
separate journeys, first from
Paris or Lille to your final destination & back,
then
click 'continue shopping', then book the
Eurostar from London to Paris or Lille & back.
Allow at least 60 minutes outward, 90 minutes
on the return if you are changing trains & stations in Paris, or at least
25
minutes outward, 40 minutes on the return if you are changing trains
in Lille
(This
allows for the 30 minute Eurostar check-in on
the return journey).
If you're booking a Lunéa
overnight train, always book a couchette sleeping
berth, not
just a seat.
On the confirmation page, if you click 'show itinerary
details' it will show the exact coach number & berth or seat
number that you've been given.
See TGV seating plans.
Tickets are sent from Rail Europe's UK office in Kent and normally arrive in a couple of
days. If you need any help, you can call Rail Europe's
UK call centre on 0844 848 5 848.
This form links to
www.eurostar.com and can book tickets from London or over 130 UK
towns & cities to major cities in France.
If your French destination isn't listed, book at
www.raileurope.co.uk
instead, as this can book to any station in France, &
can also book overnight trains.
This form is set up for journeys starting in the
UK. To book journeys starting in France, go to
www.eurostar.com.
www.eurostar.com sells through tickets from London to
major cities in France, and is very simple to use. It
can even book tickets to cities in France starting in 130 UK
towns and cities, not just London. It
is sometimes cheaper than
www.raileurope.co.uk,
and there are no postage, credit card or other booking fees.
Tickets will be sent free of charge to any UK or French
address, or can be collected at the station in London or
Paris from the e-ticket machines. It will accept
overseas credit cards as well as UK cards, so you can use it
if you live overseas.
www.eurostar.com allows you to choose a specific seat on
Eurostar if you like, whereas
www.raileurope.co.uk
doesn't.
However,
www.eurostar.com is much more limited in what it can
book, as it only sells direct tickets from the UK to the most
popular French cities without stopovers. It won't book
overnight trains, just daytime trains.
www.raileurope.co.uk
&
www.voyages-sncf.com can book tickets from London to
absolutely anywhere in France, can book overnight trains, can sell tickets for
journeys within France, and can be used to book journeys
with stopovers.
www.eurostar.com only sells the special combined Eurostar+TGV
fares, whereas
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com can sell separate Eurostar
and domestic French fares which often works out cheaper.
Booking tips...
Reservations open 90
days before departure. You can't book until
reservations open!
Tickets can be
sent to any UK or French address or you can choose to pick them up at
St Pancras station in London on departure by entering your
booking reference & credit card into the self service e-ticket machines.
Look closely to
see whether the journeys it offers you involve a simple
change at Lille or a change of trains and stations in Paris,
as the site may offer both options. A simple change at Lille
is much easier than crossing Paris. Unfortunately,
there's no way to force it to offer journeys via Lille.
You can buy train tickets to
France by phone, although a small booking fee is charged
for telephone bookings. Simply call
Rail
Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open
09:00-21:00 Monday to Friday, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, no
longer open Sundays, £8 booking fee),
or an agency such as Ffestiniog
Travel on 01766 772050 (8% booking fee applies). Rail
Europe have a travel centre for personal callers at 1 Regent Street, London SW1Y 4XT, open 10:00-18:00 Mon-Fri, 10:00-16:00
Saturdays. For
more information about how to buy European train tickets,
see the How to buy
European train tickets page.
www.voyages-sncf.com and its equivalent English-language
site
www.tgv-europe.com is French Railways' (SNCF's) own
website, and like
www.raileurope.co.uk
it can sell tickets from London to anywhere in France, and
for any journey within France.
The advantage over
www.raileurope.co.uk
for UK residents is that
www.voyages-sncf.com sells fares in euros so is a bit
cheaper because you'll get a better exchange rate from your
own bank. And unlike
www.raileurope.co.uk
there's no credit card fee or postage fee, so ironically
SNCF will send tickets from France to the UK for free,
whilst it's own UK subsidiary now charges £1.95 to send them
from an office in Kent!
The disadvantage over
www.raileurope.co.uk
is that it isn't as easy to use and if anything goes wrong
you'll be dealing with a French call centre in France, not a
UK company. If you live in the UK you may prefer
dealing with
www.raileurope.co.uk
which is backed by a UK call centre. If you want to
use
www.voyages-sncf.com, please read
these step-by-step instructions first.
For non-UK residents, a key advantage is that It accepts all
credit cards, so residents of any country may use it.
Tickets can be sent to any address in Europe including the
UK, or (for journeys starting in France) collected from any main French station.
Remember that bookings open 90 days
before departure, you cannot book before bookings
open!
Alternatively, to buy tickets at
cheap European prices, I'd suggest booking tickets from London
to Paris or major cities in France at
www.eurostar.com, selecting the option to pick up
tickets at St Pancras station in London or print your own
ticket. The cheapest way to
book trains within France is at
www.voyages-sncf.com, with an option to collect at any
main station in France, but make sureyou
follow these step-by-step instructions.
TGVs now run all over France, the smooth, relaxing and
less-environmentally-damaging way to travel
What are TGVs like?
TGVs
(Train à Grande
Vitesse) are the pride of the French railways (SNCF).
TGVs run at up to 186mph (300 km/h) on long distance routes
covering most of France. In fact, trains run at up to
200mph (320 km/h) on the new TGV-Est route from Paris to
Reims, Strasbourg, Metz, Luxembourg and Basel, opened in June
2007. Smooth and quiet even at high speed, it's a very
relaxing (and if you're working on a laptop, productive!) way
to travel.
Seat reservation is compulsory on TGV services. All
TGVs are completely non-smoking. All TGVs have a
wheelchair space and wheelchair-accessible toilet.
First class...
First class on all TGVs has spacious seats with armrests
and power-recline, arranged one-abreast on one side of the
aisle, two abreast on the other side of the aisle.
Each seat has either a drop-down table big enough for a laptop
(face-to-back seats) or a fixed table with table lamp
(face-to-face seats). All first class seats have power-points for laptops
& mobiles
with European-style two-pin sockets. There are luggage racks
above the seats and at the end of the car for larger items.
There is a small bench seat outside each main seating saloon if
you need to make a private mobile phone call. When making a
reservation, two seats facing each other
across a table are referred to as 'Club duo', and four
seats around a table are 'Club Quatre'. Two seats side
by side facing seat backs in front are 'Duo', and single
seats facing a seat back in front are 'Solo'. Top
tip: Ask for (or select) 'Club Duo' if travelling
as a couple for an intimate table-for-two, or 'Club Quatre'
if three or four of you are travelling together so you can
sit cosily around a table.
France by TGV - Watch the video
This video gives you a good idea of what TGV travel is
like. It starts at Paris Gare de Lyon boarding a
TGV for the south of France... The grey-green seats are 2nd class, the red
& grey seats 1st class. The rather impressive
at-seat meals are only offered in 1st class on some key
business trains, but a cafe-bar with snacks, drinks,
beer & wine is available on most TGVs.
Second class...
Second class on all TGVs has comfortable seats with
armrests, arranged two-abreast on both sides of the aisle.
There are drop-down tables big enough for laptops
(face-to-back seats) or fixed tables (face-to-face seats),
although laptop/mobile power sockets are not generally
fitted in standard class. There are two toilets for
each pair of coaches, and baby changing facilities in the
second class coach at the end of the train.
Food & drink on board...
All
TGVs (except a few running very short distances, for example
Lille-Paris in just an hour) have a café-bar serving hot and
cold drinks, sandwiches, a few hot dishes such as quiche or
lasagne, small bottles of wine and spirits. The
café-bar is always located in the centre of the train,
between the first and second class. The coffee is
good, and credit cards are accepted as well as cash.
There is a standing area where you can eat and drink your
purchases, or you can take them back to your seat.
Alternatively, on European trains including TGVs you are
free to bring your own food and drink (including beer or
wine) on board if you like. Or, if you're changing
trains in Paris and have time for a drink or meal whilst
waiting at the Gare de Lyon, why not use the famous (and
fantastic) Train Bleu
restaurant?
Remember to validate French train tickets by putting them into
the slot on the orange 'Compostez' machines at the entrance to
each platform.
At
most main stations, you can see where on the platform your
carriage will stop by consulting a chart showing the train
formation with coach numbers.
On
board a typical TGV....
TGV 1st class.
There are two 'club duo' seats on
the left, a bay of four 'club quatre' on the right,
and many rows of 'solo' and 'duo' seats behind.
TGV 2nd
class. Most seats are
face-to-back, but there are some bays of four
face-to-face seats, ask when booking.
New designer interiors...
TGVs are being refurbished with interiors by designer
Christian Lacroix. All TGVs on the TGV-Est route from
Paris to Reims, Strasbourg, Metz, Luxembourg, Basel & Zurich
are already refurbished, but others are following...
TGV 1st class,
refurbished...
TGV 2nd class,
refurbished...
TGV 'Duplex': Double-decker TGVs...
Most Paris-Lyon services, many Paris-Marseille services, most
Paris-Nice and even some Lille-Marseille services are now run
by these impressive 186mph double-deckers. You can tell
if your train will be a TGV Duplex, by the 'TGV Duplex' logo shown against the train when booking on
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com. You board the train at the
lower level, but walk along the train from car to car at the
upper level. The café-bar is also at the upper level.
When reserving, you can choose a seat on either upper or lower
decks. If you have problems with stairs (or very heavy
luggage), the lower deck might be best. But for the best
views (over the top of the occasional sound barrier along the
high speed lines!), choose an upper deck seat. For
couples, an upper deck first class 'club duo' table-for-two is
as good as it gets!
Above:
TGV Duplex. This is the 09:37 Nice to Paris, boarding at
Nice station, with connections in Paris for London...
Above: TGV Duplex
1st class, upper deck. Note the 'club duo' on the
left and the bay of 'club quatre' seats on the right.
Above:
TGV Duplex, 2nd class, upper deck. There is a mix of
face-to-back and a face-to-face seating.
Above:
TGV Duplex, café-bar...
Above: Snug as a bug in a rug... Sleep your
way to the South of France, aboard a Lunéa sleeper
train.
It can be the most time-effective way to travel, in effect
faster than flying or a daytime TGV. Sleep your way to the south of France in a
comfy couchette, from Paris to Nice, Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, Biarritz or Perpignan
for as little as 35 euros
(£25) each way booked online at
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com.
French overnight trains have been relaunched as 'Lunéa', and have couchettes (simple padded sleeping berths) in
1st class 4-berth compartments and 2nd class 6-berth
compartments. Most Lunéa trains also have 2nd
class reclining seats, but a safe and comfortable couchette is
recommended for an overnight trip. Sleeping-cars with 1
& 2 bed compartments were withdrawn from
all French overnight trains in December 2007, but if you want
privacy you can book a 4-berth or 6-berth couchette compartment for
private use, see here for
details. Lunéa trains now even have their own
mini-website,
www.coraillunea.fr, complete with
virtual tour of the couchettes.
Couchettes...
Couchettes are simple padded bunks, each supplied
with a fresh clean pillow and a special lightweight
sleeping-bag (a great idea, replacing the
traditional sheet and blanket on Lunéa
trains). Men and
women are mixed in couchettes, as you don't normally
fully undress, but on Lunéa trains women
travelling alone can ask for a berth in a ladies-only
compartment if they prefer. If you have
children,
you can ask the train staff for an additional child
safety rail for their bunk. There are washrooms
and toilets at the end of the corridor.
Lunéa couchette cars are being modernised
with bright interiors, new carpeting and soft fabric
bunks. Each
couchette passenger gets a small bottle of mineral
water, earplugs (if you really feel you need
them), and tissues. There's a security lock
on the door which
cannot be opened from outside even with a staff
key, and plenty of staff are on duty if you need
them. Only passengers with tickets and
reservations are allowed onto the platform, and there are
minimal stops between midnight and 06:00 to ensure a
smooth and secure journey through the night. Personally, I prefer the
top bunks up in the roof space as these give the most privacy,
though if you've any mobility problems you should ask for a
bottom bunk. Bottom and middle bunks can also be cooler
than top bunks, if that's an issue for you.
The video gives you a good idea of what travelling by Téoz train
is like from
Paris to Limoges or Toulouse. It then takes you
overnight in couchettes from Paris to Cannes & Nice on
the Lunéa 'Train Bleu'. Note the palm trees
in Nice station!
2nd class
6-berth couchettes...
2nd class couchettes have 6 bunks in each
compartment, arranged as upper, middle & lower on
each side of the compartment. Lower bunks are
obviously easier to get into, but top bunks up in
the roof space give you the most privacy.
Cheap 'prems' fares start at only 30 euros one-way
in a 2nd class couchette if you buy in advance at
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com.
1st class
4-berth couchettes...
1st class
couchettes have 4 berths per compartment, arranged as
upper and lower on each side of the compartment.
They are much more spacious than 2nd class couchettes,
with 4 people instead of 6 in in a similar size room.
Great for travelling as a family or with friends.
Cheap 'prems' fares start at just 60 euros for travel
in a 1st class couchette if you buy in advance at
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com.
Exclusive private use of a
whole couchette compartment...
1 & 2 bed sleepers were withdrawn from
French overnight trains in December 2007, but it's now
possible to reserve a whole 4-berth 1st class
couchette compartment or whole 2nd class 6-berth
compartment for private use. This 'Espace
privatif' arrangement cannot be booked online (although online booking may be enabled
at some point), so phone Rail Europe to book on
0844 848 5 848. If there's 1, 2 or 3 of you,
you pay whatever the cheapest available fare is for
1st class couchette tickets, plus a 70 euros supplement
for single occupancy, a 50 euros supplement for dual
occupancy or a 40 euros supplement for private use if
there's 3 of you. A similar arrangement applies
for 5 persons who want private use of a 6-berth 2nd
class couchette compartment, the supplement is 45
euros.
Booking tip: Some Rail Europe staff
haven't heard about this 'Espace privatif' facility as not many people ask for it, so be polite but firm,
and if they claim it can't be done ask for supervisor.
It's explained (in French) at
www.coraillunea.fr/prix-services/espace_privatif.html.
Reclining seats...
Most Lunéa overnight trains also
have 2nd class reclining seats, and you can also find
overnight TGV trains on some routes which of course just have
seats (non-reclining, at least in 2nd class they don't). However, a couchette allows you to sleep
properly lying down in a securely locked compartment, so is the recommended option
and well worth the small
extra cost. Travelling overnight in a seat is not recommended
except in emergency.
Easily the
most stress-free way to travel from London to the south of France is to take
a Eurostar to
Lille and make a simple same-station change of train onto a
186 mph high-speed TGV direct
to
Nîmes, Montpellier, Béziers, Narbonne or Perpignan, with no need to cross
Paris. South of Lyon, the TGV runs along the Rhône
Valley, crossing and re-crossing the River Rhône,
flying at ground level through the hills of Provence over some
breathtaking viaducts. Watch out for a dramatic viaduct
over the Rhone just before Avignon, with views of the famous 'Palais
des Papes' in the distance. Alternatively, take a late
afternoon Eurostar to Paris,
change trains & stations in Paris,
then take a time-effective Lunéa overnight sleeper train.
This takes no more time out of your day than flying!
Note
A: By Eurostar to Paris, arriving
Paris Nord 20:23.
Cross Paris by métro.
Then take the overnight Lunéa
sleeper train leaving
Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 21:56 with 2nd class 6-berth & 1st
class 4-berth couchettes for Narbonne and
Perpignan. Does not run on 24 or 31 December.
Note
B: By overnight Lunéa
sleeper train to Paris Gare d'Austerlitz, with 2nd class
6-berth and 1st class 4-berth couchettes, arriving 07:30.
Cross Paris by métro.
The Eurostar leaves Paris Gare du Nord at
09:13. Does not run on 24 or 31 December.
From £62
one-way or £109 return 2nd class, £127 one-way or £225 return 1st class from London to Nîmes, Montpellier, Narbonne or
Perpignan by Eurostar+TGV.
Children under 4 go free. Children 4 but under
12
£53 one-way, £94 return. Youth fares (aged
12-25) start at £57 one-way, £99 return. Senior
fare (over 60) from £57 one-way, £99 return.
Like air fares, the adult, youth & senior fares increase as the cheaper
seats are sold, so book early and shop around for the
cheapest departure. Not valid on overnight trains.
See the how to buy tickets section
or go straight to
www.raileurope.co.uk.
Separate
Eurostar and TGV tickets...
It can sometimes by cheaper and
more flexible to buy separate Eurostar and TGV tickets. Eurostar
fares start at £69 return London-Paris or £65 return
London-Lille. Ultra-cheap 'Prems' fares from Lille or Paris to
Montpellier or Perpignan by TGV start at an amazing £19 each way.
See the 'how to buy tickets' section.
The easiest and most painless
way to travel from London to Lyon is to take Eurostar to
Lille and make a simple
same-station interchange in Lille onto a
direct TGV to Lyon, with no need to change trains and
stations in Paris. Relax over a glass or two as you
swish past the French countryside, the green hills just
north of Lyon are especially attractive. Services with one
easy change at Lille are shown in the timetables below.
Alternatively,
you can take Eurostar all the way to Paris,
change trains and stations in
Paris, and take a TGV from Paris to Lyon. Although
not as simple as the route via Lille, going via Paris offers
an almost hourly departure from London, and it can sometimes
be easier to find cheap fares this way. You can also
(of course) stop off in Paris. Train times via Paris
are not shown below, but there are
hourly Eurostars from London to Paris
Gare du Nord (journey 2 hours 40 minutes) and hourly TGVs from Paris
Gare de Lyon to Lyon (journey 2 hours). Almost all
Paris-Lyon TGVs and a few Lille-Lyon services are now
impressive double-deck TGV Duplex.
If you want to go via Paris, just check times using either
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com.
From
£61 one-way or £109 return 2nd class, £129 one-way or £229 return 1st class
from London to Lyon by Eurostar+TGV.
Children under 4 go free. Child aged 4 but under
12
£48 one-way, £85 return. Youth fares (aged
12-25) start at £59 one-way, £99 return. Senior
fare (over 60) from £59 one-way or £99 return.
It can sometimes be cheaper and
more flexible to buy separate Eurostar and TGV tickets. Eurostar
fares start at £35 one-way or £69 return London-Paris,
£35 one-way or £65 return
London-Lille. Ultra-cheap 'Prems' fares from Lille or Paris to
Lyon by TGV start at an amazing £19 each way.
See the how to buy tickets section.
The easiest and most painless way to travel from London
to Bordeaux is to take Eurostar to Lille and make a
simple same-station
interchange in Lille onto a
direct TGV to Bordeaux, with no need to change trains and
stations in Paris. Relax over a glass or two as you
swish past the French countryside. However, although this avoids the need to change trains and stations in
Paris, there are only a few options each day, as shown below. Via Paris,
there are hourly Eurostars to Paris (journey 2
hours 20 minutes) and hourly TGVs from Paris (Gare
Montparnasse) to Bordeaux (journey 3 hours) - the train
times via Paris aren't shown here, but you can easily
check them using the online
timetable at
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com.
From
£61 one-way or £109 return 2nd class, £129 one-way or £229 return 1st class
from London to Bordeaux by Eurostar+TGV.
Children under 4 go free. Child aged 4 but under
12
£48 one-way, £85 return. Youth fares (aged
12-25) start at £59 one-way, £99 return. Senior
fare (over 60) from £59 one-way or £99 return.
It can sometimes be cheaper and
more flexible to buy separate Eurostar and TGV tickets. Eurostar
fares start at £39 one-way or £69 return London-Paris,
£35 one-way, £65 return
London-Lille. Ultra-cheap 'Prems' fares from Lille or Paris to
Bordeaux by TGV start at an amazing £19 each way.
See the 'how to buy tickets' section.
There are two options:
You can travel by Eurostar to Paris, walk over to the nearby
Gare de l'Est and take a high-speed TGV from Paris to Strasbourg (this
is the fastest route with the most departures and probably
the cheapest fares). Or
there are a couple of services a day with
one change at
Lille, slightly slower but avoiding a 10 minute walk in Paris if
you have very heavy luggage or mobility problems. Train times for both routes are
shown here. You can check train times at
www.raileurope.co.uk
or
www.voyages-sncf.com.
Try this first: Special bargain fares for summer
2010, £69 return from London to Lyon, Avignon, Aix en
Provence, Marseille...
Option 4, buy online at
How to buy tickets
