Train travel from

   UK to Europe: 

   general
   information

Eurostar trains from London to Paris . . .

A complete guide to the Eurostar high-speed train from London to Paris, Lille & Brussels...

The Eurostar high-speed train from London to Paris via the Channel Tunnel...

   Home     Site map     Search site     Links     Railpasses     Buy train tickets     Buy ferry tickets    Book a hotel     What's new    About me    E-mail    Guestbook

Africa

Middle East,

Caucasus

   Iran
  Israel
  Jordan
  Syria
  Turkey
  Caucasus

Asia

America

Australasia

Australia
New Zealand

London to China
& Japan by
Trans-
Siberian
Railway


London to Central Asia & China via The Silk Route


London to India overland
by train


London to Australia without flying


London to

the USA by Queen Mary 2 Trans-Atlantic


Eurail & European
Railpass guide


Explore Europe by train with an
InterRail pass


Taking your car by train:
Motorail


Holidays
by train


Ski holidays
by train


Eurostar,
the train from London to Paris


All about the real Orient Express


The luxury Venice Simplon Orient Express


Switzerland's
scenic train:
Glacier
Express


Switzerland's
Bernina
Express


Auckland to
Wellington
by train:
Overlander


NZ's most
scenic train:
TranzAlpine


Across the
USA on
Amtrak's
California
Zephyr


Canada's Rockies by train:
The Rocky Mountaineer


Bridge on the
River Kwai


Singapore to
Bangkok by
luxury train:
The Eastern
& Oriental
Express


Britain's most scenic route:
The West Highland Line


Scotland's own
cruise train:
The Royal Scotsman


Buy train tickets & passes online at the seat61
Rail Shop


Buy ferry tickets online at the seat61
Ferry Shop


Book hotels online at the seat61
Hotel Shop


Resident in France?  Try www.seat61.fr


Comments?  Feedback?  Need help?

Email the Man in Seat Sixty-One! 


Sign the
guestbook


Disclaimer, copyright & privacy policy.

Webhosting by Ultraspeed

Thank you for visiting my site...

 

  
 

Buy tickets online for the Eurostar train from London to Paris

Booking tips:

- Use this form to buy Eurostar tickets from London to Paris, Lille or Brussels direct with www.eurostar.com, with no booking fees.

- St Pancras is Eurostar's London station.  You can also buy train tickets to Paris or Brussels starting in 130 UK towns & cities, or buy a special connecting train ticket to London from most British railway stations.

- You simply print out your own ticket, or collect it at the station in London, Lille, Paris or Brussels.

- This form is set up for journeys starting in the UK, to book a journey starting in Paris or Brussels, click here.

- Eurostar bookings open 120 days before departure.

- Business Premier & Standard Premier = 1st class, fare includes drinks & meals.  Standard = 2nd class.

- For through tickets to Amsterdam, Cologne & any station in France, also try www.raileurope.co.uk.

- Tips on choosing a specific Eurostar seat

- Buy special connecting train tickets within the UK

 

What are the Eurostar trains like?

  First class seats on a Eurostar train from London to Paris or Brussels

Eurostar first class.  On each train, some 1st class cars are allocated to business travellers (Business Premier) others for leisure users (Standard Premier with cheaper inflexible tickets).  360° photo 

More information Tips for choosing your seat.

  2nd class seats on a Eurostar train from London to Paris or Brussels

Eurostar standard class.  Only cars 5 & 14 have power sockets for laptops.  Cars 1 & 18 are the family-friendly cars with baby-changing rooms.  More information Tips for choosing your seat

  The cafe-bar on a Eurostar train from London to Paris or Brussels

The Eurostar cafe-bar:  Each Eurostar train has two café-bars (cars 6 & 13) serving drinks & snacks...

  Complimentary light meal in Standard Premier on a Eurostar train from London to Paris

Standard Premier complimentary meals:  In Standard Premier (1st class for leisure), the fare includes a simple but tasty cold tray meal with wine, beer or soft drinks, tea or coffee.  This is dinner...

Complimentary light breakfast in Standard Premier on a morning Eurostar train from London to Paris

... and this is breakfast.

  Complimentary hot lunch in Business Premier on a Eurostar train from London to Paris

Business Premier complimentary meals:  In Business Premier (1st class for business), the fare includes a more extensive airline-style tray meal with cooked hot dishes & wine and/or champagne...


If you've found this page useful:

      


 What is Eurostar?

Eurostar is the high-speed passenger train from London to Paris via the Channel Tunnel, taking as little as 2 hours 15 minutes for the 495 km (307 mile) journey.  Eurostar trains travel up to 186 mph, leaving from St Pancras station in central London almost every hour and arriving at the Gare du Nord in central Paris.  Eurostar also run trains from London to Brussels taking as little as 1 hour 55 minutes for the 373 km (232 miles).  Eurostar trains are run by Eurostar International Limited, a company owned 55% by SNCF (French national railways), 5% by SNCB (Belgian national railways) & 40% by London & Continental Railways (a company owned by the UK government).  The Eurostar trains do not carry cars, only passengers, so don't confuse Eurostar with Eurotunnel, the company which owns the Channel Tunnel whose car-carrying trains shuttle cars, lorries & coaches from one side of the Channel to the other.  Eurostar first started running in 1994.  This page explains all you need to know about taking a Eurostar train from London to Paris, Lille or Brussels.

Eurostar information on this page...

Eurostar train times & fares

How to buy Eurostar tickets online or by phone

Tips on choosing the best Eurostar seats with numbered train seating plan

Eurostar check-in times & procedures

What's it like on board the Eurostar train?

What's the train journey from London to Paris like?

London St Pancras station facilities

Luggage arrangements on Eurostar

The ferry alternatives to Eurostar

Hotels in London or Paris

Buy tickets online for the train from London to Paris, directly from Eurostar

Eurostar information on other pages...

How to buy special train tickets from other UK towns & cities to connect with Eurostar

Eurostar through fares from UK regions to Paris & Brussels    General European train travel  info

Taking your bike on Eurostar trains    Taking a dog on Eurostar trains

Scotland to Paris by sleeper train + Eurostar     Cornwall & Devon to Paris by sleeper train + Eurostar

 Eurostar train times & fares

Eurostar train times from London to Paris...

Eurostar trains link London to Paris every hour or so, 7 days a week all year round except Christmas Day, fastest journey time just 2 hours 15 minutes non-stop.  Only a brief 20 minutes of the Eurostar journey is actually spent in the Channel Tunnel, the rest is spent speeding through the countryside of Kent and northern France at up to 186 mph.  Some Eurostar trains stop to pick up passengers at Ebbsfleet International near the M25 & a handful stop at Ashford International in Kent.  To check Eurostar train times from London to Paris, use the online booking form above or download the complete Eurostar timetable in .pdf format.

Eurostar train times from London to Lille & Brussels...

Eurostar also runs trains from London to Brussels every couple of hours or so, fastest journey time 1 hour 55 minutes.  Most Brussels-bound Eurostars call at Lille in northern France, the interchange for French TGV high-speed trains to destinations all over France, see the London to France page.  To check Eurostar train times from London to Lille or Brussels, use the online booking form above or download the current Eurostar timetable in .pdf format.

Eurostar tickets & fares...

Eurostar fares from London to Paris or Brussels start at £39 one-way or £69 return in 2nd class, assuming you book in advance.  In 1st class (Standard Premier) fares start at £107 one-way, £189 return.  Eurostar fares vary like airline fares, increasing as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early, up to a maximum of 120 days before departure. The cheap fares are non-changeable, non-refundable.  Check fares & train times at www.eurostar.com or use the online booking form above.

How to find the cheapest Eurostar tickets:  For the cheapest fares, book 1 to 4 months in advance (maximum 120 days ahead) and avoid Friday or Sunday afternoon trains when there are fewer cheap seats.  Don't buy a ticket on the day of travel unless you have to.  A ticket bought in advance might be £39, a full-price ticket bought on the day could cost £140 to £179.

Eurostar fares from
London to Paris
or Brussels...

Standard class

(2nd class)

Standard Premier

(1st class for leisure)

Business Premier

(1st class for business)

One-way Return One-way Return One-way Return
Adult

From £39

From £69

From £107

From £189

£260 or £329 £450 or £570
Child under 12 From £29 From £49 From £70 From £123 - -
Child under 4 Free, if they don't occupy their own seat
Youth 12-25 From £38 From £66   -   - - -
Senior (over 60)

From £38

From £66   -   - - -
Railpass holder (limited quota) £57 £100 £102 £180 - -
Wheelchair user £35 £69 £35 £69 - -

What does 'From' £39 mean?  Eurostar train fares work like air fares.  Book early on an off-peak train and your ticket may cost £39, but book a popular date or time or book closer to the day of travel, and it might cost £50, £73, £89, anything up to £179 full price.  The fares shown without a 'from' do not increase like this, and are what you'll pay as long as there are seats left. '£260 or £329' means the price could be either £260 or £329 depending on availability.

Tips on choosing the best seats     Eurostar seat numbering plan

What is the difference between Standard, Standard Premier, & Business Premier classes? 

Map of Paris showing the Gare du Nord

One-way fares on Eurostar...

Before June 2009 there was a problem with one-way fares on Eurostar, as a one-way ticket from London to Paris was usually more expensive than a return!  But in June 2009 Eurostar introduced sensible one-way fares right across their price range, in other words, one-way fares that are always cheaper than the equivalent return.  So the problem should now have been solved.

Open-jaw journeys (e.g. outward train from London to Paris, back from Brussels to London)...

There are no fares for 'open jaw' return journeys, for example using an outward train from London to Paris but returning from Brussels to London.  This is a shame as these would be useful for circular journeys or travel to (for example) Germany or Austria where some connections are best via Paris, others via Brussels.  So either travel out and back via the same city, or buy two one-way tickets.

 How to buy Eurostar tickets

Buy Eurostar tickets online:  Use the online booking system or go to www.eurostar.com

Buy Eurostar tickets by phone (UK callers):  08432 186 186

Eurostar bookings for the Olympics are open now, 16 July - 15 August 2012!

Eurostar bookings normally open 120 days (4 months) before departure.  If you're only taking the train from London to Paris or Brussels, the easiest & cheapest way to buy Eurostar tickets is online direct with Eurostar at www.eurostar.com, just use the online booking form above.  You print your tickets using your own PC printer, or you can choose to pick up tickets at the station before departure from the e-ticket machines if you prefer.  Alternatively, tickets can be sent to any UK, French or Belgian address, but tickets cannot be sent overseas.  You can also book by calling Eurostar on 08432 186 186 (+44 1233 617575 from outside the UK).  Debit cards are free, but there's a small charge for paying by credit card.  Tips on choosing a specific seat on Eurostar.

Buying Eurostar tickets if you're travelling beyond Paris or Brussels...

If you are taking onward trains beyond Paris or Brussels, for example from London to Spain, Italy or the south of France, it's best to book your train from London to Paris or Brussels and your onward train tickets together at the same time, either from a European train ticketing agency or online as explained on the relevant page of this website.  Although Eurostar bookings open 120 days before departure, reservations for most other trains in western Europe only open 90 days ahead.  I strongly recommend waiting until 90 days before your travel date so you can book the Eurostar & onward train tickets together.  That's because timings for onward trains sometimes change due to engineering work, requiring a different Eurostar connection.  Unless you're travelling on a peak date such as Christmas Eve, you'll still find affordable Eurostar tickets available 90 days ahead, they won't have sold out.  See the Train travel to Europe page for more information about how to buy European train tickets.  Changing trains & stations in Paris by metro or taxiChanging trains in Brussels.

Buying UK train tickets to connect with Eurostar...

In partnership with other UK train companies, Eurostar offers through tickets to Paris, Lille or Brussels from over 130 UK towns & cities, just use the booking form above to see the list of stations and to buy tickets online.  This is usually the cheapest option.  Alternatively, you can buy your UK train tickets to London separately from your Eurostar ticket from London to Paris. There are special fares from most stations in Britain to a destination called 'London International' specifically designed for use with Eurostar tickets, which you can buy online here.  Most stations can sell these tickets, though they seem a well-kept secret and staff aren't always familiar with them!  These fares have few or no time restrictions, so you can travel in the Monday-Friday peaks at an affordable fare, they also ensure that international conditions of carriage (the CIV) apply to your whole journey, so you are covered if you miss your Eurostar because the UK train is late or vice versa.  Full details & advice for buying UK train tickets to connect with Eurostar.

Eurostar's direct trains from London to Avignon (summer) & French Alps (winter)...

As well as its regular trains from London to Paris, Lille & Brussels, Eurostar runs a weekly direct train from London to Avignon on summer Saturdays, and a ski train from London to the French Alps on Friday nights & Saturdays in the winter skiing season from December to April.  See the London to France page or www.eurostar.com for details.

Useful Eurostar telephone numbers...

  • Eurostar telesales:  08432 186 186 (from outside the UK call +44 1233 617575)

  • Lost Property (London)  020 7928 0660 (from outside the UK call +44 20 7928 0660)

  • Lost Property (Paris)  00 33 155 31 58 40

  • Lost Property (Brussels)  00 32 2 224 88 62

  • Group travel:  08448 224 800 (from outside the UK call +44 8448 224 800)

  • Eurostar customer relations:  020 7928 5163 or e-mail new.comments@eurostar.co.uk

  • Eurostar train arrival information & passenger assistance:  020 7928 0660

  • Bikes & registered baggage service:  0844 822 5822 (from outside the UK call +44 207843 7554).

Faster & more reliable than flying...

Back in 2008, 92.4% of Eurostar trains arrived on time or within 15 minutes, compared with a mere 65% of competing short-haul flights.  In 2009, Eurostar exceeded 95% on time or within 15 minutes.  From central London to central Paris, Eurostar is faster than flying, as well as more comfortable and convenient.  Not surprisingly, Eurostar has now captured over 70% of the London-Paris market from the airlines.  Remember that you can check all European train times using the journey planner at www.bahn.de.

The environmentally sound way to travel...

Eurostar has commissioned independent research estimating that a Eurostar train from London to Paris emits 11Kg of CO2 per passenger, over 90% less than the 122Kg per passenger emitted by a London to Paris flight.  In addition, planes emit the CO2 directly into the upper atmosphere, where it is thought to do around 2.7 times the damage of the same CO2 emitted at ground level.  Another good reason for treating yourself to a train journey!  Eurostar has committed itself to reducing its emissions by 35% by 2012, and from 2007 they have been offsetting all their emissions free of charge to passengers, making Eurostar train travel carbon neutral.  See www.eurostar.com/environment for more information.

Eurostar trains now leave from London St Pancras...

The final section of the UK high speed line opened in November 2007, and the Eurostar trains switched from their original terminal at Waterloo to the new St Pancras International Station.  Trains from London to Paris now take just 2 hours 15 minutes, city centre to city centre.

Sponsored links...

 

 St Pancras International station...

 

London St Pancras International

  Eurostar trains from London to Paris & Brussels leave from St Pancras, built 1868-1876
 

St Pancras International station:  Its Victorian Gothic facade has been a landmark for 140 years...

  Inside St Pancras International:  Lower level concourse.  The trains are one level up.
 

Lower level concourse:  You enter St Pancras from the Underground or off the street onto the lower level concourse.  In this photo, the Eurostar ticket office is on the left, the Eurostar departures check-in is in a passageway along and to the right.

  Inside St Pancras International:  Upper level concourse showing William Barlow's magnificent 1868 trainshed...
 

Upper level concourse:  Go up one level for great views of the station, and for Europe's longest Champagne Bar, just visible on the left alongside the Eurostar train.

  Self-service ticket machines at St Pancras:  You can collect your Eurostar tickets here...
 

Ticket collection?  If you need to collect your Eurostar ticket at the station, simply put your credit card into a machines and enter your booking reference...

  Eurostar check-in gates at St Pancras, at the entrance to the departure lounge...
 

Check-in for Eurostar:  You check in just off the main lower level concourse, by putting your Eurostar ticket into these automatic gates.  Immediately after the gates is an easy X-ray security check then passport control...

  Inside the Eurostar departure lounge at St Pancras...
 

Eurostar departure lounge:  Once through check-in, security and passport control, you're in the departure lounge underneath the tracks....

  Eurostar information desk, in the departure lounge at St Pancras...
 

In the departure lounge:  Inside the lounge you'll find a cafe, bar, newsagents, information desk and comfortable seating.  There's also a 'laptop bar' with stools, desk, and power-points to recharge your laptop, mobile or camera...

  Boarding Eurostar at St Pancras International...
 

Business Premier lounge:  If you've a Business Premier 1st class ticket (but not a Standard Premier one), you can use the business lounge, with complimentary drinks and snacks...

  Boarding a Eurostartrain to Paris at London St Pancras...
 

Boarding your Eurostar train to Paris:  A boarding announcement is made around 15 minutes before each train leaves, and you head up the travelator to the platforms to board your train...

Eurostar trains to Paris & Brussels now leave from the new St Pancras International station in London, opened on 14 November 2007.  They no longer leave from Waterloo.  St Pancras International isn't a mere airport terminal for trains, it's a spectacularly-restored piece of history that will take your breath away...

London St Pancras station facilities...

St Pancras International station has been designed as a destination in its own right, with shops of all kinds, newsagents & cafes.  As well as public toilets, other facilities include:

  • Europe's longest champagne bar:  Before checking-in for your train to Paris, you can raise a toast to your journey at Europe's longest champagne bar, 96 metres long and on the upper level underneath the magnificent glass-and-steel trainshed.  It's level with and alongside the Eurostar platforms, separated from departing Eurostars by no more than a glass screen.

  • Left luggage:  Run by the Excess Baggage Company, you can deposit items here for £6.50 per 24 hours or part thereof.  Open 06:00-22:00 Monday-Saturday, 07:00-22:00 Sunday.  Bags are X-rayed before deposit.

  • Eurostar & domestic ticket offices:  The Eurostar ticket office is on the lower level on the left as you enter from the street or Underground.  The domestic ticket office is at the far end of the lower level shopping lane, along with the left luggage and toilets.

  • European train ticketing & reservations desk:  Unfortunately, the Eurostar ticket office can only sell Eurostar tickets from London to Paris, Lille or Brussels.  However, ticketing agency Trains Europe (www.trainseurope.co.uk) has opened a European train ticketing desk at St Pancras which can sell tickets & railpasses for almost any train journey in Europe and make European seat, couchette & sleeper reservations.  It's located in the domestic travel centre (signed 'National Rail Tickets') at the far end of the lower shopping level, under platforms 1-4.   It's open 09:30-17:30 Mondays to Fridays, 10:30-16:30 Saturdays.

  • Eurostar departures:  The row of check-in gates is in a wide passageway to the right, off the main shopping lane.

  • Free WiFi internet access:  Eurostar has now installed WiFi throughout St Pancras International station (August 2008), both in the departure lounge and elsewhere in the station, available to everyone free of charge (yes, really!).  The WiFi at Paris Nord & Brussels Midi still needs to be paid for.  WiFi internet access on board Eurostar is still being developed.

  • The St Pancras hotel:  St Pancras station now includes a 5-star luxury hotel, opened in March 2011 in the beautifully-restored building that once housed the 1873 Midland Grand Hotel.  See the St Pancras Renaissance London Hotel.

  • You can learn more about St Pancras facilities and shopping opportunities, at www.stpancras.com.

About St Pancras...

St Pancras was opened by the Midland Railway in 1868, as the London terminal for their trains heading north from London to Leicester, Nottingham, Derby & Sheffield.  Trains to these destinations still leave from St Pancras, though they're now relegated to new platforms 1-4 outside the old trainshed.  If you've time, walk outside onto the street to gaze at the ornate Victorian Gothic station building, designed by Sir Gilbert Scott and built 1868-1876.  This was the old Midland Hotel, closed in 1935, derelict for many years, has now been restored and returned to its intended purpose, as a stylish modern 5-star hotel.  A true London landmark...

But the most awe-inspiring sight is inside the station.  It's the spectacular glass-and-steel trainshed, designed by William Henry Barlow and completed in 1868.  243 feet wide, 689 feet long and 100 feet high, when it was opened it created the largest enclosed space in the world.  The trainshed has been totally renovated and returned to its original sky-blue.  The original station clock has been found in a Nottinghamshire garden, faithfully reproduced by its original manufacturers, Dent, and put in its place of honour at the apex of the trainshed.  Under the clock stands a 9 metre high statue of two lovers embracing, titles 'The Meeting Place', by sculptor Paul Day.

You can learn more about St Pancras station and its history at www.stpancras.com.

 Checking in for Eurostar...

Eurostar's 30-minute check-in...

Unlike other British and European trains, Eurostar operates a check-in system.  You must check in for your Eurostar train to Paris, Lille or Brussels at least 30 minutes before departure (10 minutes for Business Premier passengers, 60 minutes for the direct Eurostar trains to the Alps or Avignon).  The check-in gates at St Pancras are in a passageway just off the lower concourse, one level down from the Eurostar trains themselves.  Check-in normally opens just over an hour before each train departure, and you check in by putting your ticket into the automatic ticket gates at the entrance to the departure lounge, or (if you've a print-at-home ticket) placing the ticket barcode against the small scanner screen on the ticket gate.  Alternatively, there are staffed check-in kiosks.  If for any reason you want to change your allocated seat (for example, to make sure you're facing forward), ask at one of these kiosks on check-in.  Make sure all your bags are labelled with your name.  Immediately after passing through the check-in gates there is an airline-style security check with X-ray and metal detectors, but this is both quicker and easier than airport security.  You'll be inside the departure lounge in a few minutes.  Eurostar website check-in information.

Inside the Eurostar terminal...

Once inside the Eurostar departure lounge, there is a café, bar, small shop, toilets, and a Eurostar information desk.  The Eurostar information desk can provide you with Eurostar information, a free map of Paris, a 'carnet' of 10 Paris metro tickets or Paris visitor metro passes.  The six Eurostar platforms at St Pancras (platforms 5-10) are directly above the departure lounge, and an announcement will be made when your train is ready for boarding, usually about 15 minutes before departure.  There are two gently-sloping moving walkways up to each platform, plus a lift.  If your reservation is in cars 1-5, you use one walkway, if your reservation is in cars 6-18 you use the other.

 On board the train...

Eurostar trains are completely non-smoking.  All Eurostar trains were completely refurbished with a new interior by designer Philippe Starck between autumn 2004 and autumn 2005, you can see a virtual tour inside a Eurostar train at www.eurostar.com.  Italian design firm Pininfarina (of Ferrari fame) have been engaged for Eurostar's next interior refresh, starting in 2011-12.

Eurostar trains have 3 classes:

  • Standard class (= 2nd class).  Standard class passengers have access to the two cafe-bar cars, or may bring their own food & drink on board.

  • Standard Premier (= 1st class for leisure travel).  Standard Premier offers first class seating with more affordable but inflexible fares for upmarket leisure travellers, or budget-conscious business travellers.  The tickets are non-changeable & non-refundable, there's a 30-minute minimum check-in and no access to executive lounges.  A complimentary cold tray meal and one round of alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks are served at your seat.  Although confusingly including the word 'Standard' in its brand name to help attract business travellers whose companies don't officially allow first class travel, make no mistake, this is indeed first class!  'Standard Premier' replaced 'Leisure Select' (which had the same hot meal & drinks service as Business Premier) from 1 September 2010.

  • Business Premier (= 1st class for business travel).  Fully-flexible & refundable tickets, access to executive lounges at stations and a 10 minute minimum check-in.  The fare includes a complimentary hot airline-style meal, champagne, wine, beer & soft drinks served at your seat.

  • First class leisure passengers in Standard Premier and first class business travellers in Business Premier are accommodated in separate first class carriages but the seating layout is the same in both types of first class, with a spacious '2-abreast-aisle-1-abreast configuration across the width of the train.  The allocation of first class cars on each train between these two classes varies according to demand.  1st class seats have extra legroom compared to the higher-density seating in Standard class which has a 2-abreast-aisle-2-abreast seating configuration.  See the Tips for choosing your seat section below for a Eurostar seating plan.

Food & drink on Eurostar...

Business Premier includes an excellent complimentary hot airline-style 3-course meal with champagne & wine.  Standard Premier includes a simpler cold tray meal & one round of free alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks.  All passengers have access to two bar cars, located in cars 6 & 13, serving tea, coffee, hot chocolate, beer, wine, spirits, sandwiches, crisps and a few hot snacks.  The bar accepts credit cards as well as cash.  You can eat and drink in the bar area (standing space only, there are no seats) or take your purchases back to your seat.  Feel free to take your own food and drink if you like, even your own bottle of wine, there are no rules against this on trains!

Tips for choosing your seat...  Eurostar seating plan with seat numbers

All Eurostar tickets include a specific reserved seat.  There's a detailed seating plan at www.eurostar.com/pdf/seat_plan/seat_plan_UK.pdf, showing which seats face forwards, which line up with a window, which are airline-style face-to-back and which are arranged in bays around a table.  You might then understand why this website is called The Man in Seat Sixty-One!  If you book your Eurostar ticket at www.eurostar.com, the 'Seating preferences' section initially only allows you to choose 'aisle' or 'window', but later in the booking process you are now offered a section called 'Want to choose your exact seat?'.  Using this you can choose exactly which number seat in which number car you want, using a detailed seating plan.  If you book through any other agency or website (for example, Rail Europe) you can usually choose a specific seat if you book by phone, but not if you book online.  Here are some tips for choosing the best seats on Eurostar:

  • If you want a power socket for a mobile or laptop, choose cars 5 or 14 in standard class.  In first class, all cars have these.

  • If you've small children, book seats in cars 1 or 18 (standard class) as these are near the baby-changing room, and are at each end of the train so have less people walking through them to the bar.  These cars have lots of bays of 4 seats (with or without a table, your choice), which are much better for families than face-to-back airline-style seating.

  • If you're travelling as a group of 3 or 4 people, choose seats around a table as opposed to airline-style pairs all facing the same way, as this is much more sociable.

  • If you're a couple in first class, choose a pair of seats facing across an intimate table-for-two.

  • If you want seats facing forward, this can be seen on the plan (look closely at the train diagram!).

  • If you prefer a window seat which lines up with the window (rather than one next to a blank bit of wall between the windows), look carefully at the plan.  The pale blue bits in the coach walls on the plan are the windows.

  • In standard class, a seat in the car next to the bar car makes it easier to fetch food and drink, which might be a consideration.

  • If you've a tight connection in Brussels (or for that matter, Paris), book a seat at the front of the Eurostar train (i.e. in coach 17 or 18), as you'll get off the platform ahead of everyone else and with less of a walk, saving a few vital minutes!

  • Note that the 'choose your exact seat' facility at www.eurostar.com is 'clever'.  If you are travelling alone, it will show all bays of 4 seats around a table (and in 1st class, all bays of 2 seats) as already taken, even if those seats are in fact available.  It only shows them as available if you are a group of 2, 3 or 4 people travelling together.  If you're travelling alone and want a seat facing another seat across a table (one without a seat back in your face!), you will need to book by phone.  If I'm travelling solo I have to book seat 61 by phone rather than online (it's one of two around a table), and I usually do a dummy online booking for 2 people first to prove that the seat is free.

Power outlets for laptops & mobiles...

There are UK and European power sockets (240/110 volts AC) for laptops and mobiles in all Eurostar 1st class cars and in 2nd class cars 5 & 14.  Other 2nd class cars do not have power outlets, so make sure you book seats in car 5 or 14 if you need one. 

WiFi access on Eurostar...

There is no WiFi internet access on board Eurostar trains yet, although a contract was let in September 2011 which will see Eurostar trains progressively fitted with WiFi internet as they are refurbished between 2013 and 2014.  In the meantime, there's WiFi internet access at St Pancras International station for everyone, free of charge.  WiFi access at Paris & Brussels is also available, but must be paid for.

Luggage on Eurostar...

Unlike travelling by air, you don't check in your bags when travelling by train.  You keep them with you, placing small or medium size bags (up to backpack-size) on the luggage racks above your head and larger items on the big suitcase racks at the end of the coach just inside the entrance doors.  In principle at least, Eurostar limits luggage to two large items per passenger (maximum 85cm in any one dimension), plus a small item of hand luggage.  There's no weight limit, so you can pretty much pack what you like, and (again unlike anal-retentive airports and airlines) nobody actually measures your bags or even worries if you have an extra carrier bag or two, as long as they all fit through the X-ray machines and don't cause any problems.  However, you must label your bags with your name (first name and surname), you'll find free paper labels at the terminal if you've forgotten.  For information about luggage limits on Eurostar & other European trains, see the luggage section on the Europe by train page.

Prohibited items that can catch you out:  As well as the obvious prohibited items such as firearms or explosives, Eurostar prohibits ice axes (mountaineers take note!) and any knife with a blade over 3", which catches out people returning to London with a nice set of Sabatier kitchen knives they bought in Paris!  Eurostar offer a checked baggage service for extra large items, which costs extra, see the Eurostar website baggage information page.

Left luggage lockers in London, Paris & Brussels...

London St Pancras has a left luggage office run by the Excess Baggage Company, where you can deposit items here for £8 per item for the first 24 hours, then £4 for each of the next 24 hour periods.  Open 06:00-22:00 Monday-Saturday, 07:00-22:00 Sunday.  Bags are X-rayed before deposit.

Paris Gare du Nord has left luggage lockers ('consigne' in French) downstairs under the main concourse just off the end of the Eurostar platforms.  Open 06:15 to 23:15 daily.  At the Gare du Nord and other stations in Paris, expect to have your bags X-rayed before entering the locker area.  In Paris, a small locker costs 4.50 euros, a back-pack or suitcase-sized locker around 7.50 euros for 24 hours, and a larger locker for two backpacks around 9.50 euros.  There's a change machine which can convert 10, 20 or 50 euro banknotes into the coins needed for the lockers.

Brussels Midi has both luggage lockers and a staffed left luggage facility near the Eurostar check-in and Thalys reception.  Both are open 24 hours a day, the staffed facility costs 3.80 euros per item per calendar day, the three sizes of lockers cost 3 euros, 3.50 euros, 4 euros per 24 hours.

Taking a bicycle on Eurostar trains...

Bicycles can be taken on Eurostar trains either free of charge as hand luggage in a zip-up bike bag not exceeding 120cm x 90cm (available from bike shops), with pedals and saddle removed and handlebars turned, or you can take it with you in the luggage van for £30 each way.  See the Taking your bike page for information about taking bikes on Eurostar and other European trains.

Taking dogs & pets on Eurostar trains...

This is a significant problem.  Unfortunately, you cannot take dogs or other pets on Eurostar trains, except for guide dogs.  To get round this (other than pretending to be blind, tricky if you have a Yorkshire terrier), you'll need to switch to train+ferry from London to Paris and possibly get a friend to drive you to Calais and drop you at the station.  See the taking your dog or pet section for more information & advice.

Children & babies...

Unlike airlines, children under 4 go free on Eurostar, and a special child fare applies to children from 4 to 11 inclusive.  Children 12 & over travel at the youth fare.  All children under 12 must travel accompanied by an adult, and unaccompanied children from 12 to 16 require a consent form signed by their parent or guardian.  See www.eurostar.com for more details.  If you're travelling with young children in 2nd class, ask for a family area seat - this is at the end of the train in cars 1 and 18, with seats around tables where children can play (see the Eurostar seating plan).  Eurostar has baby-changing facilities in cars 1 & 18, at each end of the long 18-car Eurostar train.  These are 2nd class cars, a long walk from the 1st class in the centre of the train, especially when carrying a smelly and dripping baby!  The baby changing rooms have sink, soap, changing table and disposable changing table covers.  Bar car staff will heat baby bottles if asked.  There are more tips for travelling by train with babies and children in the Travelling with children section.

Travellers with disabilities on Eurostar...

Eurostar can provide assistance to passengers with special needs travelling from London to Paris, Lille or Brussels.  If you are confined to a wheelchair, there are wheelchair spaces and wheelchair-friendly toilets on each Eurostar train.  There are also special fares for people travelling in wheelchairs and a travelling companion.  Electric-powered scooters can also be carried, subject to some maximum dimensions, in the baggage area on each train.  For more information about travel with disabilities specifically on Eurostar, see www.eurostar.com.  For more information about travelling by train throughout Europe if you have a disability, see the Travelling with Disabilities section on the Europe page.

 A journey from London to Paris on Eurostar...

 

Paris Gare du Nord...

  Eurostar trains from London to Paris arrive at the Gare du Nord in central Paris
 

The magnificent (and freshly renovated) façade of the Gare du Nord, completed in 1865.  The first Gare du Nord was built in 1846, but being too small was moved to Lille in 1860 to become Lille Flandres station.

  Inside Paris Gare du Nord.  The Eurostar platforms are on the left.
 

Arrival at Paris Gare du Nord.  Eurostar trains from London arrive at platforms 3-6.  On arrival, you simply get off the train, walk off the platform onto the concourse & out onto the street, as all the passport & ticket checks were completed in London...

  The Eurostar departure lounge at Paris Gare du Nord, on the first floor
 

Departure from Paris Nord:  For Eurostar trains to London, follow the Eurostar signs up the steps or escalator to the first floor Eurostar check-in and departure lounge.  Trains depart from platforms 3-6.

The train leaves St Pancras...

The train manager makes his announcement that your Eurostar train to Paris is about to leave, the door alarm sounds and the doors then hiss shut.  As you settle into your seat, the brakes hiss off and the Eurostar gently eases itself out of the magnificent arched trainshed of St Pancras International Station.  At this stage, the train is heading north, but almost immediately it makes a sharp right-hand turn past the huge steel gasometers that have been a familiar sight behind Kings Cross/St Pancras for years and which are now, believe it or not, listed structures.  Within a minute or two the Eurostar enters a covered bridge across the tracks leading out of adjacent Kings Cross station, which becomes a long tunnel under east London taking the Eurostar east and south.

...East London & the Dartford Crossing...

About 5 minutes after leaving St Pancras, you'll see a glimpse of daylight and the platforms of Stratford International station, due to open in time for the London Olympics in 2012.  Around 8 minutes after leaving St Pancras, the Eurostar train finally emerges from the tunnel and starts crossing the wastelands of east London, past warehouses and run-down housing estates.  Just 10-12 minutes from St Pancras you'll see the impressive Queen Elizabeth II suspension bridge on the right, which carries the M25 London orbital motorway across the River Thames at the Dartford Crossing.  The Eurostar now plunges back into a short tunnel for its own crossing underneath the Thames, emerging the other side in the county of Kent.  Some Eurostar trains now call at Ebbsfleet station in north Kent, near the M25 motorway.

...over the Medway Viaduct...

The Eurostar train is now running at its full service speed of 186mph (300 km/h), with traffic on the adjacent London-Dover M2 motorway almost standing still in comparison.  Just 15-20 minutes after leaving London, the train crosses the most dramatic structure on the new high-speed line, the viaduct high over the River Medway.  To the right of the train as it crosses the viaduct, you'll see small boats moored on the muddy riverbanks far below you.  To the left of the train, over the top of the adjacent M2 motorway bridge, you can see Rochester Cathedral and Rochester Castle in the distance.

...across rural Kent...

Now at last you're in green and pleasant rural Kent, with villages nestling at the foot of the chalky hills to the left.  A few Eurostars still call at Ashford International station, a major railway junction in east Kent, but most Eurostars now 'fly' over the town on a huge flyover, with the station way below you, the town centre to the left and the old Southern Railway Ashford works to your right.

...into the Channel Tunnel...

Just 35 minutes from St Pancras, the fields and hedgerows of east Kent give way to the roadways and check-in lanes of the Folkestone Eurotunnel terminal.  This is where cars and lorries are put on the Eurotunnel car-carrying shuttle trains to go through the tunnel to France.  Your Eurostar train passes through the middle of the terminal non-stop, and the train manager announces that you are about to enter the Channel Tunnel.  Passing through the Channel Tunnel takes just 20 minutes, and is something of an anti-climax.  The Channel Tunnel (sometimes called the "Chunnel", usually by Americans) is just like any other rail tunnel, only a bit longer.  As a precaution, the yellow fire safety doors between each pair of coaches are closed during the tunnel transit, but you can still pass through freely if you want.

...welcome to northern France...

The Eurostar emerges into France at up to 100 mph, and you'll see the French terminal for the car-carrying trains away to your left.  If you look to the horizon on the left, you can just see the distinctive clock tower of Calais town hall.  A handful of Eurostar trains call at Calais-Fréthun, a few miles from Calais town centre, but others just start accelerating onto the French high speed line.  Unlike conventional railways, the high speed line follows the contours of the land more like a motorway, and you will feel the Eurostar rising onto the hills and settling into the dips.  The area of Northern France crossed by Eurostar is largely flat farmland, dotted with villages built around ancient stone churches.  The variety of church spires you can see is remarkable!

The Eurostar may call at Lille or simply pass through on the centre tracks.  The line to Brussels and the line to Paris diverge just after Lille Europe station.  Paris is now less than an hour away...

...your train arrives in Paris!

The high-speed line to Paris ends just short of Paris Gare du Nord, and the Eurostar passes seamlessly onto a short stretch of conventional line to complete its journey into Paris Gare du Nord, the historic terminus where the traditional boat trains from Calais or Boulogne used to arrive.  The Gare du Nord is also the station for trains to Brussels, Amsterdam, and Cologne in Germany, and you will see red and silver Thalys trains arriving and departing from these places.

When you arrive in Paris at the Gare du Nord, you get off the train and walk forward straight off the end of the platform onto the main station concourse, and either out into the streets of Paris, or turn left and head downstairs to the metro.  There are no more checks or other formalities to go through, you just walk off the train into central Paris, it's that easy!  For the taxi rank, walk off the end of the platform onto the concourse, turn left and walk out of the side entrance.

 Changing trains in Paris or Brussels...

Changing trains & stations in Paris:  See the Paris metro page...

Eurostar trains from London to Paris arrive at the Gare du Nord, but your connecting train will probably leave from one of the other Paris stations.  The Gare de l'Est is a 10-minute walk from the Gare du Nord, but to get to any of the other Paris stations you'll need to take the metro or RER (Express Metro) across Paris.  See the guide to changing trains & stations in Paris by metro or taxi.

Changing trains in Brussels:  See the Europe page

In Brussels, all long-distance trains including Eurostar use Brussels Midi station (Brussel Zuid in Flemish, Brussels South in English), so changing trains is easy.  These recommended times are the minimum.  Left luggage lockers and a staffed left luggage office are available at Brussels Midi (24 hours).

Recommended connection times in Brussels...

The connection times shown here are the minimum amount of time you should allow between the scheduled arrival of your train in Brussels and the scheduled departure time of your connecting train from Brussels.
Travelling from London If you're connecting in Brussels with a local or non-reserved InterCity train, where missing it simply means catching the next one: 20 minutes.
If you're connecting in Brussels with a Thalys or ICE train, where you have a train-specific ticket and reservation: 25 minutes, but preferably a bit more - if you miss it because the Eurostar is late they should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available.
If you're ultimately connecting in Cologne with a long-distance sleeper train which you cannot afford to miss: 60 minutes, preferably 90 minutes.
Travelling to London Any connection in Brussels onto Eurostar bound for London... 40 minutes minimum, which includes the compulsory 30-minute Eurostar check-in time.  if you miss your Eurostar because your train is late the Eurostar staff should let you catch the next one, as long as seats are available.


London to Paris by train & ferry:  See the London to Paris by train & ferry page...

You can still travel from London to Paris by train and ferry if you want.  It takes 9 hours and is no longer particularly convenient as you have to make your own way by bus, taxi or on foot between Dover Priory station and the Eastern Docks in Dover, and between Calais ferry terminal and Calais Ville station in Calais.  The original train/ferry interchange stations at Dover Western Docks and Calais Maritime closed in the 1990s when Eurostar started.  London to Paris by train & ferry is also likely to cost more than a cheap Eurostar ticket booked in advance.  However, train & ferry can be cheaper if you need to travel at short notice when all the cheap Eurostar fares are sold out, and of course you get to see the White Cliffs of Dover on the way.  You can substitute train+ferry+train for Eurostar London-Paris in any of the journeys routed via Paris shown on this website, but you'll need to buy separate train and ferry tickets.  Times, fares and information for travelling from London to Paris by train+ferry+train are shown here.

London to Amsterdam, Germany, Eastern Europe & Scandinavia via the Harwich-Hoek van Holland ferry...

If you're heading for northern or eastern Europe and there are major problems affecting Eurostar services, or you need to travel at short notice when Eurostar can be expensive, you can buy a cheap inclusive 'Dutch Flyer' ticket from London to Amsterdam or anywhere in the Netherlands using Stena Line's overnight Harwich-Hoek luxury superferry, including a comfortable private cabin with toilet & shower, free WiFi and satellite TV.  Indeed, this can be a good alternative even with Eurostar running normally, see the London to Amsterdam page for details.  You can then use www.bahn.de to book a separate onward ticket from Amsterdam to Berlin, Cologne, Munich, Prague, Copenhagen, Zurich or Warsaw.

Northern England & Scotland to mainland Europe by ferry...

www.dfds.co.uk sail from Newcastle to IJmuiden (the port of Amsterdam) overnight, and www.poferries.com sail from Hull to Rotterdam.  It's then easy to take trains from Amsterdam or Rotterdam to Antwerp or Brussels, to Berlin or Cologne, or direct sleeper trains from Amsterdam to Prague, Switzerland, Southern Germany, Denmark or Poland.


 The Thomas Cook European Timetable

Thomas Cook European Timetable -  click to buy onlineThomas Cook Rail Map of Europe - buy onlineThe Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £13.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascooktimetables.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from any UK branch of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria or Kings Cross stations in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Winter/Spring 2011/12 edition (Dec 2011 to June 2012) or (when available) Summer/Autumn 2012 edition (June to Dec 2012)

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.



 

 Hotels & accommodation in London or Paris

Find a hotel in London or Paris...

You can find a hotel in London, Paris or almost anywhere worldwide at www.hotelscombined.com, just use the search box below.

Search by hotel name  Powered by Hotelscombined.com

 

◄◄◄◄◄ Search all the major hotel

booking websites at once...

Hotel reservations? Find the right hotel first. Compare here.

www.hotelscombined.com is probably the best hotel search system I've seen, a free search tool which checks all the main hotel booking sites (Opodo, Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, AsiaRooms, Travelocity, LateRooms and others) to find the cheapest hotel rates.  Set up in 2005, it's probably the best place to start for booking any hotel online in any country, worldwide.

Tripadvisor hotel reviews...

www.tripadvisor.com is a good place to find independent travellers' reviews of the main hotels.  It also has the low-down on all the sights & attractions too.

Special hotels for a romantic break in Paris...

There's the famous & flashy Paris Ritz in the Place Vendôme (over 490 euros a night) or the similarly-priced Le Meurice, but if you want a really special hotel for a luxury break or romantic weekend and can afford around 280 euros a night, I'd recommend the small, sumptuous and intimate L'Hotel.  It's on the bohemian left bank, walking distance from the Seine, the Ile de la Cité & Notre Dame.  Oscar Wilde spent the last days of his life here in room 16, and the hotel has been used by many famous people from Sinatra to Mick Jagger.  Rooms are on the cosy side, but they are beautifully decorated and have character that bigger and flashier hotels lack.

Hotels near the Gare du Nord & other Paris stations...

If you need to stop over between trains, there are several good-quality Accor group hotels (including their mid-range 'Ibis' brand hotels and the more upmarket 'Mercure' brand) near the Gare du Nord, Gare de l'Est, Gare d'Austerlitz & Gare de Lyon.  Accor also run the most upmarket hotel, the Mercure Terminus Nord, right opposite the Gare du Nord.  Alternatively, try the Hotel Picardy Gare du Nord (opposite Gare du Nord, about 65 euros per night), the Comfort Hotel Gare de l'Est, from 67 euros per night, Campanile Hotel Gare du Nord (95 euros per night) or the Art Hotel (130 euros weekdays, 95 euros Fri/Sat/Sun).

New 5-star hotel at London St Pancras, right where the Eurostar trains arrive...

Hot news for March 2011 is the opening of the luxurious, expensive and beautifully-restored 5-star St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.  Designed by the renowned architect Sir George Gilbert-Scott, it first opened in 1873 as The Midland Grand Hotel, a railway hotel built into the Victorian architectural masterpiece that is St Pancras station.  The hotel closed its doors in 1935, considered too large and outdated to continue as a hotel, and after a period of being used as railway offices, this beautiful landmark building was left derelict and slowly decaying.  However, its fortunes have now been totally reversed.  High-speed Eurostar trains to Paris leave from St Pancras station's magnificently-restored 1868 trainshed designed by William Barlow, and the once derelict Midland Grand Hotel has been reborn as a glorious 5-star hotel, St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.  No expense has been spared in recreating and restoring this Grade 1 listed building to its former glory.  Rooms described using the term 'Barlow' are in the newly-built Barlow House wing at the side, these start at around £250 a night.  Other rooms (including rooms described using the word 'chambers') are in the original building, where rooms start at £550 a night, rising to suites costing several thousand.  You can of course, just have a drink in the bar or meal in the restaurant, accessible from the south west corner of the upper level concourse, the same level as the Eurostar trains.  The bar-restaurant is housed in what was once St Pancras station's booking office, the Grade 1 listed wood-panelled booking windows are still there behind the bar, and it still says 'Booking office' in the stones above the entrance doors.  The hotel lobby has been built in what was once the station's taxi rank.

St Pancras station in London   A suite in the main building of the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
Above:  The magnificently-restored St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.

 

Back to Europe general information page