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London ► Monte Carlo  (overnight via Paris on the 'Train Bleu')

There is a daily year-round service via Paris.  

• Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London at 15:11 and arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 18:53.  Cross by métro to Paris Gare d'Austerlitz.

• Travel from Paris to Monte Carlo overnight, leaving Paris Austerlitz daily at 21:17 and arriving in Monte Carlo at 08:38.  This train is the famous 'Train Bleu' with sleeping-cars (1- & 2-bed rooms with washbasin), 4-berth 1st class couchettes and 6-berth 2nd class couchettes - see the pictures below.  Does not run on 24 or 31 December.

London ► Monte Carlo  (overnight via Lille, daily 28 June to 3 September & certain dates)

It's just two hours by Eurostar from London to Lille.  From Lille, there is a summer-only direct overnight train to the South of France with couchettes.

• Travel from London to Lille by Eurostar, leaving London Waterloo at 16:39 arriving Lille at 19:29.  On arrival at Lille Europe station, it is a short and easy walk to Lille Flandres station.

• Travel overnight from Lille to Nice, leaving Lille Flandres at 21:25 and arriving next morning in Nice at 10:55.  This train runs daily from 28 June to 3 September 2007, also runs on April 6, 10, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29, and May 2, 4, 9, 16, 21, 25, 29.  The train has reclining seats, 6-berth 2nd class couchettes and 1st class 4-berth couchettes.  There is now no sleeping-car.

• Travel from Nice to Monaco-Monte Carlo by connecting local train, arriving about 11:30.

Monte Carlo ► London  (overnight via Paris on the 'Train Bleu')

• The famous 'Train Bleu' leaves Monte Carlo daily at 20:25, arriving at Paris Austerlitz at 07:45 next morning.  Couchettes (1st class 4-bunk and 2nd class 6-bunk) and sleeping-cars (1- and 2-bed rooms with washbasin) are available.  Does not run on 24 or 31 December.

• A Eurostar leaves Paris Nord at 09:10, arriving back in London at 10:58.

Monte Carlo ► London  (overnight via Lille, daily 27 June to 2 September & certain dates)

• Travel from Monte Carlo to Nice by frequent local train.

• Travel from Nice to Lille overnight, leaving Nice at 19:11 and arriving in Lille (Flandres station) at 08:26 next morning.  The train has reclining seats, 6-berth 2nd class couchettes and 1st class 4-berth couchettes.  There is now no sleeping-car.  The Northbound Nice - Lille sleeper train runs daily from 27 June to 2 September 2007, also runs on April 5, 9, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, 28 and May 1, 3, 8, 15, 20, 24, 28.

• A Eurostar leaves Lille (Europe station) at 10:12, arriving in London Waterloo at 10:58. 

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Travelling overnight by sleeping-car or couchette:

Sleeping-cars Sleeping-cars provide proper beds in compact, carpeted rooms.  The 'Train Bleu' and the Lille-Monte Carlo night train have 'T2' sleeping-cars like this one.  These cars have an ingenious design, with nine 'lower' rooms (below, centre picture) for use as 2-berth or single berth, and nine 'upper' rooms (2-berth - below right) with a small sofa and two beds up in the roof space on either side.  Full bedding, soap and towels are supplied, and all rooms have a washbasin.  Drinks and snacks are available from the attendant.  To travel in a 2-berth sleeper, you need to have a 2nd class ticket or railpass + 2nd class sleeper supplement, for a single room you need a 1st class ticket or railpass + 1st class sleeper supplement.   Passengers travelling alone who do not want to pay for a first class ticket and single supplement may book a berth in a 2-berth room which they will share with another passenger of the same sex.

Couchettes Couchettes are basic bunks, each supplied with a clean pillow and (on French night trains, replacing the traditional sheet and blanket) a special lightweight sleeping-bag.  2nd class couchettes have 6 bunks in each compartment (upper, middle and lower on each side of the compartment), 1st class couchettes have 4 bunks (upper and lower each side of the compartment).  There are washrooms and toilets at the end of the corridor. French Railways (SNCF) have now relaunched their overnight service as 'Corail Lunéa', and 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, and plenty of staff are on hand if you need them.  Only passengers with tickets and reservations are allowed on board, and there are minimal stops between midnight and 06:00 to ensure a smooth journey through the night. Men and women are booked into the same compartments in couchettes, as you don't normally fully undress, but on French night trains, women travelling alone can ask for a place in a ladies-only compartment if they prefer. Pictured above:  Two views of a modern air-conditioned French 2nd class couchette compartment.  The seat backs fold outwards and upwards to become the middle bunks.  The seat itself is the bottom couchette. France is one of the few countries which have 1st class couchettes.  These are more comfortable than 2nd class couchettes, but nowhere near as comfortable as 2nd class sleepers.  To travel in a 1st class couchette, you need a 1st class ticket or railpass + couchette supplement. Pictured, right:  A French 1st class couchette compartment. French couchette cars are now being modernised - the 'Train Bleu' is the first train to receive the newly-refurbished couchette cars.

Approximate fares:

London to Paris by Eurostar:	Return fares start at £59 2nd class,  £149 1st class.  One-way fares start at £44 2nd class.  Advice on one-way Eurostar fares.  Child, youth & senior fares
Paris to Monte Carlo by sleeper train:	In a 2nd class reclining seat:	In a 2nd class 6-berth couchette:		In a 1st class 4-berth couchette
Special internet 'Prems' fare:	£14 one-way £28 return	£28 one-way £56 return		£50 one way £100 return
Regular fare:	£57 return	£87 return		£119 return

You can check the latest fares at www.voyages-sncf.com.  Book online 14 days in advance for 'Prems' fares.

How to buy tickets online:

The easiest and cheapest way to book is online at the French Railways website, www.voyages-sncf.com.  This can book both the Eurostar London-Paris (or Lille) and the overnight train from Paris (or Lille) to Monte Carlo.  Tickets can be sent to any European address, including addresses in the UK.

• Look for the 'English' button - it's a UK flag at lower left. 

• To get tickets posted to a UK address, select 'Great Britain' as the country in which you want to receive your tickets.  However, you must select 'payment online in euros' if you want to see the cheap 'Prems' fares, as these fares will not show up if you select 'payment in GBP by contacting Rail Europe in London'. 

• Book the London to Monte Carlo journey in two separate stages:  First, book the night train from Paris (or Lille) to Monte Carlo and back using the train times on this page as a guide.  Then book the Eurostar from London to Paris (or Lille) and back as a second separate journey, making sure you give yourself plenty of time to cross Paris.  If you try to book from London to Monte Carlo in one go, the cheapest 'Prems' fares within France will not show up.  Special 'Prems' internet fares start at just 20 euro (£14) one-way for a reclining seat or 40 euro (£28) one-way including a couchette from Paris to Monte Carlo.  Use the 'options' link to toggle between couchettes and reclining seats.

• For a journey starting in France, you can select 'France' to pick your tickets up at any main station in France.

How to buy tickets by phone:

To book by phone, call any European rail agency such as Rail Europe on 0870 5 848 848 (lines open 08:00-21:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays & 10:00-17:00 Sundays).  For more information about booking European trains from the UK, see the Europe page.

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