I am planning to fly into London and spend about four days in the city - taking train to Paris afterwards for a ten day stay before a full week in other parts of France. Please tell me anything that may help to make the ride a nice one. Is it a better idea to catch an early train... a late train? Also, in terms of $ how do I go about getting the train tickets? I would need only one-way to Paris as I would be taking my flight back home from Paris.
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basically the same trip I made I made in April although I did not stay as long in Paris (which I could have)
LOL I got a good rate on ticket because I am a senior (young at heart) but I have already thrown away my confirmation so I cannot tell you what site I booked through and I am not sure for Canadians. Several posters have mentioned that a round trip was cheaper and you just don%26#39;t use the return part. In all the sites I priced trip on I never saw this but others may tell you where to find.
Now some of this will depend on when you are going. Eurostar changes to another station I believe in November.
I left London on the 9:09 AM Eurostar you arrive in Paris at approximately 1 PM (3 hour ride + time difference) the trip goes by quickly, did not seem like 3. If you can leave London that early then you get a half day in Paris. I took a couple of snacks with me bought a coffee but was not great but I needed my caffiene fix. and I had British coins I could not exchange,but you can use on Eurostar.
I found Londoners to be very polite and obliging to persons getting on tube with luggage. The tube ride took no time at all my problem was I didn%26#39;t follow directions and had to change trains twice which put me behind schedule and I had to rush at Waterloo
Plan to be at Waterloo at least half hour before train time (especially if you have an Oyster card to get refund on). You go through security and immagration just like airport but take it moves much quicker than airport.
Once you get on Eurostar platform, you find your coach number, board, put luggage in rack, and find your seat and sit back and relax. I enjoyed the scenery but some don%26#39;t, again depends on time of year. in April fields and fields of yellow flowers.
There were plenty of empty seats so I moved up to a section by myself. No one came through checking tickets.
I think they just check that you have a ticket as you go through security but the attendants walked me through since I was so late.
Once you get to Paris, you grab your luggage, get off the train and you are in Gare de Nord. That%26#39;s it, no security, etc. Then do whatever you have decided regarding transportation to hotel.
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pennymb... I appreciate you sharing your experience. It sounds so smooth the way you present it - I just checked for prices and I get about $330 for three for two-way and I think $373 for a one-way! This is in the evening, about 6pm as I would rather get the extra day in London. I will have time in Paris I believe to experience its flavours. I will wait to see if anyone tells me about better fare. Do you wish you had stayed longer in Paris?
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Winged...One thing I have learned about Eurostar tickets is that they go on sale about 90 days before the departure date. The earlier you purchase tickets, the better the deal...which means the lowest price would be offered as much as 90 days before you travel on the Eurostar. I have also learned that one-day, round-trip leisure trips usually cost the least. So, feel free to order the round-trip ticket, but only use it one way. Simply throw the return ticket away. We took a one-day, round-trip Paris/London for about $100 (American) per person last year.
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pennymb - not that straightfoward I%26#39;m afraid. Gettting to Waterloo with half-an-hour to spare is cutting it a bit fine. They will close the barrier and no amount of argument will let you through (I%26#39;ve seen this happen). In recent years security and passport cheques have become more stringent and so take much longer, so half-an-hour should be your absolute bare mininmum (emergency) check in time. Similalry, wandering about and picking any old empty seat has its problems. Firstly seats are allocated for a reason - security. If there is a serious crash or fire the seat alocation list is the only thing they have to know who was onboard and if there is no remains in your allocated seat what do they assume? (this may sound morbid but having had an accidental death in my family these things matter). Also if you travel leisure select you can choose what seat arrangement you want and if possible your tickets will be for that, so it is a tad irritating when you board at Ashford International to find some idiot sitting in your chosen seat %26#39;because it was empty at Waterloo%26#39;. Still, as my old grandmother used to say %26#39;Selfish is as selfish does%26#39;!
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winged
if that price is US dollars then it is a good price. I paid 102 one way and that was with the discount.
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paris-fanatic.
I think you are taking my comments just a little over the top and your type of reply is the reason many members are now using another travel forum. I think you could have been a little more polite.
Yes, the minimum time has been changed and I probably was incorrect about the time but I%26#39;m sure Winged will probably do some more research himself (?)
I was just commenting on my experience!
good site for info. www.london-paris-chunnel.com/eurostar.html
As for security and check points. I had absolutely no problem with it however I was walked through it. I explained due to miscommunication as to where a particular line connected that I was very late and was it possible to still get on my train. They could not have been nicer helping me, and I am not some dotty, whiny old lady (apologies I don%26#39;t mean that older travelers are that) I just politely explained what happened. I had planned on being there at least a hour ahead because I was not sure how long it would take me to get a refund on Oyster, print ticket, go through security, etc.
One of the attendant outside security called the platform attendant asking if there was still time to board, opened up a security scanner, and walked me through that and passport control. As I was standing there waiting for attendant to call ahead I could see that the security line for next train was moving quickly. Now I don%26#39;t know exactly what time my train pulled out but it was straight up 9 when they were taking me through security and my train departure time was 9:09.
Regarding security, I don%26#39;t know what they check for but I was carrying a knife, a Swiss knife, wine opener and a very odd shaped metal object (for which I put the brochure explaining what it is in the bag with it) in my large bag. I have no problem with them scanning my bags and I do not complain about what we must do now to travel or the length of line/time. As I said my Waterloo arrival time was almost entirely my fault.
And not that it really has anything to do with this topic. My son guarded for months after 9/11 at LAX. Was I a worried mother, Yes, but I know all this security is necessary.
And I do not appreciate being called Selfish or an Idiot, I didn%26#39;t even look at ticket in the rush to get on train, it was not until I either saw or heard an announcement that I looked at my ticket and realized I had a assigned seat, I then looked for my right seat. When I went up to the coach number on my ticket it was packed with a tour group and I think someone was actually sitting in my assigned seat. I would have been more than obliging about moving if I was sitting in someone%26#39;s seat if someone boarded at Ashford . And I was not the only one not sitting in their assigned seats. Two young men were sitting in the section between cars on the floor. Yes, Eurostar will probably seat you at the %26quot;with table%26quot; seats if there is three or more traveling together. I only commented on my experience regarding seat(s) because I literally jumped on train.
and not to be on the morbid side either but if there was a crash or fire, there is a possibly you might not be sitting in the assigned seat for several reasons when/if found.
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winged.
sorry I did not reply to one question.
Yes, I wish I could have stayed longer and am trying to figure out a way to go for at least a month.
but the last time I did that was for work and all expenses were paid.
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pennymb - my apologies, my remarks were not directed at you but I used your comments as a starting off point.
As you may be able to tell this has happened a number of times and gets a little tedious!
I was interested to read about you be allowed on the train late, as what I mentioned of the barrier being closed I have seen at Paris and Ashford and not amount of explanation let people through. But I have noticed the last couple of trips people rushing through at the last minute, though I assumed this was because of cancelled services so they were giving in. Your experience seems to show they have changed the rules yet again! It used to be that the French passport control handled everything, now you have French and UK checks often on arrival too at Ashford.
Just as you mention 9/11 personal experience of death in tragic circumstances can on occasions push you into posts that become rants, so my apologies once more.
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