Taking the Eurostar Train from London to Paris
Make a Day Trip or Weekend Break with Cheap Rail Fares to France
Mar 9, 2009
Making a day trip to Paris from London has never been easier, cheaper or quicker, with the new high-speed Eurostar train connections. Journey time for the 300-mile journey from the centre of London to the centre of Paris is as quick as 2 hours 15 minutes, since the introduction of trains which now travel at up to 186mph.
In London
The Eurostar trains to Paris leave from London's St Pancras International Station, which is next to London's King Cross Station and connected to it by underground walkways. Euston Station is a short walk away, and all are served by the underground network.
Frequency of Eurostar Trains to Paris
There are at least 15 trains a day between London King's Cross and Paris Gare du Nord. They run approximately once an hour, from about 5am-8pm Monday-Friday and from about 6pm-8.30pm Saturday-Sunday. Note that these are not the exact times of the first and last trains, just approximations. Check the Timetables page of the Eurostar website.
Day Trip from London to Paris by Train
By taking the first weekday train from London, which at the time of writing is 5.25am, it is possible to arrive in Paris at 8.50am (allowing for the one hour time difference). The last train back leaves Paris currently at 21.13, arriving in London at 22.34. This gives the traveler about 12 hours in Paris – enough for a long lunch, an early dinner, and perhaps some sightseeing in-between!
Checking-In
Using Eurostar is a little like flying, except you only need to check in about 30 minutes before departure. Unlike flying, your luggage stays with you in your carriage, which means that you can bring back wine, olive oil and other items in glass containers without worrying too much about breakages.
In Paris
Eurostar trains arrive at Paris Gare du Nord station, slightly north-east of the city centre. It's about 3 miles from the Eiffel Tower. It has a Metro station though if you have luggage it can be easier to take a taxi from right outside the station. Join the official taxi rank, which is often long but moves quite quickly. Do not take a taxi with anyone who might approach you direct. There are hotels and restaurants all around, if you want a meal or somewhere close by to stay for a night or two.
Other Stations Served
Eurostar trains do not only go to Paris Gare du Nord station. There are also services to the Disneyland Resort in Paris, and to Lille and Brussels. Fast connections on the French TGV network mean that even destinations in the south of France like Marseilles or Avignon can easily be reached in a few hours from London.
Booking Tickets
In Britain, it is now possible to book tickets from many of the major regional train stations like Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cardiff, direct to Paris and the other Eurostar destinations. Read about Cheap Train Tickets Direct to Paris from British Cities. The best ticket prices are often available by booking ahead on the Eurostar website.
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