Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

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mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by mystery »

Mmmm travelling to Paris seems to be more complicated than when I last did it (a very long time ago).

Choice is fly or get the train from London to Paris. But the cheaper flights for the dates in August I want seem to be running out (and it's not tht cheap once you've put some baggage onto an easyjuet ticket and pay to reserve a seat next to your children ...foolish move yes) but the train tickets are not available yet. So by waiting for the train ticket and not knowing the price, I risk the flight prices going up dramatically or running out.

What to do please? Never been by train either. Do I need to take a torch just in case?
bondgirl
Posts: 802
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:30 am

Re: Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by bondgirl »

I would go by train. Can you pick it up somewhere in Kent rather than having to go into London? We lived in Paris for a couple of years and it was very straightforward going on the Eurostar, especially with young children at the time. You have the added advantage of being able to get up and go for a wander if you want, not that it’s a long flight. I think you get decent rates on the train too if you book early.
loobylou
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Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 5:04 pm

Re: Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by loobylou »

I love the Eurostar and would always choose that!
Amber
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Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by Amber »

Train. By the time you have suffered the time delays and multiple small indignities of checking in and being compressed between rows of seats on a plane, squashed between undesirably smelly/large/infectious/noisy others and then walking 10 miles at CDG in the almost certainly vain hope that your bags have come on the same flight as you, you can have enjoyed champagne and oysters in the marvellous setting of St Pancras and sat comfortably and unmolested in a decent train which will take you right into the centre of Paris.

I flew to Paris on business the summer before last when the state of emergency had just been declared. Paris itself was a dream to navigate, (albeit a very very hot one) but the dehumanising shenanigans attached to flying are just getting a bit too much for me now and I would always seek to avoid it if there is an alternative.
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by Tinkers »

Friends of mine were on assignment in Paris for a few months, they used the train most weekends to get home. It was easier than the plane.

I’ve never flown to Paris but did go by train once and it was very straightforward. No getting to and from airports for a start, and no waiting for luggage to turn up either. Much better leg room for the taller people too.


I’ve also gone through the tunnel several times by car (with someone who had worked on the construction, so he would talk to me at length about that, less boring than it sounds). I wouldn’t take a ferry again.
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by yoyo123 »

Train is easy and takes you straight into Paris. You can also take more luggage (4 pieces rings a bell.)

It can be very expensive though, if you sign up you can get notice of offers etc. We have gone for as little as £29.
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by mystery »

Thank you. It certainly is tempting.

Is the baggage allowance reasonable for a long family holiday?

I am just a bit concerned in case the August Saturday prices turn out to be extremely high when the tickets are ultimately released.

At the moment I can only look at July Saturdays which at the times that I would want are working out at about £125 for an adult standard return - which is a little more than the best Easy jet prices at the times I need at the moment but does sound a good deal better all in all.

Are August Saturdays going out early but not too early and coming back late but not too late likely to be pricier than July ones I wonder?

On the return leg, it is slightly more complicated as that will involve adding on an internal French rail journey which is not needed on the outward. But it seems as though sncf tickets are released even closer to the time so I can't book the two things together at the moment although it might turn out that booking them at the same time might have been the better thing ... I remember Interailing being so easy. Oh well.
Surferfish
Posts: 682
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 5:06 pm

Re: Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by Surferfish »

I think they allow bookings 6 months in advance so the August prices should be published in the next few weeks hopefully.

I would assume that August prices would be similar to end of July prices as both fall during school holidays.

Not sure if they ramp up the prices during school holiday periods like the airlines do or whether its more of a standard rate all year round?
mystery
Posts: 8927
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 10:56 pm

Re: Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by mystery »

Thank you. I will keep on looking to see when they appear and also sign up as someone else higher up suggested in case they send a notification. But I might take fright and book easyjet today.

I've just seen that SNCF has low cost option called Ouigo on some routes which looks exceptionally cheap for some journeys within France if they fit with your intinerary.
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Fly or get the train lOndon to Paris

Post by KB »

Do you absolutely need to travel on a Saturday?

Also, while security isn't quite as tight you do still have to navigate checks and put baggage and yourself through checks. We were surprised at the faff with passport control as well - coming back in to London especially.

As for costs, don't forget to factor in the travelling to departure point / parking fees etc.

Check out Martin Lewis site - some recollection of him doing a review of cheapest way to do this.

Have fun :)
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