Getting to Paris or Lille from London is easy and very fast on Eurostar. Trains run from St. Pancras International in central London to Gare du Nord in central Paris, or to the heart of Lille, which is the main interchange point for the French TGV ( grande vitesse trains or high-speed trains). ). Eurostar is fast, cheap if you book early, and with Eurostar championing a host of ‘green’ initiatives, it is becoming the best way to travel for the environment.
The advantages of taking Eurostar
- Hour
- Trains to Paris can take as little as 2 hours 15 minutes (slightly longer if there is a short stop at Ebbsfleet or Ashford in the UK)
- Trains to Lille take 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Trains run approximately every hour every day except December 25.
- Rates
- Fares start at a return of £ 69 in second class and from £ 149 in first class, but you must book in advance
- Baggage allowed
- There are no restrictions on luggage, either in number of bags or in weight
- Check in
- Check-in is only 45 minutes before departure
- Security procedures are very fast.
- Destinations
- You go from the city center to the city center
- You can now book on Eurostar in most major French towns and cities, such as Avignon, Strasbourg, Troyes, Antibes, Nice and Bordeaux.
Details and reservations at tel.: 08 432 186 186 or www.eurostar.com.
Eurostar a Disneyland® Paris
Eurostar runs directly from London and Paris to Marne-la-Vallée during the school and mid-term holidays. With the ability to carry all the luggage you want and fast travel time, it’s the best way to give kids a gift.
If you book the Disney Express luggage service, you can leave your bags at the station.
From Marne-la-Vallée there is a 2-minute walk to the park.
Eurostar to Lyon, Avignon and Marseille non-stop
Eurostar has now teamed up with voyages-sncf to offer a fabulous direct service from London St-Pancras International to Lyon (4 hours 41 minutes) Avignon (5 hours 49 minutes) and Marseille (6 hours 27 minutes).
- See the detailed journey by train from London to Marseille.
On your return, you must get off at Lille, clear customs with your bags, and join the regular Eurostar to London.
Other Eurostar services
- There is a very good 2-for-1 deal at many museums and galleries that you can take advantage of by simply showing your Eurostar ticket and passport. Click on the Eurostar Culture Plus link on the Eurostar site.
- In Paris, there are deals on museums like the Musee d’Orsay, the Grand Palais, and the Jeu de Paume.
- Lille offers to include Le Palais des Beaux-Arts, La Piscine in nearby Roubaix, LaM (Lille Museum of Modern Art) just outside the center, and Muba Eugene Leroy in nearby Tourcoing.
- Eurostar also offers Eurostar Plus Gourmet in association with a superior table that gives you up to 50% of your bill at certain restaurants. Again, just present your Eurostar ticket (and take your passport with you too) when you pay your bill. Check the site for offers that change regularly. These apply to Paris and Lille.
- Eurostar Plus Shopping offers you a 10% discount on your purchases at Galeries Lafayette in both Paris and Lille.
Environmental problems and ‘tread light’
In April 2006, Eurostar launched its ‘Tread Lightly’ initiative, with the aim of making all Eurostar trips to and from St Pancras International carbon neutral. They also have an ambitious program to reduce total carbon emissions by 25% by 2012. They are working towards zero waste that goes to landfill and 80% of all their waste is recycled.
Take a look at the bags used by Eurostar managers in the UK, France and Belgium. They are created entirely from recycled Eurstaff raincoats, suit lining material and antimacassars.
A little history and some fascinating facts
Eurostar runs through the Channel Tunnel (also popularly known as Chunnel), a 50.5 km (31.4 mile) underwater railway tunnel that runs from Folkestone in Kent in the UK to Coquelles in Pas-de-Calais, near Calais, in northern France. 75 meters (250 feet) deep at its lowest point has the distinction of having the longest underwater portion of any tunnel in the world.
The Tunnel takes high-speed Eurostar trains, as well as transport of rolling vehicles, and international cargo, and international cargo through the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle. The tunnel, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers , has become one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, along with:
- The Empire State Building, New York
- The Itaipu Dam (Brazil and Paraguay)
- The CN tower (Toronto, Canada)
- The Panama Canal (Panama)
- North Sea protection works, including Zuiderzee Works and Delta Works (Netherlands), and
- The Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco, California).
It was in 1802 that the idea of an underwater tunnel was first put forward by the French mining engineer, Albert Mathieu. It was an ingenious plan, to conceive a railway that would use oil lamps for lighting, horse-drawn carriages, and a mid-canal stop to change horses. But fears about Napoleon and French territorial ambitions put an end to that idea.
Another French plan was proposed in the 1830s when the English came up with various schemes. By 1881, things were looking up with the Anglo-French Underwater Railway Company digging on both sides of the Canal. But once again, British fears halted the excavation.
There were many other proposals from both countries over the next century, but it was not until 1988 that the policy was settled and serious construction began. The tunnel was finally opened in 1994.
Given the history of the two countries and the Byzantine politics in both parliaments, it is a miracle that the tunnel has been built and is now operating with such success.
