With only around 300 miles separating the capitals of England and France, it has never been easier, or faster, to travel from London to Paris. This is great news for anyone who wants to spend time in both cities during a longer trip to Europe, or even a shorter one.
There are numerous transit options between the two capitals, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Explore these below to decide which is the best option for you, whether you decide to travel by train, plane, or car, and whatever your budget.
Getting there by train: why taking the Eurostar might be ideal
You can get to Paris from London in less than two and a half hours via the Eurostar high-speed train, which crosses the English Channel via the ‘Chunnel’. The London to Paris route on the Eurostar departs from St Pancras International train station in central London and arrives at Paris Gare du Nord station. Some trains stop in Ashford, UK, Calais and Lille in France, among others, but most are direct.
The main advantage of taking the Eurostar? Assuming there are no delays, the total travel time may be shorter than flying as check-in takes less time and travels from the city center to the city center. For this reason, it may be a better idea to take the train.
If you’re looking for a quick and delicious meal during your transit time at St Pancras or Gare du Nord, check out our comprehensive guide on where to eat while waiting for the Eurostar in London or Paris.
What travel documents do you need to bring for the Eurostar?
You will still need a valid passport to take the Eurostar between the two main cities. If you are a citizen of one of the EU member states, you can still use a valid ID card from your home country instead of a passport, but we recommend bringing a passport. With Brexit negotiations currently underway (which will ultimately decide whether and how the UK will leave the European Union), there have been scattered reports of tighter border security checks by UK officials. Bringing a valid passport is probably better even for EU citizens.
Flights from London to Paris
International carriers, including British Airways and Air France, offer several daily flights to Paris, as do regional and ‘low-cost’ carriers like Ryanair and Easyjet. Easily connecting London and the French capital, these flights land at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport or Orly Airport. Flights to Beauvais Airport located on the outskirts of Paris tend to arrive with less expensive airfares, but you will need to plan at least an extra hour and 15 minutes to get to central Paris.
Overall, it may not be worth the savings, especially when you factor in the extra money spent on the bus or transportation.
Arriving in Paris by plane? Ground transportation options
If you are arriving in Paris by plane, you will have to figure out how to get to the city center from the airports. Read our comprehensive guide to ground transportation from major Paris airports for all the details on how to do it with minimal stress and hassle.
Rent a car and use the ferry
It is not the easiest option, but some will want to drive from the UK to Paris via the ferry. Hertz offers competitive deals on European car rentals ((Book directly here). For information on using the ferry system, see this page.
Are you traveling to other places in Europe?
If so, browse some of our other guides below for getting between Paris and other major European destinations.
- How to travel from Dublin to Paris
- How to travel from Brussels to Paris
- How to travel from Amsterdam to Paris
- Travel to Paris from other major European cities
