Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Europe
Reload this Page >

Hire car, fly or train from Paris to London?

Search

Hire car, fly or train from Paris to London?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 10th, 2011, 02:11 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hire car, fly or train from Paris to London?

What are the educated opinions regarding traveling one way from Paris to london.
The hire car will start in italy but i dont know if i should end the journey in Paris and fly/train or continue on the tunnel with the hire car ( not consideing that it reverts back from left to right hand drive). Costs V Costs I would guess.
Any help with this dilemma would be appreciated.
Cheers.
Peter AUS
Straycats is offline  
Old May 10th, 2011, 02:18 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,674
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Train
lizziea06 is offline  
Old May 10th, 2011, 02:28 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 453
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Certainly don't drive. A car isn't much use in either Paris or London, it's expensive to park and your rental company may not allow it to be taken over the channel.

City centre to city centre, train is best. Book tickets as early as possible for cheap fares www.eurostar.com

If you fly, you have the drawback of having to get to and from the airports and the long security lines, so it's not quicker than the train, though occasionally might be cheaper.
mjdh1957 is offline  
Old May 10th, 2011, 02:33 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Cars make no sense in your case.

The train isn't the best option in all cases, though it virtually always is centre to centre. If you're dropping a hire car off in Paris, and your destination is actually, say, Cambridge or Brighton, flying is usually easier, quicker and cheaper, since the most convenient dropoff place is almost always Orly or CDG airport.

But mistrust any one-word answer. Only you can work the costs out for the day you're travelling, given your specific constraints.
flanneruk is offline  
Old May 10th, 2011, 02:51 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 12,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Have done both prefer nice train through the

Italy Lake Country and the alps via Geneva to paris with stops

Venice Garda sirmione.com stresa.org Interlaken Geneva

seat61.com chunnel train to London Waterloo

or cheaper easyjet.com flight booked in advance.

Cars one way drop offs are expensive massive parking hassles

in city with car.

Have fun,
qwovadis is offline  
Old May 10th, 2011, 03:00 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Have you checked the cost of renting in Italy and dropping a car in Paris? Usually the one-way drop of fees are VERY expensive (think 100's of €€€)

I would definitely take the eurostar www.eurostar.com
jamikins is offline  
Old May 10th, 2011, 08:44 PM
  #7  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
yes, It would be cheaper to do the whole trip by train but we are retracing our engagement/wedding/honeymoon trip with our daugter 18 years on so it rules out the train as we zig zag through Italy,swiss and France (arrive by boat near rome) and just wish to also quickly show our daughter London before we fly out.
Biggest dilemma is the best option from either paris or any other nearby european port to london.
Thanks for the responses so far.
Peter
Straycats is offline  
Old May 10th, 2011, 10:29 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 19,881
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
"Biggest dilemma is the best option from either paris or any other nearby european port to london."

Unless you intend visiting places between Paris and the coast there's no point in dropping off a car anywhere but Paris - at the very least you'll be paying for the car whilst it sits getting dented by Parisian parking for several days while you visit Paris and it doesn't get cheaper to get to London the nearer you get.
alanRow is offline  
Old May 10th, 2011, 11:19 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Why would you not drop the car when you get to Paris and do Paris, eurostar to London and then fly out of London? You dont need or want a car in Paris or London...is there more to the trip that we are not aware of?
jamikins is offline  
Old May 11th, 2011, 02:09 AM
  #10  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
no, if thats the answer then great and thanks.
I was only contemplating driving to London as the hire car works out the same dropping it off in London 4 days later as it does in Paris 4 days earlier. Cheers. Peter
Straycats is offline  
Old May 11th, 2011, 02:12 AM
  #11  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
And yes Alan Row a moto GP in Le Mans was an indulgent addition if it worked out
Straycats is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
crazy4vacations
Europe
26
Jan 18th, 2015 03:03 PM
swtyboo
Europe
9
Jul 28th, 2010 07:30 AM
peebness
Europe
9
May 20th, 2005 12:16 PM
greytop13
Europe
16
Nov 13th, 2003 06:02 PM
Pam
Europe
6
May 22nd, 2002 08:54 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On



Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -