Vince

Our family of 4 lands (2 adults, 2 kids, & 3 suitcases)in Heathrow at 7:AM. What's the best and safest route to get to Paris?<BR><BR>How long will it take and any other insight would be appreciated.

Ben Haines

If you touch down at Heathrow at seven you can take the Piccadilly line to Hammersmith, then the District Line to Westminster, and the bus to Waterloo station. You?ll be there about 0930. From Monday to Friday trains leave Waterloo International station at 0923 and 1023 and reach Paris Nord at 1323 and 1417. On Saturday it?s 0953 to 1353, and on Sunday it?s 1010 to 1417. You?ll pay a good deal, though you can reduce that if you book now. The website tells you the fares.<BR><BR>The unknown way, more fun, slower, and cheaper, reads thus. Pick up sandwiches and take-away coffee in the airport. Eat them on the tube to Hammersmith, District Line to Embankment, walk 200 yards up the slope of Villiers Street, turn left, escalator up to platform level at Charing Cross station. You?ll be there about 0930. Drop the dreaded cases at the left luggage office beside the westernmost platform. At the easternmost ticket window buy your tickets to Paris at fifty pounds each adult and perhaps thirty each child. Walk out and inspect Trafalgar Square and Big Ben. Leave Charing Cross station at 1100, probably from platform three, take the free bus from Dover Priory station at 1242 to Dover Eastern Docks at 1345, the SeaLink (English) boat with view of the white cliffs and with lunch, Calais Port at 1615, free bus, Calais station 1750, Paris Nord 2123. For twenty pounds more per person you can use the SeaFrance boat from Dover Eastern Docks at 1415 to Calais port at 1645, and take the same train to Paris. The advantage of this is that you then lunch in the first class restaurant at the front of the boat, a delicious full French meal at 15 pounds a head, and less if the children eat less.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR><BR><BR>

Ben Haines

If you touch down at Heathrow at seven you can take the Piccadilly line to Hammersmith, then the District Line to Westminster, and the bus to Waterloo station. You?ll be there about 0930. From Monday to Friday trains leave Waterloo International station at 0923 and 1023 and reach Paris Nord at 1323 and 1417. On Saturday it?s 0953 to 1353, and on Sunday it?s 1010 to 1417. You?ll pay a good deal, though you can reduce that if you book now. The website tells you the fares.<BR><BR>The unknown way, more fun, slower, and cheaper, reads thus. Pick up sandwiches and take-away coffee in the airport. Eat them on the tube to Hammersmith, District Line to Embankment, walk 200 yards up the slope of Villiers Street, turn left, escalator up to platform level at Charing Cross station. You?ll be there about 0930. Drop the dreaded cases at the left luggage office beside the westernmost platform. At the easternmost ticket window buy your tickets to Paris at fifty pounds each adult and perhaps thirty each child. Walk out and inspect Trafalgar Square and Big Ben. Leave Charing Cross station at 1100, probably from platform three, take the free bus from Dover Priory station at 1242 to Dover Eastern Docks at 1345, the SeaLink (English) boat with view of the white cliffs and with lunch, Calais Port at 1615, free bus, Calais station 1750, Paris Nord 2123. For twenty pounds more per person you can use the SeaFrance boat from Dover Eastern Docks at 1415 to Calais port at 1645, and take the same train to Paris. The advantage of this is that you then lunch in the first class restaurant at the front of the boat, a delicious full French meal at 15 pounds a head, and less if the children eat less.<BR><BR>Both routes are perfectly safe, unless the children throw themselves off the train.<BR><BR>Please write if I can help further. Welcome to Europe.<BR><BR>Ben Haines, London<BR><BR><BR>

David

A word of caution.<BR><BR>I'd love to be able to take the slower, cheaper way and I can, with dramamine or a sea sickness patch.

Lori

Wouldn't it simply to easier to fly over to Paris since you are already at the airport? Why spend extra money and time schlepping into London to take the Eurostar when you can fly over. You will need to take a taxi or shuttle in from the airport in Paris but in the end it is cheaper.