Eurostar Cost-Cutting Tip
 

The LondonPlus railpass now qualifies for a passholder fare on Eurostar services London-Paris/Brussels - the $75 passholder fare is not only much cheaper one-way fare than any other available on most days (except for those under 26) - it, unlike other cheap fares, can be changed once without fee up until the time of the train (subject to availability, thus in effect not always possible).
so rather than paying up to $150 on Fridays and weekends you, even if not traveling in UK on trains, buy the LondonPlus pass for $69 (2 days unlimited travel in 100-mile radius or so around London; if nothing else use it to go from Gatwick Airport into London on the Gatwick Express or other airport trains - if doing a day trip from London even greater deal). but in any case just to get the $75 Eurostar pass fare may warrant the pass in and of itself (on this pass the first two people pay full price - the third thru ninth pay just 50% of what the 1st two pay and kids 15 and under get a free pass - from Nov 1 thru Feb 28 LondonPlus 'OffPeak' prices slash the $60 by 25% to about $45 - $45 for the pass and ability to do the passholder fare. Passholder fares are marketed in US by RailEurope or their agents (i always recommend BETS 800-441-9413 who i've used for years for their expertise and lower fees - passholder fares are available in UK or europe but currently at higher price and i don't know if LondonPlus pass qualifies there as it does thru RailEurope. Note on the Eurostar ABS All-Belgian-Station fares you can continue on to any Belgian town with 48 hours at no extra fee (thus if going to Koln, Germany you can get to the Belgian border from London for $75!)

topping... good one, PalQ...

Best wishes,

Rex

Regarding the Any Belgian Station tickets--too bad SCNF doesn't offer a similar package ;-) --you travel in the same class as your Eurostar ticket. This week-end, I went to Brugge and as I had a first class Eurostar ticket to Brussels, I traveled in first class on B-rail to Brugge. My ticket back to London was second class, which mean by Brugge-Brussels ticket was second class also.
HOWEVER, knowing that the week-end trains to and from the coast are packed and second class can be a mob scene of partying students, scout trips, etc., I upgraded my Belgian travel ticket to first class for a small fee (6 euros).

BTike: never thought of that - of upgrading the ABS fare was possible and then only for 6 euro. Thanks.

Remember, that's only for the Belgian travel portion...if only we could upgrade our Eurostar tickets so cheaply! I just walked up to the ticket booth at Brugge station before I left and explained I wanted to upgrade the trip from Brugge to Brussels. The ticket agent didn't raise an eyebrow and simply issued the ticket for a class upgrade. No problems with the train conductor either. IMO, the small extra fee is definitely worth it for rides on particularly crowded trains.