Hello!

Next mount I'm going to Paris for few days and I will visit London for one day. I booked a ticket for the Eurostar and in the confirmation it says arrive 60-45 minutes before. I recently watched on youtube a 17 minutes report on someone's similar trip. So it seems that the lines are quite long at the entrance then at the security check and the passport control. Do you think arriving at the station an hour before the train leaves is enough or should I arrive earlier? My train is in the morning and the next morning I will go back to Paris. Also, do the trains leave on time or there are delays?

the purpose of my visit to London is the Van Gogh exhibition at the Tate Gallery? Has anyone visited it and can share an opinion?

Thanks

If you go thru the gates within the time limit recommended I think they board everyone who does - if late you could get in too or maybe not. I'd get to station earlier than required and find the Eurostar entrance and all - can be confusing if coming via metro to Gare du Nord.

Eurostar trains leave mainly on time but there currently has been occasional strikes of French Customs workers due to Brexit fall out and many trains have been cancelled - just pay attention to what current situation is - and strikes have been a few for a few days - unlikely to affect you.

I have only taken the train once from Paris to London, January 2018. I arrived more than an hour early and was VERY worried I wouldn't make it onto the train before it left. It was a zoo! If I were to do it again, I'd arrive two hours early based on my one experience. Hopefully others with more trips will chime in.

We've caught the Eurostar a fair bit and usually it's been on time but there can be delays. There had been a fire in the tunnel once and that delayed all the subsequent trips. We travelled on Eurostar last year from London and the queues were astonishingly long. You could see everyone's faces as they caught sight of the queue, like 'what the hell?'. It took a while to queue, then go through security but once in the hall we didn't wait long and the train left on time. You also go through two sets of immigration control, French and British, one after the other (after security from memory). If it was me, I'd arrive earlier for peace of mind.

I don't know about the Tate exhibition but it might be wise to book tickets ahead as some things get booked out.

Kay

Have done this route several times. Sometimes it was smooth sailing, other times there were daunting queues. I'd arrive no less than an hour prior to departure, longer if you do not already have your tickets printed out or on your phone. .

Has anyone tried the "business premier" where they claim there is only a 10 minute check in?

Business premier gets all sorts of perks, just like flying in Business/First -- expedited security is just one. You DO pay for it.

They do get people out of the queue if it gets close to boarding time. An hour is usually fine, but take an extra 15 minutes if you are worried.
I sometimes take Premier seats if the price difference is not too much. That gets you a bigger seat and a meal on board, but no lounge or priority boarding.
You only get that with Business Premier, but that is MUCH more expensive.

Thank you for this. I know all of that (which Tate is presenting the exhibitihon, time zone and currency) and already booked a ticket for the museum.

Thank you for all the answears!

I go to London about twice a year and have not yet ever spent more than 10 minutes going through the formalities. Then again, I have an EU passport. But I have never seen a monster crowd for the other passport holders either since I make a point of avoiding weekends and the middle of summer.

>> . . . at the Tate Britain, which is not the one most visitors think of as the Tate (the newer Tate Modern is the more famous building.) <<

That is not IME at all -- When people say (just) 'the Tate' they almost invariably mean Tate Britain - a few will say Tate Britain and once in a blue moon someone will even say Tate Millbank. When talking about the other . . . will almost always say 'Tate Modern' (I'm a member and visit both whenever I'm in London and that is my experience anyway)

Still have those ropes in Tate Modern where you can go between main floor and basement?


Or was that just for a temporary exhibit last time I visited? (during reign of George VI when it was still a grim Thameside power plant?

Great view from Tate Modern's upper tea rooms!

>>Still have those ropes in Tate Modern where you can go between main floor and basement?<<

I suppose you mean the Slides??? That was 13 years ago and a temporary exhibition. LOTS has changed since then.

Janis - thanks for answering. You're the best! I remember going thru the Tate Modern with a hard hat when it was transforming from power plant to art museum. Enough!

I don't know, Janis. Not what the Londonist thinks with this (very funny) satire piece. I tend to relate to it...
https://londonist.com/london/comedy/...ounger-brother