Question

Everyone says Eurostar runs slower in England because of using local train tracks. How much slower are we talking about? Can you see the scenery or is it a blur as in many fast trains.

Wayne

Top speed in England is around 70-80 mph, but a lot depends on the locale. At that speed you can easily view the countryside, just the same as in a car at highway speed.

Joanne

As Wayne said, Eurostar is slower in England. It's been a while since we used Eurostar from London to Paris, but I don't recall the "scenery" on either side being very memorable. Nothing really spectacular comes to mind, while trips in Italy and Spain bring up memories of hillside towns, olive trees, fields of sunflowers, red poppies, etc.<BR><BR>I enjoyed the trip overall, but scenery isn't tops in my memory of the trip.<BR><BR>j

BTilke

On my most recent Eurostar trips, the train ran VERY slow through England, at times as slow as 10-20 miles per hour. Re scenery, on the last trip, we came to a dead stop for about 15 minutes next to some kind of excavation pit. Overall, it's rather bland scenery, not like going through Cornwall or the Highlands.

janis

The route does not go through any areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty on either side of the Channel. The most you will see is farm land and a few Kentish oast houses. You do not see the Channel or seaside since both tunnel entrances are well inland. <BR><BR>it is a fast, efficient trip - not a scenic one.

Question

I guess I won't worry too much about missing the scenery if it is as bland as everyone here said. No matter, we will look forward to it anyway, it's something new for my family, we never ride trains where we live.

sheryl

When the announcer told us that the Eurostar had reached its max speed of 181 mph, I was shocked that the scenery didn't look any differently than traveling by car doing 55 mph. I did see a few charming farmhouses and just plain enjoyed the comfort of the train. We did, however, misunderstand the announcer and got off the train at Lil. I assumed we were in Paris, got off, and discovered to my horror that we were not in Paris. We pounded on the train doors (which had closed, the steps withdrew, and we knew in just moments that we would be left behind). An employee yelled to us and we took off running at full speed for the one remaining door still open, all the while dragging our luggage and goods behind us. We barely made it, gasping for air and thoroughly embarrassed. We did not return to our original seats (I wondered why all the people around us didn't budge when we gathered our belongings and left the train) as we were too embarrassed. I didn't know the Eurostar made any stops (just that one at Lil) as I assumed it was nonstop. Coming back to London I was surprised that it was nonstop.

jules

Was on Eurostar yesterday. Be sure to look out for the London Eye, Battersea Power Station and Houses of Parliament when you come up to London Waterloo. The English countryside isn't that dull -- you'll love the greeness of it, the sheep and the Oast houses. And in France , you can see WW1 war memorials if you look out very carefully (I think it's Thiepval). Have a good trip!

Andre

LOL, Sheryl!<BR><BR>A little surprised though - I thought the Paris-London Eurostar only stopped (sometimes) in Ashford and Calais. The trains to/from Brussels stop in Lille.<BR><BR>Didn't they announce the stop on the loudspeakers?<BR><BR>Glad you made it after all!<BR><BR>Andre

Lisa

I beg to differ with some of the posters here, or perhaps I just have a different definition of "scenery." <BR><BR>My husband and I were fascinated this April with the grafitti as the Eurostar headed out of London. I was delighted to watch lambs bounding around their moms in the green pastures of rural England — not to mention some charming old stone homes and barns. In France, we counted church steeples and marveled at the different styles. <BR><BR>No, there's no "Grand Canyon," "Colessium," "Great Pyramid" scenery. But there is scenery, some of it quite nice.<BR><BR>Lisa

Jim Steel

I have to agree with Lisa. On the English side you go through Kent, the garden of England, The copis woodland and oast houses and green fields, some of the posters here sound like they were going through a waste land. Look harder next time.

janis

I was definitely not saying the scenery was terrible - it is lovely but it is just gentle farm land with the ocassional oast house in the distance. For the UK these views from the train are pretty generic. Just nice green fields. From the window (except for the oast houses) you wouldn't know you were in Kent.