Does anyone recomend one over the other ans if so why? We had been planning to take the train but I checked airfare and it's actually $20 cheaper and about 1 hour faster. Are there drawbacks I don't know?

HI C,

If you are already in London, you have to go to the airport, wait, fly to Paris, get from the airport to Paris.

You have not saved any time or money.

Looking at the times alone tells you nothing. The train goes city center to city center in less than 3 hours (soon to be 2 hours when the new terminal is completed)

Flying means making your way out to CDG (a mess of an airport), advance check in and security, flying to LHR (another mess of an airport), waiting for your luggage, and then making your way into London.

The train will be faster, and much easier. Even if the train was significantly more expensive I'd still prefer it to flying.

We are staying on Ile Saint Louis in an apartment. How close would that be to where you get on the train?

I would take a taxi from there to Gare du Nord - my guess is about 10 Euros or a bit more.

airports suck. LHR and CDG especially suck.

Eurostar is incredibly convenient and you don't have to pay for transportation to get to/from airports (that suck) and which are an hour outside the city center.

I would vote for the train personally. When I was checking fares, the Eurostar was quite a bit more expensive. However, I found that the flight pass offered by europebyair.com ($99 coupon) can be used on the Eurostar between London and Paris. Thought I'd pass that along in case it will save you any money.

I prefer the Eurostar for pretty much the same reasons that janisj does.

One also has the freedom to go get some lunch or whatever, that you don't have on a plane trip, and getting to/from.

I'm hoping the journey will shorten sooner than later. The downside is, One flies by the France scenery and then crawls through England. the way it's now configured. It always seems to me that I'm thinking "am I ever going to get there?" once I'm on English soil.

You can either stand in lines at airports or relax with a drink and watch the scenery go by. You can either

Take a taxi to Gare du Nord. Get on the Eurostar. Get off at Waterloo.

- or -

Somehow get to CDG (30-50 min typical, €30 not unusual). Stand in a check-in line. Navigate one of the world's most user-unfriendly airports, staffed by the world's surliest staff. Stand in a security line. Get crammed into an uncomfortable seat and ride an hour. Get off and find your luggage. Locate transport to town. Ride for an hour. Welcome to London.

DITTO!

I REALLY appreciate your insights. I was leaning towards flying but what you all say makes perfect sense and I'm about to go and book our train fare. Thanks so much.

Aside from the time and cost considerations, Eurostar is also a lot more relaxing. Trains in the UK get a lot of critiscm for being dirty overcrowded (especially in rush hour) and expensive, but you'd be hard pushed to find many people who'd had a bad Eurostar experience.

Go for the plane because it's faster. Just remember that $20 is going to be eaten up for the transportation from the airport. It's expensive. Where as the train takes you right into the heart of the city.

Have Fun

Theresa

www.nomadwannabe.com

No, pippy/Theresa - actually the plane is not faster. From the center of Paris to the center of London would be at least an hour to 90 minutes faster by train.

Pippy - I really don't think the plane is faster - you've got to get out of central Paris to the airport, allow check in time - which is longer on the plane - and then the flight will probably have stacking/queuing time too. Then you've got to get into London - not exactly a five minute journey since neither Heathrow or Gatwick is central. Even City airport is a long way to the east.

I would definitely take the train. We went from Paris to London on Eurostar in 2000 with our 3-year old. It was very convenient, and, as everyone mentioned, from a city center to a city center. I think it's safer, too. Also, you see some of the countryside, which is always a plus for me.