patrickb22

Hey there,

I was hoping to get some assistance on a slight dilemma I have come upon. I drop my girlfriend off at Heathrow Airport around 11am and from there I need to get to Paris. My options are either to take the Eurostar or fly. I am not in any particular rush but would like to get to Paris early enough to enjoy some of the night. What do you guys suggest I should do as I understand there a long commute to St. Pancras from Heathrow but I save about $40 by taking the train. Is the trip worth it? Or, should I just fly?

Thanks,
Patrick

jamikins

Well since you are heathrow anyways...the decision is whether you want to trek back into London. It will take about an hour each way to Heathrow from central London on the Piccadily line. Not hard, just a bit slow.

Have you also factored in the cost of getting into Paris from the airport? And the time?

jamikins

Well since you are heathrow anyways...the decision is whether you want to trek back into London. It will take about an hour each way to Heathrow from central London on the Piccadily line. Not hard, just a bit slow.

Have you also factored in the cost of getting into Paris from the airport? And the time?

patrickb22

That was one of the main reasons that I was considering taking the train as I would arrive within the city. Do you know if it is difficult getting into the city from Charles De Gaulle?

jamikins

No its also easy - take the RER B - its the thick blue line on this map:

http://www.aparisguide.com/maps/metro.htm

patrickb22

How does that compare to taking the train into Paris...is the station within the city?

jamikins

Yes, its Gare de Nord - if you look at the map its on the same blue line in the middle of Paris.

PatrickLondon

By plane:

Check-in time + flight + disembarkation/baggage/general embuggerance time + 40 minutes to Gare du Nord

By train:

An hour to St Pancras + 30-45 minutes check-in time + 2hr 15 mins train to Gare du Nord.

daveesl

Doing kind of the exact trip, but in reverse, for my kids, it was a no-brainer- Eurostar. One of the big reasons was the cost. I picked up the tickets for 45 euros each (one way) which I purchased in December for February. Straight from city center to city center with easy hook-up to the subways.

It was less expensive, much more convenient and essentially faster because they would not have to get out to an airport and then in from an airport.

dave

Mimar

But Dave, he will already be at the airport and will have to trek back into town to St. Pancras. So for the OP, you either trek at beginning of your trip or at the end from CDG into Paris. There are buses that take you from CDG to the vicinity of the Opera. And the RER B will take you not just to the Gare du Nord but to Châtelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel, Luxembourg, etc.

sassy_cat

Fly.
Presumably you can check in for you flight at the same time as your girlfriend does and be on your way to Paris much sooner than you'd get to St Pancras (factor in check in for train = 30mins minimum).

If you are returning to London I'd also check one way prices as flight out /train back could also be an option

janisj

If you are AT the airport -- flying is really the <u>only</u> option that makes sense.

But where are you and your gf starting from in the first place?? If in central London -- say goodbye to her there and you can take the train. (You can't go airside w/ her anyway so you'd just be saying bye as she dropped her bags at check in which isn't the most romantic spot on Earth )

julia_t

I have flown several times in the past couple of years into CDG, and reckon it takes about 1 1/2 hours from landing to get to Gare du Nord. I've also taken the Roissy Bus to Opera, but it's no quicker or easier than the RER. The flight itself takes barely an hour from Heathrow.

I just went to www.britishairways.com and using a random date of 7th April, BA has one way flights from 58 GBP. There are up to 9 flights a day. And that price is all-in, no extra fees or taxes, no baggage charges, that's it, and you get a sandwich and free drink!

You could also look at the Air France website.

It's a no-brainer as far as I'm concerned - FLY!

patrickb22

I am leaning towards taking the train particularly because the price is 80 pounds at the time I will be at the airport as compared to 43 taking the train. If she has a 1 o'clock international flight meaning she should be there around 11am and I left her by 11:30am what time do you guys think would be suitable to buy my Eurostar ticket for?

Thanks again for your help! I really appreciate the advice.

sassy_cat

So you need to get from LHR to St. Pancras in good time to catch Eurostar?

You'll definitely miss the 12.28
So your earliest option is 2.02pm using the current timetable which arrives @5.23pm (Paris is 1 hr ahead of GMT).
The next one leaves at 3.02pm if you want to have plenty of leeway or lunch before boarding.

ps. on Sunday there's a 1.02pm train which I wouldn't risk being on time for!!

sassy_cat

If you're really set on going to LHR you might also want to consider when you'd leave if her flight is delayed or worse, cancelled! Would you still head straight to Paris?

Just a thought!

I'd say goodbye before trekking out to the airport!