lauralue9

OK, we have been waiting since we booked our trip in January to book the Paris-London transportation part. We decided with 2 adults, 2 teenagers to book Eurostar tickets since we are staying in the heart of Paris and London and transportation to/from the airports is outrageously expensive. Here is my question - I checked the web site and we can book our tickets for December 26 but...it seems to be about 150 pounds cheaper to buy round trip leisure fare tickets than one way and we would just throw away the round trip. I understand they are not refundable. Will standard class be unbearable for a 3 hour trip?? Cost is the key decision maker here. Can we bring our own food and eat lunch on the train, we want to trave mid-day? Am I OK to buy the tickets off their web site or is there a better, hopefully discount way to do this? Thanks Fodorites!

ira

Hi Laura,

The cheapest ticket (about 49 GBP each way) are one-day return fares.

>Will standard class be unbearable for a 3 hour trip??<

Surely you can stand being packed, standing up, into cattle cars for 3 hrs in order to save 150 GBP.




Of course. standard class is OK. Millions of people do it every year.

Buy the tickets from the website.

carrolldf

You might want to double check the prices. On Sept 19th, I booked roundtrip Paris to London 0n Oct 7 & 12 -- less than a month before travel --for total of $90 (yes, that's USD). I too am only planning a one-way trip and will throw away the unused portion. The fare required travel mid-day on I believe it was Monday-Thursday with minimum one night stay. Even if you aren't flexible on the Dec 26 travel day, any day fares are $75 so you could purchase the $75 going and $45 return throw away which would make a total of $120.

What web site are you using to book? I looked at www.Eurostar.com and it is only showing the scheduled through 11 Dec right now so couldn't check on 26 Dec but I did check on Dec 5th and 9th to see if same fares I booked were available then and they are. You may have to wait a couple more weeks to book.

Lori

When we took the Eurostar from London to Paris last year the fare was about $90 round trip. We booked via an agency in CA (I can't remember the name) who sells Eurostar tickets in the U.S. We paid about $12 for Airborne Express delivery. As for Standard Class --- it is fine, perfectly fine. Decent legroom, fairly comfortable seats. There are cars on the train where you can buy food but many people brought a sack lunch with them as well. I would not pay the extra for first class, it's only a 3 hr ride and it goes by rather quickly. Luggage racks are overhead for smaller bags and large ones can be stacked in a luggage area in each car.

ira

Hi Laur,

This morning www.eurostar.com is offering London/Paris for 29.5GBP each way for Dec 26.

LAwoman

Took Eurostar both ways London-Paris summer '03. The London-Paris leg was fully booked and standard class was very comfortable - didn't feel at all overcrowded. Paris-London leg was half empty.

Bought tix direct from Eurostar online. At Waterloo they have little machines by the gate, you put your credit card in and it spits out the tickets.