KenCT

Be gentle - This is my first time....on Fodor's Travel Talk. Some of you folks can be pretty mean to the clueless. <BR> <BR>How important is it to get advance tickets for a specific train? Last year, when I took the Thalys from Amsterdam to Paris, I bought advance tickets and locked into a specific schedule. This time I'm thinking of waiting until I get to London to buy my tickets. Is that a good idea? What approach is the most economical&gt;

Kelly

You don't usually need to book Eurostar tickets well in advance, however I would book them at least a few weeks before you want to leave in order to take advantage of any fare savings that may be offered (i.e. currently you can do a day trip to Paris for 50 pounds but only if you book at least 3 days in advance). If you want to book a hotel with your Eurostar reservation, try www.short-breaks.com as they have some good prices. You can't book online but at least you can see what's available. <BR> <BR>A hint: If you have a preference for smoking/non-smoking coaches, remember to specify it when booking your seat. I am not a smoker and was put in the smoking carriage - a very unpleasant experience! Luckily there were extra seats and I was allowed to change.

Marla

Good question KenCT! We will be in London in October and will travel to Paris on a Saturday via Eurostar. I've been trying to figure out how to order the tickets and get the UK price rather than the more expensive US price. <BR> <BR>Kelly, how do I order tickets for 50 pounds if I'm not in the UK? An earlier posting recommended calling the Eurostar office in London direct and asking them to hold the tickets. Is this what you recommend? Or will they mail me the tickets? Thanks, Marla

Marla

Yes, <BR> <BR>They will mail the tickets to you, I did exactly what you want to do and I received the tickets within 3days. Call Eurostar directly and book it's the cheapest way to go for Americans needing advanced purchase.

Katherine

I never worry about getting them before I get there, but then some people like to have all the details taken care of in advance. It's fine to get them in London but it's best not to just show up and expect to hop on the next train. You may end up spending 2 or 3 hours at Waterloo.