London from Paris in a day
 

Hello everyone,

We are going to be in Paris for 10 days in April and are wanting to spend a day in London. I've read here that the eurostar, which is what I'm going to check into.

I am wondering if anyone can tell me where the eurostar drops you at in London and how far it would be from the center of things? And where does it leave from in Paris?

Also, what would some suggestions be on what to see in a day? Has anyone made this day trip recently?

We've thought of maybe spending one night but we've already paid for our place in Paris.

Thanks!

I forgot to ask - is there one day that would be better than another to visit?

The train drops you at St Pancras station which is on the northern side of central London - right in the middle of things. You can get anywhere in London from St Pancras/King's Cross by tube/bus/taxi.

London is massive, w/ enough things to fill a year let alone a day. So no one can really give you useful suggestions w/o knowing what sorts of things you want to see/do. Maybe click on DESTINATIONS above on this page and read up a bit and then come back an add what sorts of things appeal to you.

Time is on your side doing a day trip to London as you gain an extra hour entering the U.K.

Eurostar trains arrive at London's St Pancras station, about two miles northeast of the heart of London around Trafalgar Square/Piccadilly/Covent Garden area.

It departs Paris from the Gare du Nord.

You want to look for a Day Return Ticket - as low as about $95-100 return. Check www.eurostar.com for fares in Euros for tickets you pick up at the Eurostar check-in in Paris - but always check, if an American, raileurope.com for prices for the same tickets in $'s (you still retrieve these e-tickets in Paris at Eurostar check-in - but prices can be better in Euros or in $'s) so always check both sources IMO. Raileurope.com IME and of others here may not however show the lowest fares possible for some reason - i always advise talking to someone and having a manual search done of RailEurope's agent-only site - I always advise calling www.budgeteuropetravel.com for expert and personal service on this - Byron there is a big help IME. But be sure to check www.eurostar.com and enter France as your country of original to compare fares bought from U.S. agents and those from eurostar.com as there may be a big difference, either way IME - in any case the early bird gets the worm on Eurostar tickets - the longer you wait the less available cheaper tickets will be and Day Returns later may not even be available.

which day? not sure it makes much difference once in London but your chances of getting a cheap fares on the Eurostar (there is a Byzantine fare charter with a tier of increasing fares, with a limit on the number of tickets sold in each category - thus the longer you wait the more expensive generally.

You have a much better chance of getting a cheaper Eurostar fare if you travel there and back on a Tuesday, Wed or Thur IME - the slacker travel days - on Fri and Sun you may not even get a day return fare.

But in terms of things being closed - things of tourist interest in London are always open - though they may be closed on Sunday mornings.

From Paris it is Gare de Nord in norther Paris. From London it is St Pancras in northern London. I did Paris in a day trip from London and you could do the reverse. It is a long day though. In Paris I did a museum, a nice lunch, a little shopping and an early evening wine tasting. In London you could do similar. From St Pancras take the bus or tube into the area of parliament, Westminster Abbey, horseguards and through walk to Buckingham Palace, then back to closer to St Pancras station for British Museum for a look into one or two sections (it is free). Alternative "museum" is Tower of London. Then a pub near St Pancras for early evening before back to Paris. www.fancyapint.com has a pub locator with rating system. Of course it is only a "taste" of London but if it sounds good to you, do it.

Thanks for the information!

In London I would just be curious what people would consider their favorite sites. I know of course there are a ton of choices, but if you had only a day to explore, what would be your choices?

And thanks Laurie Ann=

tandenning, click on "destinations" above and read the "Top London Attractions" section. This will help you narrow it down. If it were me, I'd wander around Parliament-Westminster Abbey, I'd sneak in a visit to the British Museum (to see the Rosetta Stone if nothing else), I might visit Harrod's food court, walk through at least one of the parks (Hyde, St. James, Kensington), even go to Picadilly Circus if you're from a small town in the boonies (don't bother if you're from New York!), maybe take the London Eye, etc. I wouldn't use a lot of time on a one-day trip visiting the Tower of London, but that's me --- it's a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to take so much time out of a one-day overview. I do like the hop-on, hop-off busses to give me an overview of any new city (been on them in London, Berlin, Madrid, Barcelona).

Hi tat,

Unless you are forced to spend 10 days in Paris, have you considered 3 - 4 nights in London and the rest in Paris?

((I))

Hi,

We have already paid for our flat in Paris. So I don't want to have to pay to stay in London on top of that. We'd thought about a night in London but more than likely will just do a day there. Our time was orginally all going to be in Paris and this is something we're just trying to add in.
'
Thanks

By the way, if we had thought earlier, we would have done a couple nights in London...

Some people who live in Paris commute to London for work for the week and vice versa. So I would avoid travelling on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday if you can. Fares should also be cheaper on Tue/Wed/Thur due to less demand.

Fares start off cheap when they are first released and go up and up, so best to buy as soon as you make a decision.

In London, I think I'd walk along the Thames, go on the London Eye, look at the outside of the Tower (too time consuming for such a short visit), maybe have lunch near Tower Bridge. If the weather is fine, you could walk through Regents Park and along the canal to Camden. You should see some narrowboats which always seem very English to me.

Kay

Ira makes a good point - consider flying 'open jaw' into Paris (or London) and splitting the time - then you could spend a few days in London and fly home from there

Just this morning I booked a day trip on Eurostar from London to Paris for next month. Outbound 2nd class fare was £29 and return leisure select (more room and meal included) fare was £54. Scheduled time from London is now 2 hours and 15 minutes with the return a little longer. I have done these day trips a number of times and have always enjoyed them.

This may be a stupid question but is Gare du Nord at the CDG airport? Is it accesible by metro from the Marais?

Thanks!

No Gare du Nord is NOT at CDG. CDG is well outside Paris to the NE. Yes you can take a metro from the Marais to Gare du Nord. Check out:-
http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan...tro&fm=gif

Thanks very much. The map is very helpful!

If we're arriving at 8am does anyone have any suggestions on what to do that early in the morning? Or would you take a train that arrives a bit later?

Keep your 8 am arrival--if the weather is fine you can walk in one of the beautiful parks and/or have a "proper English breakfast" at anywhere from a cafe near King's Cross to one of the posh hotels (big $$$$$).

Maybe take the tube to Trafalgar Square and walk down Whitehall to see Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye etc.

That's only a smattering of things to do early-ish morning.

Often IME the day return fares on Eurostar Chunnel trains are only available on the earliest trains - may not be available starting later - plus i would want to make the most of the day. London will be hopping by 8am. Even the world's longest Champagne bar in St Pancras will be surprisingly busy IME then. If it's on a Sunday however then things may be a little dead.

If it is a nice day, you can walk down from St Pancras to Trafalgar Square and on to Westminster Abbey and Parliament. Maybe 2 miles. Or the number 91 bus from St Pancras to Trafalgar Square and walk the balance. http://tinyurl.com/cgbuqd (Made from the London tube website journey planner which gives you very specific map to find bus stop if you click on pdf map icon for the first step.)

I like KayF's suggestions of The Eye, Tower from the outside, and Regents Park/Little Venice.

If you cross Tower Bridge to the south bank you'll find a range of places to eat in the Butlers Wharf area.

I don't think KayF meant all those things - since they are in three entirely different parts of the city. I'd guess she was simply making suggestions for some options.

But do I have to disagree a bit about a 'walk-by' of the Tower. From the outside you really don't see much of anything except part of the White Tower sticking up in the center. If one doesn't have time to go inside, there are other sites which do give good views.

Walking along the southbank w/ views of the north bank including Tower Bridge, St Paul's, houses of Parliament, Big Ben, plus the Globe and Tate Modern. Of course, one can start from Tower Hill tube station, see a glimpse of the Tower, cross the bridge and then the length of the southbank.

Or walk from Buckingham Palace down the Mall to Trafalgar Square and then - down Whitehall - or to Covent Garden - or over to Somerset House

You can easily do all three in a day by using the tube, and I think if you only have a day, picking a few outdoor sites (as opposed to shopping and museums, which are the other main suggestions on this thread) will give you more a feel of the city.

I also think the river area (whether Tower Hill, Westminster or the South Bank) is a lot more worthwhile than Piccadily and Trafalger Square.

I would start on any initial visit to London that folks start at the London Eye Ferris Wheel as this gives you a bird's eye view of all the famous landmarks and the lay of the land - and it is centrally located to walk by all the places Janis mentions and which i also endorse as a great stroll.

And yes your view of The dread Tower of London from the Eye over London is all you need if not going in - unfortunately going in involves usually a long wait and amount of time once inside.