Lexma90

Next step of planning our overly-elaborate trip that includes Scotland and Paris. It will be the 4 of us, including 2 teens, all experienced travelers. We'll be in Scotland, Edinburgh or northeast of there. We need to go from there to Paris.

Plan 1 is to take a discount airline, but it departs at 3 pm and arrives at 5:50, but most of the group would rather spend the day in Paris, not Scotland.

So Plan 2 is to take the overnight train from Edinburgh to London, arriving at Euston station early in the morning, go to St. Pancras and take the Eurostar. Which at least would get us in Paris in time for a late lunch.

I haven't priced out the two options yet.

Any more suggestions, or thoughts on the options?

Michael

Assuming that train and plane leave Scotland at the same time, which one would get you to Paris first? If the intent is to have more time in Paris, I would think that a discount airline is the best option. Just leave a day earlier.

http://www.flylc.com/directall-en.asp

janisj

There is more than one airline that flies from Scotland - and from more than one airport. You could fly from Aberdeen, or Edinburgh, or Glasgow. I haven't looked at all the options, but there is bound to be a choice of flights arriving in Paris before lunch time.

Lexma90

Maybe I just haven't looked enough, but EasyJet is the only direct nonstop flight I've found (it's from Edinburgh), and it only has the afternoon flight. RyanAir has a flight that leaves slightly earlier, but it flies into Beauvais, so any time savings is eaten up getting into Paris (I assume). If we connect through London, we lose time there (I just checked; really bad connections), and we'd all rather spend time on the ground anywhere, rather than in an airport.

Michael - I wish the train and plane left Scotland at the same time! If we took the train, we'd take the overnight sleep from Edinburgh (or perhaps Aberdeen), arriving in London early am (on Sunday). Then take the earliest Eurostar we could, arriving around noon. Aberdeen may be a good option, as it would give us more time in that part of Scotland before catching the late-evening train.

We could leave Scotland a day earlier, but DS REALLY wants to visit Scotland, and doesn't want to give up any of our 5 nights in Scotland.

It's our usual dilemma - so many places, so little time...

Ackislander

There is no good solution.

We did Paris-Edinburgh last April on EasyJet because we wanted to stay a little longer in Paris. It was a great flight, but by the time we got to CDG in time for all the security etc and then from the (tiny) airport in Edinburgh into the city, a long time passed.

But probably not as long, disruptive, or expensive as taking the train all the way. You would think that travel between two members of the Auld Alliance would be easier. Perhaps some Scots will come on here to help.

alihutch

There's an Easyjet flight from Glasgow International leaves at 0845. Come over to Glasgow the night before and then cab/bus to the airport in the morning.

alanRow

<i>EasyJet is the only direct nonstop flight I've found (it's from Edinburgh)</i>

Air France has three flights per day from Edinburgh to Paris. Don't assume that it's going to be more expensive than Easyjet.

Lexma90

Keep the suggestions coming. I should have mentioned - we're flying on Sunday, so the 8:45 flight from Glasgow isn't flying that day.

AirFrance - MUCH more expensive if I do a one-way flight, but possibly doable if we buy roundtrip tickets and cancel/don't fly the return. Still not the cheapy flight, but it would get us to Paris at a more convenient time.

sheila

BA do it through London for £90. You leave at 8.20 and get in at 1am.

Lexma90

Thanks for the suggestion - we ended up booking the EasyJet flight. Sheila, my DS is still interested in University of Aberdeen. Would you be willing to talk (email) with him? If so, you can reach me at Lexma90 at aol dot com. Thanks!