Paris -- London Daytrip?
 

Anybody done this? Sounds stressful and expensive, but may be pushed into doing it.

How did you maximize your time in London? Looking for a big picture overview and maybe a stop in a nice pub.

Think we could leave about 7 in the morning and return around 7:45 in the evening. Thought about an overnight, but might no be able to fit it in.

Maximize by taking the first Eurostar in the morning and the last one back at night. It <u>is</u> pretty expensive, so you want as much time to enjoy London as possible.

Do a little basic planning with these two maps:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/cen_bus.pdf
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/centlond.pdf

The former can be printed out at home before you leave; the latter is available free at any Tube station.

When you get to London, buy a one-day, two-zone Travelcard at the Waterloo Tube station. If you don't plan to ride the Underground, get a bus pass instead.

Walk down the river past the Eye to Westminster bridge, and begin your tour from there. The <u>AAA Spiral Guide: London</u> contains several walking tours and a #15 bus ride that hits a lot of the sights of historic London from Marble Arch to The Tower.

Thanks, Robespierre, good to hear from an expert.

&lt;&lt;&lt; It is pretty expensive &gt;&gt;&gt;

From $72 if you book as far in advance as possible.

One advantage about doing Paris to London is that you &quot;gain&quot; an hour so you can be in London by 9:00am - doing it the other way mean the earliest you can get to Paris is 11:00am

Might be worth trying for a later train return. It will still be light at 7:45 in London so why not stay for supper?

I would recommend:

Paris 6:22 - London 7:58

London 19:43 - Paris 23:23

From http://www.eurostar.com/pdf/timetabl...es_english.pdf

For the $72 Day Return fares be sure to book months in advance as these tickets are sold in limited supply - avoid Fridays to Sundays and try for a midweek dat. $72 alan mentions must be from www.eurostar.com - in British pounds as the cheapest in U.S. thru RailEurope is $102 (plus $18 handling fee and $15 mailing fee) - think no fees on eurostar.com pounds site.

So firm up plans and make reservations. Best deals from eurostar.com but sometimes RailEurope can be as cheap or cheaper as two sites don't necessarily correspond IME as to availability so check both. In US i always advise BETS (800-441-2387) for their expertise in this and lower handling and mail fees than RE. Can book up to nine months in advance thru RE/BETS - not sure how long eurostar.com - but the early bird gets the worm here and you could pay literally hundreds of dollars more.

I think the train ride is as nice as the day in Paris - putzing thru the Garden of England Kent, then the world's longest train tunnel (i believe) then gearing up to high speed in France - up tyo 186 mph blasting thru signature French countryside - be-steepled villages always in the distance - into Paris, with the Sacre Coeur topping Paris just before the Gare du Nord terminus.

2.5 hours each way but you do lose an hour on the clock going to France and of course gain it coming back.

After Nov, when high-speed CTRL line is fully implemented in UK times will be closer to 2 hours.

I did this day trip with my 14 year old son last year. We took one of the bus tours that stops and picks up at the major tourist sites in London. We stopped at the Sherlock Homes Pub for fish and chips (the one food he wanted to eat in London) and while we were there the Stanley Cup was brought into the Pub. It had been flown over from the U.S. for a ceremony to honor the street where the trophy had been made. My son was quite excited to touch the trophy and have his picture taken beside it. It was a long day and I think we got back to our apartment around midnight.

&lt;&lt;&lt; $72 alan mentions must be from www.eurostar.com &gt;&gt;&gt;

Too ruddy right it is - I wouldn't pay $30 just so that I can have the tickets that I could lose before the trip when I can just go to the ticket office at Gare du Nord and pick the tickets up for NOTHING extra

Of course but my point is to take whatever site has the best fare - it's a no-brainer to take the $72 fare if you can get it. I just say check both sources as availability for some reason on both can vary. It could be cheaper with the extra fees than eurostar.com - especially if waited till later. But picking them up in Paris would be no worry to me at all and yes wouldn't have them to lose.

I've been trying to book tickets for January on the Eurostar site. They show it as a possibility with their calendar, but it keeps coming up with a &quot;there are no trains available on your date.&quot;

Thoughts anyone?

I envy you. I took the Eurostar from London to Paris one way a few years ago and it was a memorable experience. My first time in France, and as PalenQ pointed out, the view of the French countryside with the villages and church steeples in the distance was like a movie scene. Just don't attempt pictures. By the time you click the camera, you're passing another town. :)

bookmarking

bookmarking

I am planning a London daytrip on my trip to Paris next week. There's so much to see and do in London, but I think we will just take a bus and see the city, walk around Covent Garden, and stop by at the British Museum (free!). In one day, it's best to just get a feel for the city if you haven't been there before. So maybe just walking around the city or taking a bus would be better than just hitting the big sites.

Thanks for all the inputs. I think it will be a great experience.

I have to admit that when I read the title of this post my first thought was &quot;Are they kidding?&quot; But after reading through the reponses, I think it sounds like a fabulous idea! Have fun.

Is this possible in our short time? Should we walk from Trafalgar Square
to the Bitish Museum or take the tube?
Also, tube back to Covent Garden? could we squeeze in a tad more?

Parliament Square
Big Ben
Westminster Abbey (outside)
Whitehall Street
Cenotaph
Horse Guards (1100 ceremony)
Banqueting house
#10 Downing Street
Trafalgar Square
St Martin in the Fields (lunch in crypt?)
National Gallery (quick walk through)
British Museum (quick walk through)
British Library (quick walk through)
Covent Garden
Pub (Which one and when?)
Bus Ride

just a few comments -

The cypt restaurant is closed for remodeling. when is your trip?

There is really no susch thing as a quick walk though of the National Gallery, British Museum and/or British Library. Sure you can walk in, turn around, and walk back out. But if you don't plan on at least exploring some of the galleries - why bother? They are not glorious bldgs (well except for the Great Court/reading Room in the British Museum). Their glory is in the contents.

I personally think for your situation - one of the hop-on-hop-off, open top tour buses is a better use of your time.

janisi

I agree about the National Gallery, British Museum and/or British Library. However, one traveler has a strong academic interest in seeing certain documents, paintings and statues. It means alot to them to actually look at them, if only briefly.