Train Edinburgh to London to Paris
 

Is it possible to take train from Edinburgh to London and catch Euro Star to Paris in one day. How much time would we need to get from Airport to Train station as well please.

Which airport?

Yes it's possible - the question is WHY as there are flights direct to Paris from Edinburgh that will get you into Paris before you are even over the border into England, let alone onto the train to France.

Trains from Edinburgh normally arrive at Kings Cross and it's a 10 minute walk from the platform to the check-in at St Pancras for the Eurostar

BUT you'll be on a train for around 8 hours and you'll need to allow time between different legs of your trip to cater for things going wrong

The National Express East Coast website has a link to combination tickets for the trip to London & the Eurostar but it's likely to be cheaper if you book the legs separately

#all of which is assuming you are arriving at Edinburgh Airport - for which I would allow at least 90 minutes from landing to catching a train. If you aren't an EU citizen then add another half an hour

Transport options to Edinburgh Waverley station are to be found on the Edinburgh Airport website though it might be quicker to go to Haymarket station and pick up a train there to London

Fly. BA, Easyjet & Air France all fly Edinburgh - Paris.

My question is "what time of day are you arriving"? Assuming early morning, yes it can be done. A long day to be sure, and if you still plan on doing it I would book 1st class on the Edinburgh to London leg well in advance.

I checked out some times for 18th June.

Eurostar offer one-way tickets Edinburgh - Paris for £77. You leave Edinburgh at 0800 and arrive Paris 1726. There is 80 minutes between arrival at Kings Cross and departure St Pancras.

Easyjet costs £55, but you have to add bus fares to and from the airport, and possibly a hold baggage fee of £5 per bag. Flight leaves Edinburgh at 13.35, arriving Paris CdG at 16.20.

My guess is that you would save about 3 hours by flying, but that the total cost would be about the same by both routes. Train would be more comfortable, with no problems with luggage.

"Train would be more comfortable, with no problems with luggage." - except when staggering between stations in London.

It's a fact that 80% of public transport journeys between Edinburgh & SE England are by air - never mind Edinburgh and Paris. I don't think anyone here would dream of going to Paris by train.

Maryanne, you are starting at Edinburgh airport, aren't you ? So it would be appplicable to add on bus fares to the station if going by rail, rather than to the airport if flying.

>except when staggering between stations in London

Don´t the trains from Edinburgh arrive at King´s Cross any more???

Yes, but the Eurostar goes from St Pancras.

You know, perhaps the OP just wants to experience the train and that is why she raised the question.

>Yes, but the Eurostar goes from St Pancras.

Unless my memories are wrong, the distance from Kings Cross to St. Pancrass is less than what you have to walk within a big airport (CDG???).

Yes but it involves stairs, is not very obvious and it can be a scrum in the rush hour. No fun especially if your train from Edinburgh is late. A single flight is much less hassle.

"perhaps the OP just wants to experience the train" - well yes, maybe. But it seems an odd way of travelling to me - flying to a country other than your eventual destination then spending the best part of a day getting buses/cabs and 2 trains to get to your actual destination.

Caroline, not to be argumentative, but put yourself in her place. It's your very first time and your first train trip. I remember my first train trip in Great Britain an I was very excited. Please remember that in the USA, particular in the West coast we really do not have train service like you do. Perhaps one train a day that will most likely be several hours late. Each year I go to Great Britain just to experience train travel and seeing the country side. So, I can relate and I understand your position as a local you just want to get from point a to point b quickly. As a local I would too.

OK Roger, I understand if the OP is thinking she'll get to see some of Britain this way too. Each to their own. It just seems an awful lot of hassle, though - especially if she doesn't have much holiday. And the trains here are also more often than not late IME.

We have no idea what the OP is thinking since she has not been back to the thread. Everyone seems to be answering based on their own preferences.

Yes - it IS possible to take the train - but we don't know why the OP is asking. Does she hate flying? Does she want to experience train travel? Does she think that is the most economical way to get from Edinburgh to Paris?

I personally think it is nutty to arrive at (presumably) EDI, and immediately travel into central Edinburgh to catch a train for an all day slog to Paris -- when they could just walk to another gate at EDI and fly there w/o even going landside.

But who knows why she is considering this - let's wait to hear more . . . . . .