Consider taking a brief break to the Continent by prepare and you could take into account solely the locations served by Eurostar, akin to Paris and Brussels.
However rail journey generally is a tempting possibility for different cities, too. I lately went to Amsterdam by prepare, taking Eurostar from London to Brussels, then persevering with by Thalys, one other high-speed service.
Tempting possibility: Take the Eurostar from London to Paris or Brussels and proceed your journey on one other high-speed prepare service
Together with 40 minutes for switching trains in Brussels – an easy, well-signed change of platforms – the entire journey took 4 hours 45 minutes. Add the half-hour required for checking in at St Pancras, and that makes 5 hours quarter-hour.
This may occasionally sound sluggish in contrast with flying. However for those who take central London as a place to begin, and fly with baggage, which slows issues down, there’s not a lot in it.
For instance, time to airport: one hour. Checking in a bag, getting by way of safety to the departure gate: 90 minutes. Flying time to Amsterdam: one hour. Getting by way of Schiphol airport and choosing up bag: one hour. Prepare Schiphol to Amsterdam centre: half-hour. Complete journey time: 5 hours.
After all, many people do not stay in London, or Kent (the place you too can begin Eurostar journeys), and flying to Amsterdam does work out a lot faster in case your start line is Manchester or Newcastle.
However journey is not only about velocity. My rail journey to Amsterdam was infinitely extra pleasurable than flying. There was no restrict to what baggage I may take (nor any further prices) and just about no queuing at safety at St Pancras.
The seats on the trains have been far more comfy than on the likes of easyJet, and I used to be in a position to stretch my legs and have a snack within the buffet automobiles. In brief, I arrived in Amsterdam relaxed – a uncommon state to be in after flying nowadays.
So the place else on the Continent may you take into account taking a metropolis break by prepare? For the next prompt locations, I’ve given the minimal journey time from London, the place to alter trains, and the most affordable return fare booked by way of Rail Europe (0844 848 4078, raileurope.co.uk).
Bruges: From three hours 21 minutes; change Brussels; from £81 on an Any Belgian Station ticket. Cologne: From 5 hours 18 minutes; change Brussels; from £104.
Lyon: From 4 hours 56 minutes; change Lille; from £109.
Strasbourg: From 5 hours 55 minutes altering in Lille, or 5 hours 14 altering in Paris; from £99.
Reims: From 4 hours 13 minutes; change Paris; from £89.
Keep in mind:
To face the perfect probability of getting most cost-effective doable fares, e-book effectively upfront. Although Eurostar by itself can often be booked 120 days forward, for bookings combining Eurostar and one other European prepare service, the utmost time is often 90 days.Even when reserving effectively forward, discovering most cost-effective fares will be tough and time-consuming on the web. Although cellphone bookings with Rail Europe incur an £8 payment, it could nonetheless be price calling and asking workers to seek for you. Insider data will be invaluable. For instance, for London-Amsterdam, the lead-in return fare utilizing a high-speed prepare from Brussels is £123. Nonetheless, fares on an Any Dutch Station ticket begin at £89 return. Although high-speed trains from Brussels cannot be used on this ticket, the overall journey time is simply about 40 minutes longer.If heading to a French vacation spot, it is preferable to alter trains in Lille, the place you want solely swap platforms, slightly than in Paris, the place you may in all probability have to go to a different station. The simplest station change in Paris from the Gare du Nord (the place Eurostar arrives) is to Gare de l’Est, ten minutes’ stroll away. Trains to Strasbourg and Reims depart from Gare de l’Est.Eurostar (0843 2186 186, eurostar.com) can e-book by way of fares from many UK stations to many continental locations (not simply Eurostar ones). For these mixed tickets, you’ll be able to solely e-book as much as 84 days forward.Seat61.com is a useful supply of knowledge on European rail journey.
