Eurostar train, Channel Tunnel

The Eurostar train

Eurostar
is the first true international train. It connects the capital cities of France (Paris), England (London) and Belgium (Brussels). And it has set the standard for international rail travel.

For the first time in history, thanks to the 31-mile-long Tunnel under the Channel (known as Eurotunnel), Great Britain is no longer an island, strictly speaking. Therefore it can have an international train service like everybody else.

Eurostar is the name of this service, Europe's most famous Premier Train. The world's most advanced train, Eurostar whisks you under the sea through the famous Channel Tunnel taking you to and from Paris, London and Brussels in record time and in luxurious surroundings.

The Eurostar
also called the Channel Tunnel train, provides a high-speed, passenger-only connection to and from the UK through the Eurotunnel with the European continent.
The trains make swift, smooth journeys through the Channel Tunnel at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, and up to 186 miles per hour on the French part of the trip.
The travel time under the English Channel is about twenty minutes, with the rest on the surface to view the countryside and relax.

And travel times are a breeze. London to Paris in 3 hours. London to Brussels, in Belgium, in 2 hours 40 minutes. London to Lille in 2 hours.

Eurostar
runs almost hourly between London and Paris every day (18-21 times a day) and 10 times a day between London and Brussels.

In addition to the three cities mentioned above, Eurostar also serves Ashford, Calais-Frethun, Lille and Disneyland Paris, with seasonal service to the Alpine towns of Moutiers and Bourg St. Maurice.
Trains from the south and west of France connect with the Eurostar at Lille, and people travelling from Holland, Germany and Northern Europe can find trains connecting with the Eurostar in Brussels.

State-of-the-art design enables Eurostar to carry as many passengers as two jumbo jets in the utmost of comfort.

Each train set has 18 cars: 1 in First Premium, 5 in First class, 10 in Second class and 2 bar cars. The total seating capacity is 770 seats: 205 in First class and First Premium and 565 in Second class.

It is not only the most efficient, but the easiest way to get from city center to city center. No traffic. No airport delays. There's no longer a need to hustle through airports, find cabs and get to your destination. Eurostar will get you there quickly and comfortably.

From London Waterloo to Paris Nord, there is a Eurostar train approximately every half an hour from 5.08am to 8.16pm; the distance is 494 km (308 miles).

When you book a Eurostar train service, remember that continental Western Europe is 1 hour ahead of British time (Greenwich Mean Time).

For most trains in Europe, buying a ticket allows you to board the train, but does not guarantee you a seat: an additional reservation fee is necessary to have a guaranteed seat on the train. But unlike most other European trains, for the Eurostar the seat reservation price is included in the price of your ticket.

Fares include the price of the ticket, the reservation and, if you travel in First Premium or First class, the price of the meal.

For timetables, fares, and to book your journey and buy your tickets online, visit the Eurostar official website:

Eurostar

The Eurostar service

No train (and very few other modes of transportation, for that matter) can match
Eurostar
standards for quality of service.

Each train has up to 15 attendants, recognizable by their Eurostar uniforms which were created by French designer Balmain. The attendants are specially hired and trained for catering to your every need on board Eurostar. All of them speak fluent English.


Unlike most other trains, for which an additional reservation fee is necessary to guarantee you a seat, for the Eurostar the seat reservation price is included in the price of your ticket.

Fares include the price of the ticket, the reservation and, if you travel in First Premium or First class, the price of the meal.

Three kinds of seating are available: First Premium class, First class and Standard class.

Standard (or second) class tickets include a seat reservation; there is a food cart service and special areas where children can play.

First class Eurostar tickets mean a seat reservation, wide, reclining seats, complimentary daily newspaper, complimentary drink and gourmet meal served at your seat, included in the price of your ticket.

First Premium class includes wide, reclining seats, complimentary daily newspaper, gourmet meal served at your seat with a greater selection of food and drink such as canapes, wine and champagne, access to Paris Gare du Nord's and London Waterloo Station's Executive lounges, and complimentary taxi transfer in Paris or London, all included in the price of your ticket.

The bar cars carry a large selection of snacks and drinks, and 4 public phones are available.

All Eurostar trains have dedicated areas for people traveling in wheelchairs, as well as special restrooms. Terminals are equipped with elevators and moving walkways.

Onboard Eurostar you can also rent a variety of movies with English and French soundtracks.

The service, the train, the Channel Tunnel crossing, the convenient schedules and the great fares all add up to a Eurostar experience worth trying, to be remembered long afterwards.

For timetables, fares, and to book your journey and buy your tickets online, visit the Eurostar official website:

Eurostar

The Channel Tunnel

Eurostar speeds you through the Channel Tunnel, one of Europe's biggest infrastructure projects to date.
The $15 billion Channel Tunnel makes the old dream of a ground link between Great Britain and continental Europe a reality for the first time since the Ice Ages.
The tunnel consists of 3 interconnected tubes: 1 rail track each way plus 1 service tunnel. Its length is 31 miles, of which 23 miles are underwater. Its average depth is 150 feet under the seabed.
The channel crossing time for Eurostar is only 20 minutes.
95 miles of tunnels were dug by nearly 13,000 engineers, technicians and workers.
The volume of rubble removed from the tunnel is three times greater than that of the Cheops Pyramid in Egypt. And it has increased the size of Britain by 90 acres. Equivalent to 68 football fields, this area has been made into a park.

To be whisked under the sea through the Channel Tunnel, you can book tickets from the official Eurostar website:

Eurostar

Eurostar Specials for American travelers

Eurostar Disney train

Disneyland Paris, known in Europe as Eurodisney, has over 50 shows and attractions, and is located in Marne-la-Vallée.
Eurostar offers weekly direct services from London Waterloo Station or Ashford to Marne-la-Vallée, the heart of Disneyland Paris, where guests will be greeted by Disney characters.
The outbound service operates on Fridays and the inbound service on Sundays.
Many special events are hosted by the Disneyland Paris Park, among which musical and comedy shows, live stage, and Disney's Imaginations Parade, the most imaginative parade ever.

To get more information and the facility to book Eurostar Disney trains or other rail tickets and passes, follow this link to the specialist site on rail travel in Europe:

Eurostar Disney trains - Rail Europe

Eurostar Youth Flexi Voucher

Buy here and decide there. For American travelers under 26 years of age, this new Eurostar Voucher is an open ticket in case your plans are not finalized at the time of booking or when leaving North America.
It's exchangeable from 2 months before the date of travel to 45 minutes before the selected time of travel.

To get more information and the facility to book online, follow this link to Rail Europe:

Eurostar Youth Flexi Vouchers

London-Paris trips for American travelers

London-Paris trips are unescorted, semi-escorted and fully escorted day and overnight trips from London to Paris via Eurostar, the Channel Tunnel train.

Day trips from London begin at Waterloo International, where you are greeted by your guide who will accompany you throughout the duration of your tour.

Board an early morning Eurostar train bound for Paris then sit back and enjoy the ride. In three hours you will be in the heart of Paris.

With front row seats to over 200 mile of English and French countryside you will arrive at your destination having passed under the English Channel and having reached speeds of up to 186 mph.

Once at your destination city, a luxury motorcoach tour will introduce you to some of the world's most enchanting cafes, bustling streets and grand monuments before returning to London in the evening.


To get more information or to make online bookings or purchases, follow this link to Rail Europe:

London - Paris trips

Britain Travels