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Eurostar is the exclusive high-speed train service that links London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and the rest of Europe at speeds of up to 186 mph (300 km/h). Eurostar also runs trains on more routes between France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. All Eurostar trains have modern, comfortable facilities, plenty of room for baggage, and onboard food and beverage car. There are three comfort classes on offer – Eurostar Standard, Eurostar Plus (equivalent to Premium Economy, with light refreshments served), and Eurostar Premier (equivalent to First or Business Class, with flexible travel options, priority boarding, lounge access and delicious food and drink included).
OUIGO is the low-cost, high-speed train service operated by the French national train company SNCF. Despite having only one class on board, OUIGO trains offer the same comfort as Second Class seats on TGV trains, although OUIGO tickets are only available to purchase online. To make your journey as smooth as possible, arrive at least 30 minutes before departure and bear in mind that there's an additional fee for bringing a suitcase with you, having a seat with power sockets and travelling with a stroller/buggy.
In Eurostar Standard, you'll find comfortable seats, free WiFi and a large selection of drinks and snacks for sale in the onboard café-bar.
As well as all the facilities you'll find in Eurostar Standard, in Eurostar Plus you'll also get a light meal served at your seat for trips to and from London. Though you won't get a meal at your seat for trips solely in Europe, you'll get to sit back and relax in comfier seats.
Eurostar Premier gives you the freedom to travel in your own time, with same-day boarding guaranteed and Eurostar's exclusive lounges (where available) where you can relax before your trip. In Eurostar Premier, you'll also benefit from complete comfort, including a free meal and free drinks at your seat.
OUIGO comes with only one class, Standard Class, which is the equivalent of TGV's Second Class. On board you'll find WiFi and a café-bar (on services in Spain). There may be a trolley service on Train Classique services in France. You can pay extra to guarantee a seat with a power outlet, as not all seats currently have one.
What baggage limits are there? | Although there's no weight limit for your baggage on Eurostar trains, you must be able to carry your bags safely by yourself. Each bag must be clearly labeled and must be no longer than 33.4 inches (for trains to and from the United Kingdom) or no larger than 29.5 x 20.8 x 11.8 inches (for trains in Europe). |
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What food and drink is available? | Are you traveling to or from the United Kingdom? In Eurostar Standard, choose from a wide selection of drinks and snacks at the Eurostar Café, the onboard bar car in the middle of the train. Cards and cash (Euros or pounds) are accepted. If you're traveling in Eurostar Plus, a light meal and a drink will be served at your seat. For all other Eurostar trains (red trains, formerly Thalys), head to the bar car and choose from a wide range of hot and cold drinks as well as savory and sweet snacks. |
What onboard entertainment is available? | Eurostar doesn't have an onboard entertainment portal. However, there is free WiFi available, as well as UK and EU power outlets at your seat so you can charge your devices while traveling. |
What facilities are there for travel with children? |
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Can I bring a bike on board? | Generally, Eurostar trains running to and from the United Kingdom can't transport fully assembled bikes - though on certain trains between London and Brussels, you may be able to book a bike space by contacting Eurostar. You can, however, take a foldable bike on board Eurostar trains to and from the UK provided that it's no more than 33.4 inches long and it fits in a protective bag that covers the whole bicycle. Folded bikes are treated as standard baggage. For all other Eurostar trains in Europe, a limited number of non-foldable bikes can be brought on board, provided that the wheels are taken off and the whole bicycle is stored in a suitable cover (max. size 53.1 x 33.4 x 11.8 inches). Foldable bicycles are also permitted and count towards standard baggage limits. |
Can I bring pets on board? | The rules around traveling with your pets depend on whether you're traveling across the Channel or not, so check before you travel: Eurostar trains to and from the United Kingdom:
Trains in the rest of Europe:
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What special assistance is available? | If you need help getting on or off the train, you should contact Eurostar directly before your trip. To use Eurostar's special assistance program, fill in this contact form at least 48 hours before your journey so that the team can help you. If you're traveling on trains to/from the United Kingdom:
If you're traveling on red trains in the rest of Europe:
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What else do I need to know? | Specific restrictions for trains to/from the United Kingdom: Liquids:
Sports equipment:
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What baggage limits are there? | One piece of hand baggage (36 x 27 x 15 cm) and one piece of cabin baggage (55 x 35 x 25 cm) can be taken onboard. You can take additional or larger bags with you (max. 30kg) for an extra fee or by paying for OUIGO Plus. |
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What food and drink is available? | On OUIGO trains in France: an at-seat service of snacks is available on Train classique services. This service is not available on high-speed OUIGO trains. |
What onboard entertainment is available? | WiFi (OUIFI) and an entertainment portal (OUIFUN) are available at an additional cost. |
What facilities are there for travel with children? | For OUIGO trains in France: Passengers under 12 years old pay a fixed price for tickets all year round - €5 for journeys on Train classique services, and €8 for high speed services. |
Can I bring a bike on board? | You can take your bicycle on board OUIGO trains if you add the 'Bike' option onto your ticket for an additional fee of at least €5. Your bike must be folded or dismantled and placed in a storage bag for transport. |
Can I bring pets on board? | Pets are only allowed on board OUIGO trains if the 'Pets' option is added to your ticket at the time of booking. (1 pet per adult, per booking, €10 per pet.) |
What special assistance is available? | For disabled passengers or those with reduced mobility, you can request assistance through 'Accès Plus'. With this service, a member of staff will meet you at the station and help you get to your seat on the train. To book assistance, contact Accès Plus after you book your tickets (and no later than 48 hours before your train is due to depart). |
For specific information about how to get your hands on cheap tickets, check out our European train tickets hub.
Conveniently located in the center of the capital, London St. Pancras International station can be easily reached by National Rail, London Underground, bus services or car.
King’s Cross St Pancras Underground station is served by 6 Tube lines, including the Hammersmith & City (pink line), Circle (yellow line), Metropolitan (purple line), Northern (black line), Piccadilly (dark blue line) and Victoria (light blue) lines.
Planning to travel by train? You can get to London St Pancras from Euston, Victoria, and Paddington stations in around half an hour.
Your Eurostar train from London St Pancras will arrive right in the heart of the French capital at Paris Gare du Nord station.
Since all the passport checks are done before leaving the UK, you can step off the train and start exploring the city straight away.
Not far from the platform, you’ll find Métro and RER trains to whisk you to Paris’ top museums and galleries. From the quaint cobbled streets and independent boutiques along Canal St Martin to the hip new foodie hangouts across the 10th arrondissement, this is an area packed with Parisian flavor you don’t want to miss!
Fancy heading to France by train? You can travel on Eurostar and get from London to Paris in just 2 hours and 16 minutes*. Check out the route below - and yes, the train really does go underwater!
* Fastest journey time
Yes, trains from London to Paris travel underwater. In fact, the Channel Tunnel (or Chunnel, as it’s sometimes known), is just over 31 miles in length and is the longest continuous underwater tunnel in the world. Traveling at a maximum speed of 100 mph in the Chunnel, it takes a Eurostar train around 35 minutes to travel this underwater stretch between London and Paris.
In total, the Chunnel tunnel is 31.3 miles in length, and it takes a Eurostar train approximately 35 minutes to travel its full length. In total, the fastest journey time from London St. Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord is 2 hours and 16 minutes.
Paris Métro is the quickest, easiest, and cheapest way to travel around the city. You can buy tickets at kiosks or ticket machines located in Métro stations around the city.
If you want to skip the queues at Gare du Nord, you can buy tickets at the Eurostar Café on board the Eurostar. These Navigo tickets will allow you to travel on Paris' Métro network.
Did you know? Children under 4 can travel for free on the Métro, RER, bus, and tramway services, provided they sit on your lap and don’t occupy a seat. Kids under 10 get 50% off the ticket price.
If you want to get a taxi, you can find a line of taxis parked near Eurostar arrivals at Paris Gare du Nord station. Just head to the concourse at the front of the train, then take the exit on the right where you'll see the line of taxis.
Boasting fascinating architecture, delicious cuisine and monument-lined boulevards, Paris is always a great idea! To help inspire your trip to the French capital, here are some ideas for things to do in Paris:
After visiting Paris, why not continue exploring Europe by train? With a Eurail Pass, you can travel across 33 European countries as much as you want on participating European train networks for a set amount of travel days.
You can use a Eurail Pass if you’re not a European citizen or resident. If you're a European citizen or a non-European who is an official legal resident of a European country, you can use an Interrail Pass instead.
When traveling from London to Paris, you’ll be traveling from the UK to the EU. This means you’ll need to show your passport at border control.
What’s more, as of April 2, 2025, US citizens traveling to the UK will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), unless exempt. Other nationalities may also need to apply for an ETA before traveling. For more information, please visit the dedicated official page.
When you book your tickets, you’ll need to provide passenger details such as your name and your email address.
You’ll also need to fill out Advanced Passenger Information (API) before you can download your ticket. This is required for all passengers traveling to or from the UK. It includes personal and passport details and must be provided before departure for security checks.
You can find out more about how to enter your API on our Eurostar API support page.