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Want to find out more about taking the train from Paris to London? Look no further.
The fastest train journey from Paris to London is 2 hours and 21 minutes – you’ll travel from city centre to city centre on a direct high-speed Eurostar service. With no airport transfers to worry about, it's likely to be quicker than flying!
Get yourself checked in and it won’t be long until you’re speeding towards London, where you’ll arrive at London St Pancras International station. This station is well-connected to London Underground lines, buses and taxis for wherever your onward destination may be.
You may be leaving the world of cafés and croissants behind but don’t worry, there are plenty of places to grab a bite in London too. Why not check out:
Ready to book? Start your search for cheap train tickets from Paris to London with us today. Keep reading for more information, including:
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 luggage, 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).
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.
Although there's no weight limit for your luggage on Eurostar trains, you must be able to carry your bags safely by yourself.
Each bag must be clearly labelled and must be no longer than 85 cm (for trains to and from the United Kingdom) or no larger than 75 x 53 x 30 cm (for trains in Europe).
Are you travelling to or from the United Kingdom? In Eurostar Standard, choose from a wide selection of drinks and snacks at the Eurostar Café, the onboard café-bar in the middle of the train. Cards and cash (Euros or pounds) are accepted. If you're travelling in Eurostar Plus, a light meal and a drink will be served at your seat.
Travel in Eurostar Premier and you'll be treated to a gourmet meal, as well as a continuous drinks service throughout your journey.
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 sweet and savoury snacks.
In Eurostar Premier on European routes, you'll get a free meal served directly to your seat.
Eurostar doesn't have an onboard entertainment portal. However, there is free WiFi available, as well as UK and EU plug sockets at your seat so you can charge your devices while travelling.
Children under 4 can travel free on Eurostar trains, as long as they're sitting on an accompanying adult's lap. Alternatively, buying a child ticket guarantees them their own seat.
You'll find changing tables on all Eurostar trains, as well as family-oriented seating (4 seats facing one another) where available.
Currently, only certain Eurostar trains running between London and Brussels can transport fully assembled bikes - contact Eurostar for more information. You can, however, take a foldable bike on board Eurostar trains to and from the UK provided that it's no more than 85 cm long and it fits in a protective bag that covers the whole bicycle. Folded bikes are treated as standard luggage.
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 135 x 85 x 30 cm). Foldable bicycles are also allowed and count towards standard luggage limits.
The rules around travelling with your pets depend on whether you're travelling across the Channel or not, so check before you travel:
Eurostar trains to and from the United Kingdom:
Trains in the rest of Europe:
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 the contact form at least 48 hours before your journey so that the team can help you.
If you're travelling to/from the United Kingdom:
If you're travelling on red trains in the rest of Europe:
Specific restrictions for trains to/from the United Kingdom:
Liquids:
Sports equipment:
Most of the train companies across Europe release their tickets around three to six months in advance, many of which can be cheaper the earlier you book. If you know the dates you want to travel, you may be able to find some cheaper train tickets from Paris to London by booking early.§
Many of the train services in Europe are also popular commuter services, lots of train companies increase ticket prices during “peak hours” (generally between 06:00 – 10:00 and 15:00 – 19:00 on weekdays). If you can, consider travelling outside of peak hours to find lower priced tickets.
On some of the busier routes, you might also have the option to take a slower or connecting train. It may take a little longer than some high-speed or direct services, but if you have a little extra time on your hands, you might find a cheaper fare. Plus, you'll have more time to enjoy the view of the countryside!
Take a look at our handy guides to find out when train operators release their special deals and offers to see if you can find cheap European train tickets for your journey.
For specific information about how to get your hands on cheap tickets, check out our European train tickets hub.
If you’re flying into Paris to start your French adventure, you’ll need to get from the airport into the city centre. Want to know how to get to central Paris from the airport? Keep reading for more details.
Paris has three major airports:
All airports offer bus and taxi services, while only Charles de Gaulle and Orly have their own dedicated train stations (the nearest train station to Beauvais Tillé is nearby in Beauvais).
Paris Gare du Nord station is conveniently located at the heart of the city and can be easily reached by public transport.
If you’ve been sightseeing and you’re travelling to Paris Gare du Nord from another part of Paris, you’ll need to hop on the Métro, RER or a local RATP bus to get to the train station. Métro lines 4 (purple) and 5 (orange) have stops at Gare du Nord, plus RER lines B, D and E stop here.
If you’re travelling by train from another city or country, you can get to Paris Gare du Nord from France’s northern cities such as Lille and Calais and even neighbouring countries like Belgium and Germany on a direct train.
Your Eurostar train from Paris to London will arrive right in the heart of London at the beautiful and historic London St Pancras International station.
Since all the passport checks are done before leaving France, you can step off the train and start exploring the city right away. From London St Pancras you can hop on the London Underground, take a bus or have a nice walk if you prefer discovering the city on foot.
From a wide range of shops and restaurants to London’s top museums and galleries, there are plenty of things to see and do nearby.
London Underground, commonly known as the Tube, is one of the quickest ways to travel around the city. Once you get off at London St Pancras International station, simply follow the signs to London Kings Cross Underground station, where you’ll be able to choose from 6 Tube lines – the Hammersmith & City (pink line), Circle (yellow line), Metropolitan (purple line), Northern (black line), Piccadilly (dark blue line) and Victoria (light blue) lines.
Tube services usually run from 05:00 am until midnight, with Night Tube services available on some lines on Friday and Saturday evenings.
London buses are one of the cheapest ways to travel around the city, with plenty of sightseeing opportunities along the way. You can pay with an Oyster Card, Travelcard or a contactless payment card for Tube and bus journeys.
If you want to get a taxi, you can find a taxi rank on the forecourt of London St Pancras station.
Yes. Trains from Paris to London do go underwater. In fact, the Channel Tunnel (or “Chunnel” if you prefer its nickname) is just over 31.3 miles (50 km) in length and is the longest continuous underwater tunnel in the world. At a maximum speed of 99 mph (160 km/h) in the Chunnel, it takes a Eurostar train around 35 minutes to travel through this underwater tunnel between Paris and London.
The Channel tunnel is 31.3 miles (50.56 km) in length and it takes a Eurostar train approximately 35 minutes to travel its full length. In total, the fastest journey time from Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras is 2 hours and 21 minutes.
If this trip whets your appetite for a European adventure, why not think about an Interrail pass? With an Interrail 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 an Interrail Pass if you're a European citizen or a non-European who is an official legal resident of a European country (this includes UK citizens). If you’re not a European citizen or someone legally resident in Europe, such as an American or Canadian citizen, you can use a Eurail Pass instead.