France without flying |
Take a high-speed train to France
It's the civilised alternative to flying. Take Eurostar from London to Lille or Paris, then a 300 km/h TGV (Train � Grande Vitesse) through the French countryside with a glass of red wine to hand from Lille or Paris to Avignon, Marseille, Nice, N�mes, Montpellier, Perpignan, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Rennes or Nantes... It's affordable, too: London to Paris from �52 one-way or �78 return, Paris to Bordeaux, Lyon, Nice, or Perpignan from around �29 each way. Centre to centre, no baggage fees, no airport taxes, significantly less impact on the environment & infants go free.
Train times, fares & tickets
Other UK towns & cities to
Paris & France
London to Disneyland &
Versailles
London to Nice, Cannes & C�te d'Azur
London to Avignon,
Aix-en-Provence, Marseille
London to N�mes, Montpellier, S�te,
Agde
London to Narbonne, Carcassonne,
Perpignan
Interactive map: Click on a destination......for train times & fares from London, and how to buy tickets.
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London to Biarritz, Irun, Lourdes & Tarbes
London to Limoges, Brive, Cahors, Toulouse
London to Vichy & Clermont Ferrand
London to Le Mans, Angers, Rennes & Nantes
London to
Calais, Lille & Northern France
London to Bourg St M, Chamonix & French Alps
London to any other destination in France
Eurostar information & check-in
procedures
Starting from other UK towns & cities
How to cross Paris by metro or taxi
About changing trains in Lille
Travel to France using an
Interrail pass
How to buy train tickets from
UK to France
Train travel within France
Train travel in France, a beginner's guide
What are French TGV trains
like?
What are French overnight
trains like?
International trains to & from France
Trains to Paris from other European cities
Trains from Paris to other
European cities
Trains from Nice to other
European cities
Trains from
Marseille to other
European cities
Trains from
Lyon to other
European cities
Trains from
Bordeaux to other
European cities
Trains from
Toulouse to other
European cities
Trains from
Strasbourg to other
European cities
Station guides
Other useful information
Useful country information
London to Paris
Buy Eurostar tickets at www.eurostar.com
A Eurostar at St Pancras in London. See guide to travel by Eurostar. Eurostar first class. See tips for choosing your seat. Eurostar standard class. See tips for choosing your seat. The cafe-bar: Each Eurostar has two caf�-bars serving drinks & snacks including a range of wraps & sandwiches plus hot dishes such as Chicken Tikka Massala. |
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Option 1, by Eurostar: See the Eurostar page
Eurostar is the high-speed passenger train from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord via the Channel Tunnel, taking as little as 2h15 at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). Typically, 95% of Eurostar trains run on time or within 15 minutes, against just 65%-70% of flights on the same routes, it's not surprising that Eurostar now has over 70% of the London-Paris market.
Option 2, by train & ferry: See the train & ferry page
It takes 9 hours and you must buy separate tickets for train, ferry & French train, there are long walks between train & ferry on both sides of the Channel and it costs more than a cheap advance-purchase Eurostar ticket. But you get to sail across the English Channel, you avoid going through the Channel Tunnel if that's an issue for you, and at short notice it can be cheaper. There's also an overnight 'sleeper' option, with a cosy cabin on the overnight Portsmouth-Caen ferry.
Short breaks to Paris
A short break is sometimes cheaper than booking Eurostar & hotel separately - and if you need to travel at short notice it can even be cheaper than a regular Eurostar ticket. Try these companies:
Railbookers,
www.railbookers.co.uk
Eurostar,
www.eurostar.com
Last Minute,
www.lastminute.com
Other UK towns & cities to Paris
Use a London International CIV ticket
After buying a Eurostar ticket from London to Lille or Paris, you can buy a separate ticket from most British stations to a special destination called London International CIV, designed for use with Eurostar.
These exist from most stations in Britain, they include the Underground across London to St Pancras and they generally have few or no time restrictions (so an off-peak price may apply even in the peak). You're covered by the international CIV conditions of carriage if there's a delay to the UK train and you miss your Eurostar, you're entitled to be re-booked on a later one. More about tickets from your local station to London International CIV.
Or book Britain to France at www.raileurope.com
Raileurope.com connects to both the British and French ticketing system, so you can book from any British station to Paris or anywhere in France as one easy transaction. It simply adds a normal domestic ticket from your chosen British station to London to an onward Eurostar from London to Lille or Paris and a French train ticket from Lille or Paris onwards. There's a small booking fee.
West of England or South Coast to Paris
By ferry+train: If you live in the West Country or along the south coast, consider a ferry crossing from Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth or Newhaven to France, then a train onwards to Paris. Check ferry routes, times & fares at the Direct Ferries website which covers all routes & operators, or at www.brittany-ferries.co.uk, www.dfds.com or www.condorferries.co.uk. Then check UK train times from your local station to the UK port using www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.raileurope.com. Finally, check train times & fares from the French port to Paris and book online at www.sncf-connect.com, www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. Allow at least an hour, preferably 90 minutes, between train and ferry on both sides of the Channel.
By Night Riviera sleeper + Eurostar: From Devon or Cornwall, you can also use the overnight Night Riviera sleeper train to London then a morning Eurostar to Paris, for more information see here.
Scotland to Paris
By daytime trains: You can buy tickets from Glasgow or Edinburgh to Paris by daytime inter-city train & Eurostar at www.raileurope.com. Or buy a separate ticket from Scotland to London International CIV as explained here.
By Caledonian Sleeper + Eurostar: A time-effective way to avoid flying is to hop on the overnight Caledonian Sleeper from Inverness, Aviemore, Aberdeen, Perth, Dundee, Fort William, Glasgow, Edinburgh to London, then take a morning Eurostar to Paris. See the Caledonian Sleeper page.
Belfast or Dublin to Paris
Belfast or Dublin to Paris using Eurostar, via London: You can buy a cheap SailRail train+ferry ticket from Belfast to London for around �55, or Dublin to London for �52 each way, see the Northern Ireland page or Ireland page for timetables, fares & full details. Then book Eurostar separately at www.eurostar.com, from �52 one-way or �78 return. Allow plenty of time to cross London, including time for the Eurostar check-in and any delay to your train from Scotland or Holyhead to London. When connecting with a non-changeable, non-refundable Eurostar, bear in mind that the all-weather cruise ferries are very reliable, but the fast ferries can be cancelled in bad weather.
Belfast or Dublin to Paris using the Rosslare-France or Cork-France ferries, avoiding London: Travel by train from Belfast to Dublin then Dublin to Rosslare or Cork (see www.irishrail.ie), then sail either by Irish Ferries cruise ferry from Rosslare to Roscoff or Cherbourg in France (see www.irishferries.com) or by Brittany ferries (www.brittany-ferries.co.uk) from Cork to Roscoff or Cherbourg for a train to Paris (see www.raileurope.com or www.sncf-connect.com). To plan this, start by checking ferry sailing dates & times at www.irishferries.com or www.brittany-ferries.co.uk. Then work out the best connection from Dublin to Rosslare or Cork using www.irishrail.ie, then the connection from Belfast also at www.irishrail.ie.
London to Disneyland
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Eurostar Disney train discontinued: The direct Eurostar from London to Marne La Vall�e for Disneyland Paris was discontinued in June 2023.
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The alternative is to book a regular Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Nord at www.eurostar.com then use the RER (express metro) every 15 minutes between Paris Nord and Marne-la-Vall�e-Chessy (Disneyland), changing at Ch�telet les Halles or Gare de Lyon, journey time about 58 minutes, fare a few euros (see www.ratp.fr).
OR you can use www.raileurope.com to book a journey from London to Marne la Vall�e by Eurostar and French TGV train with one easy change at Lille.
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See www.disneylandparis.com to book holidays and short breaks to Disneyland Paris, including the Eurostar, hotel accommodation and entrance to the Disneyland park or buy Eurostar tickets separately at www.eurostar.com.
London to Versailles
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The famous Chateau de Versailles (www.chateauversailles.fr) is 30-40 minutes southwest of central Paris using a frequent express metro train on RER line C to Versailles-Rive Gauche station. Versailles-Rive Gauche is 5 minutes' walk from the entrance to the Chateau. Just buy a Eurostar ticket to Paris at www.eurostar.com then buy an RER ticket from central Paris (zone 1) to Versailles (zone 4) when you get there, the fare is just over �4 each way. RER line C runs directly to Versailles Chateau - Rive Gauche from various RER/metro stations in central Paris, including the Gare d'Austerlitz, St Michel-Notre Dame, Mus�e d'Orsay, Invalides, & Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel. From the Gare du Nord, take RER line B two stops to St Michel-Notre Dame, then change onto RER line C to Versailles-Rive Gauche. See www.ratp.fr for a plan of the RER & metro network You can check RER C times on this route at www.transilien.com.
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Tip: A nicer way to reach Versailles from central Paris is to go to the Gare St Lazare and take Transilien line L to Versailles-Rive Droite. These Transilien suburban trains run every 15 minutes from platforms 1-4 at the Gare St Lazare, taking about the same time as the RER C route, but unlike RER C almost all the journey is above ground with views of wealthy Parisian suburbs, a Seine crossing, and the towers of the financial district at La D�fense. You arrive at Versailles-Rive Droite which is a slightly longer walk from the chateau, but you walk through the old part of town and can enter the chateau through its gardens at the 'Bassin de Neptune' rather than through the car park as with the walk from Versailles-Rive Gauche. See www.transilien.com.
London to Nice & Cannes
Chill out by train to Nice
Lunch at the Train Bleu restaurant, then stroll to your TGV. There's no check-in to worry about.
Relax. A table for two in first class, upper deck on a
TGV Duplex from Paris to Nice,
perfect. Chill. Bring your own picnic & wine or visit the caf�-bar. You arrive in the centre of Nice. |
It's easy to travel from the UK to Cannes or Nice by Eurostar and high-speed TGV, a chance to chill out with a good book and a glass of wine, and maybe have lunch in Paris on the way.
Which route to choose?
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Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Lille: By Eurostar to Lille Europe and make a simple same-station change onto a direct TGV from Lille to Marseille for an onward train to Cannes or Nice. This is the easiest option as there's no need to cross Paris, although not the most frequent or fastest.
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Option 2, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris: By Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, change stations in Paris by taxi or metro, then take an impressive double-deck TGV Duplex from Paris Gare de Lyon to Cannes or Nice. This is the fastest option with the widest choice of departures and it's often cheaper than going via Lille. How about lunch in Paris at the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant?
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Option 3, by Eurostar & Paris-Nice sleeper: Take Eurostar to Paris, have dinner at the Train Bleu restaurant then sleep your way to St Raphael (for St Tropez), Cannes, Antibes or Nice in a cosy couchette.
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Option 4, by Eurostar & lo-cost Ouigo train: By Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, change stations in Paris by taxi or metro, then by lo-cost high-speed Ouigo train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nice. Ouigo fares from Paris to Nice start at only �19, but it's a no-frills train with no catering, no 1st class and airline-style baggage fees.
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Option 5, the ferry alternative: It's much slower than Eurostar, but if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, live on the south coast, or at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, it's a useful option. Travel from London to Paris by train & ferry via Dover-Calais or overnight via Portsmouth-Caen as shown here. Then take an onward train from Paris, booked at www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
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For connections to St Tropez, Juan-les-Pins, Monaco-Monte Carlo & Menton see here.
What's the journey to Nice like?
Settle into your seat and watch the scenery glide past with a glass of red to hand. From Lille or Paris to Lyon, the TGV passes farmland and picturesque villages with pretty churches. South of Lyon, the TGV flies at ground level along the Rh�ne Valley, crossing and re-crossing the River Rh�ne on dramatic viaducts, passing more pretty villages and the occasional hilltop chateau. It then passes through the hills of Provence to reach Marseille. Watch for the huge viaduct over the Rh�ne just before Avignon, with views of the famous Palais des Papes in the distance to the left - though if you can spot anyone dancing sur le pont d'Avignon you have better eyesight than me. You'll see the Alpine foothills in the distance to the left, and catch a glimpse of Marseille harbour with its Chateau d'If of Count of Monte Cristo fame to the right before arriving at Marseille St Charles station. If you're bound for Cannes, Nice or Monte Carlo, the scenery along the C�te d'Azur is wonderful, as the train runs along the coast past yacht-filled harbours, beaches, rocky inlets and millionaires' villas.
The Man in Seat 61 says: "Attending a conference on the C�te d'Azur, I travelled from London to Nice by train. A morning Eurostar to Paris, lunch at the Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon, then an afternoon TGV Duplex to the South of France, with a 1st class Club Duo seat on the upper deck. Wonderful! I put my feet up & relaxed, watched the French villages of the Rhone Valley pass by, caught up on my reading & emails and watched a movie on my iPhone. To anyone who has only known the stresses of airports, flights & motorways, chilling out on a high-speed train is a revelation..."
Watch the video: On board a double-deck TGV Duplex (Paris-Nice)
Watch the video: On board a single-deck Christian Lacroix TGV (Lille-Nice)
For more photos of the train ride from Paris or Lille to Nice, see the Paris to Nice by train page.
Option 1, London to Nice via Lille
This is the easiest option as there's no need to cross Paris, just easy same-station changes at Lille & Marseille. It's ideal if you've luggage, kids or mobility problems. Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille Europe and change onto a direct TGV to Marseille St Charles by-passing Paris, then take another TGV from Marseille to Toulon, St Raphael, Cannes, Antibes or Nice. For a wider choice of departures and in many cases cheaper fares, also check out journeys via Paris in option 2 below. Tips for changing trains at Lille. Unfortunately, SNCF discontinued the daily direct Lille-Nice TGV in December 2018.
Timetable outward 2024
Timetable inward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at each grey bar.
How to buy tickets Tips for changing trains at Lille How to reach St Tropez, Monte Carlo, Juan les Pins, Menton
Always check times for your specific dates using www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, as the times shown here can vary. Don't book any Eurostar tickets until you have confirmed onward train times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
How much does it cost?
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London to Lille by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way, �78 return standard class or �97 one-way, �168 return in standard premier (1st class).
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Lille to Marseille by TGV starts at �20 each way.
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Marseille to Cannes or Nice starts at �15 each way.
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Fares vary like air fares, increasing as the cheaper seats are sold, so book ahead & look for the cheapest departures. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Lille by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Lille in 1h22, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in, as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Lille station guide & tips on changing trains.
2. Lille to the South of France by TGV
TGV or Train � Grande Vitesse is French Railways high-speed train, with 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar. They come in various types, some single-deck, some double-deck TGV Duplex, you could get either on cross-France routes from Lille. Most have power sockets at seats, most now have free WiFi. The photos below show a single-deck TGV with the Christian Lacroix designer interior. The direct TGVs from Lille by-pass Paris on a high-speed avoiding line via Charles de Gaulle Airport station. More about TGV.
Option 2, London to Nice via Paris
This is the fastest & most frequent option, if you don't mind changing trains & stations in Paris. It's usually cheaper than going via Lille, too. Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in just 2h20, change stations in Paris by metro or taxi as explained here, then take a 300 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nice in as little as 5h40. A same-station change in Lille may be easier, but you'll find a wider range of departures via Paris, and usually cheaper fares available. Why not take an earlier Eurostar and have lunch at the fabulous Train Bleu restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon before chilling out on an afternoon TGV Duplex to the Sunny South of France? For an account of the journey in pictures, see the Paris to Nice by train page.
Timetable outward 2024
Timetable inward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at the grey bar.
You don't have to book the exact Eurostar I show above as connecting with that particular TGV. Eurostar links London & Paris almost every hour, by all means book an earlier Eurostar outward or a later one back if it has cheaper fares or you want to spend time in Paris. Lunch at the Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon?
Always check times for your specific date using www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com as times can vary. Don't book a Eurostar ticket until you have confirmed onward times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December. How to reach St Tropez, Monte Carlo, Juan les Pins, Menton
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Cannes or Nice starts at �29 each way in 2nd class or �49 in 1st class.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
2. Paris to Cannes or Nice by TGV Duplex
TGV or Train � Grande Vitesse is French Railways high-speed train, with 1st & 2nd class seats, free WiFi, power sockets at all seats and a cafe-bar. The direct Paris-Nice trains are operated by double-deck TGV Duplex trains which reach 300km/h (186 mph) on the high-speed line before slowing right down to travel from Marseille to Cannes & Nice over the classic line along the coast, with great views of rocky headlands, yacht-filled bays and millionaires' villas. More about Paris-Nice TGV Duplex trains. Paris Gare de Lyon station guide.
Option 3, London to Nice by sleeper
Discontinued in December 2017 along with other popular French night trains, the French government has now restored the most important night train services as a climate-friendly alternative to flying. First to be restored, the Paris-Nice Intercit� de Nuit made a welcome return in April 2021. Take an afternoon Eurostar from central London, dinner in Paris (see my suggested restaurants here), then sleep your way south in a couchette to Toulon, Cannes, Antibes or Nice. Why not go one-way by sleeper and the other way by TGV? Watch the video.
London ► Toulon, Cannes, Antibes, Nice
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Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, normally leaving London St Pancras at 14:31 arriving Paris Gare du Nord 17:48.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include a meal with wine.
Transfer from Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare d'Austerlitz by metro or taxi as explained here.
By all means book an earlier Eurostar and have dinner at the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon before strolling across the bridge over the Seine to the Gare d'Austerlitz in good time for your sleeper south. Or try the floating restaurant Off Paris Seine, next to the Gare d'Austerlitz.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to the C�te d'Azur by Intercit� de Nuit sleeper train, leaving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 20:08 every day, arriving Toulon 07:39, St Raphael (for St Tropez) 08:33, Cannes 08:57, Antibes 09:08 & Nice Ville 09:25.
The Intercit� de Nuit has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes & reclining seats. You can book a 1st class 4-berth compartment for sole occupancy by 1, 2 or 3 people if you like. More about Intercit�s de Nuit.
Next morning it's a lovely scenic run along the coast between Toulon & Nice, past rocky headlands, millionaires' villas & yacht-filled harbours.
Nice, Antibes, Cannes, Toulon ► London
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Step 1, travel from the C�te d'Azur to Paris by Intercit� de Nuit sleeper train, leaving Nice Ville at 19:07, Antibes 19:36, Cannes 19:48, St Raphael 20:13 & Toulon 21:12, arriving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 07:53 next morning.
The Intercit� de Nuit has 1st class 4-berth couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes & reclining seats. You can book a 1st class 4-berth compartment for sole occupancy by 1, 2 or 3 people if you like. More about Intercit�s de Nuit.
Transfer from Paris Gare d'Austerlitz to Paris Gare du Nord by metro or taxi as explained here.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 11:12 arriving London St Pancras 12:30.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include lunch with wine.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Cannes or Nice by sleeper train starts at �19 in a reclining seat, �29 in a 2nd class couchette or �59 in a 1st class couchette.
If you want privacy, you can book a whole 2nd class couchette compartment for 1-6 people from �150 or a whole 1st class couchette compartment for 1-4 people from �180.
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Prices vary like air fares, rising as the cheaper tickets are sold. Children under 4 go free, without their own seat or berth.
How to buy tickets
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Book at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, both easy to use, in �, � or $, overseas credit cards no problem, small booking fee or at French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com (in �, no booking fee).
To make sure you have at least 90 minutes between trains in Paris, I'd book London to Paris (and back, if returning), add to basket, then Paris to Nice one-way, add to basket, then Nice to Paris one-way, add to basket & check out.
Otherwise the system allows as little as 40 minutes between trains in Paris, which is too tight, especially when catching a sleeper you don't want to miss.
Eurostar should always be booked as a round trip if you're returning, as Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one-ways, but Paris-Nice is one-way ticketed so it makes no difference whether you book a round trip as a return or as two one-ways. I find it easier to book one way at a time! By all means book one way by sleeper, the other way by TGV.
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Booking opens up to 4 months ahead, sometimes less for these overnight trains. You print your own ticket or can show it on your phone.
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If you want sole occupancy of a 4-berth couchette compartment for 1, 2 or 3 people, see the instructions on the Intercit�s de Nuit page.
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
2. Paris to Cannes or Nice by Intercit� de Nuit
The intercit� de nuit overnight train has 1st class couchettes in 4-berth compartments & 2nd class couchettes in 6-berth compartments, each berth supplied with lightweight sleeping-bag, mineral water, amenities kit, reading light & power socket. There are toilets & washrooms at the end of the corridor, and free WiFi. More about intercit�s de nuit. Watch the video guide. Paris Austerlitz station guide.
Option 4, London to Nice by lo-cost Ouigo
In 2013, French Railways launched a budget-airline-on-rails called Ouigo. Ouigo offers two lo-cost no-frills one-class trains a day from Paris to Cannes & Nice using special double-deck TGV Duplex trains with no catering & no 1st class. Like budget airlines, there are baggage limits and extra fees for large or additional bags. See more about Ouigo including travel tips & luggage limits and the Man in Seat 61's opinion of Ouigo.
You can use a Eurostar ticket from London to Paris plus a lo-cost Ouigo ticket from Paris to Toulon, Cannes, Antibes or Nice, as long as you allow plenty of time between trains in Paris, meaning 2 or 3 hours not the usual 1 hour you might allow with regular trains.
That's because Ouigo is a separate company (even though wholly-owned by SNCF French Railways). You'll have separate tickets for the Eurostar & Ouigo, Ouigo has no agreement in place with Eurostar to guarantee onward travel if there's a missed connection, unlike the Railteam arrangement which protects your connection between Eurostar and normal TGV InOui trains. So if Eurostar train runs late and you miss your Ouigo or vice versa. you may have to pay for a new ticket. It's your risk, which is why you should allow 2 or ideally 3 hours between trains in Paris, not one.
London ► Cannes, Nice
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Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 10:24 arriving Paris Gare du Nord 13:50, or any earlier departure.
Transfer from Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon by RER express metro as explained here.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Nice by Ouigo high-speed train, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:10 daily, arriving Toulon 20:11, Cannes at 21:27, Antibes 21:39 & Nice Ville at 21:57.
Ouigo trains are 2nd class only with no catering, so bring your own food & drink. Remember Ouigo has luggage restrictions & extra fees.
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Alternatively, you can take any evening Eurostar you like to Paris, stay overnight, then take the daily 08:22 Ouigo from Paris to Cannes & Nice.
Nice, Cannes ► London
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Step 1, travel from Nice to Paris by Ouigo high-speed train, leaving Nice Ville at 06:06, Antibes 06:22, Cannes 06:24 or Toulon 07:49, arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 11:46.
Ouigo trains are 2nd class only with no catering, so bring your own food & drink. Remember Ouigo has luggage restrictions & extra fees.
Transfer from Paris Gare de Lyon to Paris Gare du Nord by RER express metro as explained here.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 15:03 arriving London St Pancras at 16:39.
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Alternatively, you can leave Nice on the later Ouigo at 15:02 or Cannes at 15:32 arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 20:38. Stay overnight in Paris, then take any morning Eurostar you like back to London.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Cannes or Nice by Ouigo starts at just �19 each way. Plus �5 baggage fee for larger bags, see the Ouigo page for full details.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, go to www.eurostar.com and book a Eurostar from London to Paris.
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Step 2, go to www.sncf-connect.com and book Ouigo from Paris to Cannes or Nice.
This shows both Ouigo and regular TGVs so you can compare prices. Check baggage limits carefully, you may need to pay an extra fee.
Ouigo Essentiel or Ouigo Plus? If you pay the Ouigo Essentiel fare, then you can pay an extra fee to have a larger bag with you and another fee to choose a seat. If you pay the extra for Ouigo Plus, the bag fee and the seat choice fee are included, along with a faster boarding line at Paris stations and some streaming content on the WiFi.
Tip: Only credit/debit cards issues in European & certain other countries such as Australia & the USA are accepted for Ouigo bookings, but if you buy Ouigo tickets from www.thetrainline.com (which also sells Eurostar tickets and is easy to use, recommended, just a small booking fee to pay) you can pay via PayPal which gets round this, see the Ouigo page for more about Ouigo tickets.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
2. Paris to Cannes or Nice by Ouigo
Ouigo is a subsidiary company of SNCF French Railways, set up as a budget airline on rails. It uses double-deck TGV Duplex trains, but one class only, with no 1st class, no catering, airline-style baggage limits and a 30-minute check-in. More about Ouigo. Paris Gare de Lyon station guide.
Other places on the C�te d'Azur
St Tropez
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Step 1, travel from London to St Raphael using any of the options shown above.
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Step 2, travel from St Raphael to St Tropez by bus, departure every hour or two, journey time around 1h15-1h30, fare �2.10.
Buses leave St Raphael bus station (Gare Routi�re in French, right next to the railway station) and arrive at St Tropez bus station. See zou.maregionsud.fr for bus times (English selector at the bottom of the page or click menu and look for the English selector). You can use the journey planner or click menu then schedules and enter bus 876.
You can buy a ticket on the bus or use the Zou app on your phone to buy a ticket after registering for an account, see zou.maregionsud.fr.
Be warned that traffic into St Tropez in high summer can be a nightmare, with major delays. If you get a good photo of the bus, please get in touch!
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There's also a ferry twice a day from April to November, see www.bateauxsaintraphael.com - much more expensive than the bus but a lovely way to make an excursion that avoids all the summer traffic.
Juan les Pins, Villefranche sur Mer, Beaulieu sur Mer
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These all have railway stations on the Cannes-Nice-Monaco main line, served by hourly local trains, but long-distance trains don't stop there.
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For Juan les Pins, travel to Antibes as shown above and switch to a local train, these run every half hour, journey time 5 minutes.
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For Villefranche and Beaulieu, travel to Nice as shown above and change to a local train, these also run every half hour.
Monaco-Monte Carlo, Menton & Ventimiglia
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Step 1, travel from London to Nice using any of the options shown above.
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Step 2, travel from Nice Ville to Monte Carlo, Menton & Ventimiglia on the Italian border by double-deck TER regional train, these run roughly every half hour. Nice to Monte Carlo takes 21 minutes, Nice to Ventimiglia 48 minutes.
It costs only a few euros, check times & prices at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com. You can book London or Paris to Monte Carlo, Menton or Ventimiglia as one booking. But if necessary split the booking to allow enough time between trains in Nice.
Southbound, you only need to allow a few minutes to change in Nice, normal tariff TER tickets are good for any train and if your TGV is delayed there'll be another onward train in half an hour. Northbound, I'd allow at least 45 minutes in Nice when connecting into a TGV, in case of delay.
TER trains along the Cote d'Azur
Double deck TER (Train Express Regionaux) run along the coast linking Cannes, Antibes, Juans-les-Pins, Nice, Monaco-Monte-Carlo, Menton & Ventimiglia.
A double-deck TER train from Nice to Monaco & Ventimiglia at Nice Ville.
Upper deck seats. These local trains are 2nd class only.
Scenery along the coast between Nice and Monaco.
How to buy train tickets to France
You can buy train tickets to anywhere in France at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
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For hotelswww.booking.com allows you to book your accommodation before train bookings open, with free cancellation. Click here for suggested hotels in Paris.
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Option 1, buy at Raileurope.com
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Go to www.raileurope.com
Raileurope.com connects to the British & French ticketing systems, so you can buy all your tickets in one place, in plain English, in �, � or $. There's a small booking fee. You print your own tickets or can show them on your phone. Who are Raileurope.com?
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When does booking open?
Eurostar opens up to 11 months ahead. French trains usually open 4 months ahead, longer over the summer. I'd wait until all your trains are open for sale, so you can confirm times & prices before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.
There's an annual timetable change on the second Saturday in December, bookings for dates after this (including Christmas & New Year) usually open mid-October.
More about when train bookings open. You can reserve accommodation before booking your trains risk-free using www.booking.com with free cancellation.
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Fares vary like air fares, so book ahead
Fares for Eurostar & French long-distance trains vary like air fares, so book early and search for the cheapest departures. The cheapest tickets mean no refunds, no changes.
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Out one way, back another?
By all means go out one way & back another. Almost all European trains are priced one-way where a return is simply two one-ways. I usually find it easier to book one way at a time.
However, Eurostar is an exception where return fares are cheaper than two one-ways. So always book Eurostar as a London-Paris round trip or a London-Lille round trip if you can.
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How to book
You can easily travel from London to most French destinations in a day and you can book that as one seamless transaction, as shown in method 1.
Method 2 gives you more control and can cope with more complex journeys, including ones involving an overnight stop in Paris on the way out or the way back, or circular journeys.
Incidentally, there are no through tickets, you get a Eurostar ticket to Paris or Lille and separate onward French ticket. But connections across Paris or in Lille are protected by the Railteam/HOTNAT and AJC.
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Method 1
1. Set up an enquiry from London to your French destination, number of passengers, date of travel, set a suitable morning or early afternoon departure time.
2. If you're returning and will also be travelling back in a single day, enter your return date with suitable morning or early afternoon departure time.
On French trains a return is two one ways. But on Eurostar, return fares are significantly cheaper than two one ways so a round trip that includes Eurostar should always be booked as a return.
3. If you want to travel via Lille:
A same-station change in Lille is much easier than changing stations in Paris when travelling to places such as Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Cannes, Nice, Nimes & Montpellier, Le Mans, Nantes or Rennes. If going via Lille is an option, timings will be shown in the relevant section on this page.
To find journeys via Lille, click More options and enter Lille Europe as a via station leaving stopover duration as zero. Look in the search results for journeys that involve a change in Lille and which by-pass Paris. If necessary, try different departure times.
If the system refuses to show a journey via Lille that this page shows is possible, split the booking into London-Lille and Lille onwards.
For places such as Orleans, Vichy, Clermont Ferrand, Limoges & Toulouse there are no direct services from Lille so it's better to go via Paris.
4. If you want to travel via Paris:
You'll usually find a wider choice of departures and often cheaper fares via Paris.
If you're going via Paris, click More options and enter Paris Nord as a via station with stopover duration set to 1 hour (this guarantees a minimum acceptable 1 hour between trains in Paris) or 2 hours (a more robust connection, recommended) or (if you want to have lunch in Paris, perhaps at the wonderful Train Bleu restaurant) 3 hours. If you don't do this, the system may offer risky cross-Paris connections as tight as 42 minutes. Advice on crossing Paris.
5. If you want to go out via Lille, back via Paris (or vice versa), don't add any via station. Rail Europe's system is capable of offering the cheaper Eurostar return rate even if the outward journey is London-Lille and the return is Paris-London, or vice versa.
6. Run the enquiry. As a general rule, look in the search results for journeys with fewest changes, ideally 1. Add to basket.
7. Check out, paying for all tickets as one transaction.
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Method 2
First, read the relevant destination section on this page and find a train service that suits you, out & back. By all means go out one way and back another, or go outward direct, back with an overnight stop in Paris, whatever.
Note down each individual train you want to book, on what specific date. Then go to www.raileurope.com
Step 1, book your chosen train from Lille or Paris to your French destination, one-way, and add to basket.
Step 2, if you're returning, book your chosen train from your French destination to Paris or Lille, one-way, and add to basket. Confirm times.
Step 3, book the Eurostar from London to Lille or Paris & back as a round trip and add to basket.
Eurostar return fares are significantly cheaper than two one ways, so a round trip on Eurostar should always be booked as a return.
Use the suggested Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but by all means book an earlier Eurostar than the one I suggest going out, or a later one coming back, if you'd prefer a more robust connection (as I do), if the fare is cheaper, or if you want to have lunch in Paris (also me!).
Just remember that with this method, it's up to you to make sure there's at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris southbound, 90 minutes northbound (including the Eurostar check-in), ideally 2 hours. In Lille, 25 minutes is sufficient southbound, 40 minutes northbound.
Incidentally, you can't book an 'open jaw' return out to Lille, back from Paris so if you're going to use Method 2, stick to either Paris OR Lille.
Check out, paying for all tickets as one transaction.
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Travelling from the UK regions
Raileurope can book journeys starting from any British station, not just London. It allows about an hour for Eurostar check-in.
However, consider booking from London to France first, then buying a separate ticket from your local station to London. There are 2 reasons to do this: First, you might want a more robust connection between trains in London, say 2 hours. Second, Raileurope doesn't sell the special tickets to London International CIV which can sometimes save you money in the weekday morning peak, learn about these here.
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Child fares & infants
Children under 12 travel at the child rate on Eurostar and on French trains.
Infants under 4 travel free on Eurostar and French trains, no need to buy them a ticket, just bring them along. But they don't get their own seat.
Tip: You can give an infant their own seat on French TGV and Intercit�s for �9 with a Billet Bambin. Just add the infant to your booking with their correct age.
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Choose an upper deck seat on a TGV Duplex
An upstairs seat gives the best views on a double-deck TGV Duplex, these operate most services from Paris to Lyon, Avignon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice. www.raileurope.com allows you to choose upper or lower deck. Seats 11-58 = lower deck. 61-128 = upper deck.
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Sole occupancy of a 4 or 6 berth compartment on a French overnight train
On French overnight trains you can book sole occupancy of a 4-berth 1st class couchette compartment for 1, 2 or 3 people, or of a 2nd class 6-berth couchette compartment for 4 or 5 people, by paying the Espace Privatif supplement. Unfortunately, Raileurope can't sell Espace Privatif, so book with www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com instead.
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Check if a Carte Avantage will save money
French Railways have a discount card called Carte Avantage. The saving can sometimes justify the cost of the card for just one long-distance round trip, especially if there are two of you or you're a family, or at short notice when fares are high.
A Carte Avantage Adulte costs �49 for 1 year and gives you and a companion 30% off normal fares on TGVs & Intercit�s for one-way journeys at weekends, or for round trips which include a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night away, or at any time if accompanied by a child under 12, see more about Carte Avantage. Up to 3 accompanying children under 12 get 60% off. You also get discounts on many TER regional trains. There are also youth & senior versions, without the weekday restrictions.
Rail Europe can't sell tickets with Carte Avantage discount, so book with www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com instead. There's no discount on Eurostar, but you'll get any applicable discount on the French part of the journey.
To see what the saving is for your specific journey and to check if that justifies the cost of a card, go to www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com and run an enquiry without a Carte Avantage added, then run again with a Carte Avantage Adulte added to one of the adults.
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After booking, you can view & change your Eurostar seats
After you have booked a journey between London & France using www.raileurope.com, you can go to www.eurostar.com and use the Manage booking feature to view and change your Eurostar seats, see the instructions and tips for choosing seats here.
You can also download the Eurostar app and load your Eurostar booking into it using the 6-character booking reference. You can then manage your booking in the app should you need to change it.
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Train seat numbering plans: These plans may help: TGV seat numbering plans. Couchette numbering plans.
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Luggage limits on Eurostar & on French trains.
Option 2, buy at Thetrainline.com
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You can also buy tickets from London to any French destination at www.thetrainline.com.
Like Raileurope, Thetrainline connects to the Eurostar & SNCF (French Railways) ticketing systems so you can easily book all your tickets in one place, in plain English, in �, � or $ with overseas credit cards no problem. Who are Thetrainline.com?
Most of the Raileurope booking tips above also apply to booking on www.thetrainline.com.
Prices should be exactly the same on both sites, it really comes down to personal preference and a few differences explained below:
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Advantages of Thetrainline over Raileurope:
Thetrainline can sell lo-cost Ouigo trains, Espace Privatif on overnight trans & tickets with a Carte Avantage discount (if you have such a card).
Thetrainline.com lets you choose your seats from a seat map on TGVs & Intercit�s when booking a 1st class ticket. A big plus!
Thetrainline.com shows your seat or berth numbers before payment (Raileurope now only shows afterwards when it's too late) so you can check you're happy with your seats and (for example) that your family is all together in the same couchette compartment. For me, this is crucial.
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Advantage of Raileurope over Thetrainline:
Raileurope.com has one key advantage, you can specify a via station with stopover duration. This is so useful for cross-Paris journeys where you want to allow sufficient time in Paris. When using Thetrainline.com you can specify a via but not the duration so you may have to split the booking either side of Paris to get a robust connection.
Raileurope has a flat booking fee applied to the whole basket, so is better value when paying for a high-value basket containing multiple tickets, Thetrainline's fee is a small % which is a better deal when booking just one or two lower-value tickets.
Option 3, buy at SNCF-connect.com
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You can also buy tickets from London to any French destination at www.sncf-connect.com.
This is French Railways (SNCF's) own website, in �, prices the same as Raileurope & Thetrainline.
Most of the Raileurope booking tips above also apply to booking on www.sncf-connect.com.
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The advantage over Raileurope & Thetrainline is that there's no booking fee as you're dealing directly with the train operator (Eurostar is part-owned by SNCF so www.sncf-connect.com can book this too, also with no fee).
Like Thetrainline, www.sncf-connect.com lets you choose your seat from a seat map on TGVs & Intercit�s when booking 1st class.
Like Thetrainline, it shows you your seat or berth numbers before you pay, so you can check you're happy with them.
And it can sell lo-cost Ouigo trains, Espace Privatif on overnight trans and tickets with a Carte Avantage discount (if you have such a card).
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The disadvantage over Raileurope & Thetrainline is that it's a little more fiddly, but you'll get used to it.
You can't specify a stopover duration, so if you use it to book from London to a French destination all in one go, check that the time between trains in Paris is at least 60 minutes. If it's less than this, or if you want more than this for a robust connection or to have lunch in Paris, you'll need to book London-Paris and Paris onwards as two separate bookings, as per method 2.
Or have your trip arranged as a package
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Railbookers are a train travel specialist who can put together a tour, holiday or short break for you as a package with rail travel, hotels & transfers. Their website offers a range of tours, holidays & breaks to France by rail which can be customised to your requirements. As you're booking a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens to one part of the itinerary such as a strike or delay.
UK call 0207 864 4600, www.railbookers.co.uk
US call free 1-888-829-4775, www.railbookers.com
Canada call 1-855-882-2910, www.railbookers.com
Australia call 1300 971 526, www.railbookers.com.au
New Zealand call 0800 000 554 or see website
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Byway (Byway.travel) is a new UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating. If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a London-France journey for you as a package, including overnight hotels, starting from any British station you like. Byway includes package protection, Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.
To see pre-configured packages from the UK to France (even Corsica!) by train, www.byway.travel/../france-by-train.
Or they can build a trip to your requirements, call 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form. Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.
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Tailor Made Rail also offers packages from the UK to France by train which can be customised your own requirements, one-way or round trip, with any stopovers you want. Indeed, they can organise a trip for you entirely based on your own requirements, they welcome complex itineraries! As it's a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens on one part of the trip, for example, a national strike. They're TTA-protected - like ATOL, but not only for agencies that sell air travel.
Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking. From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461. Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday. Their website is www.tailormaderail.com/destinations/france.
How to buy tickets by phone
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It's better to book online to avoid additional phone booking fees and so you can see for yourself which departures are cheapest for each stage of the journey. Most ticketing agencies only work office hours on weekdays, but online booking is possible 24/7. However, if you want to book by phone, see my list of UK ticketing agencies with phone numbers & opening hours.
London to Avignon, Aix, Marseille
It's easy to travel from the UK to Avignon, Aix or Marseille by Eurostar & high-speed TGV, a chance to chill out with a good book & a glass of wine, and maybe even have lunch in Paris on the way. It's affordable too.
Which route to choose?
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Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Lille: This is the easiest option. Take Eurostar to Lille Europe, where you make an easy same-station change onto a direct TGV to Avignon, Aix or Marseille. No need to cross Paris, ideal if you've baggage, kids or mobility problems.
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Option 2, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris: This offers a wider choice of departure and often cheaper fares. Take Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, change stations by taxi or metro, then take an impressive double-deck TGV Duplex from Paris Gare de Lyon to Avignon, Aix or Marseille. How about lunch at the fabulous Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon?
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Option 3, by Eurostar & lo-cost Ouigo train. A cheap option using Ouigo, France's budget airline on rails. This can be the cheapest option, but Ouigo trains have no first class, no catering, strict baggage limits & extra fees. Connections between Ouigo & Eurostar aren't guaranteed by the Railteam arrangement if there's a delay, so you have to allow plenty of time between trains in Paris.
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Option 4, the ferry alternative: It's slower, but if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, live on the south coast or at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, it's a useful option. Travel from London to Paris by train & ferry either via Dover-Calais or overnight via Portsmouth-Caen as shown here. Then take onward trains from Paris.
Option 1, London to Provence via Lille
This is the easiest option. Take a Eurostar from London to Lille, make one simple same-station change of train at Lille onto a direct TGV to Provence, by-passing Paris. Ideal if you've luggage, kids or mobility problems. Although going via Paris gives a wider choice of departures and often cheaper fares, see option 3 below.
Timetable outward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at the grey bar.
Always check train times for your specific dates using www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, as the times shown here can vary. Don't book any Eurostar tickets until you have confirmed onward train times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
Shaded = time-effective journey with overnight stop in Lille. I suggest the Crowne Plaza EuroLille or Novotel Suites Lille Europe, both hotels are located at Lille Europe station with good reviews. By all means choose an earlier evening Eurostar and/or later morning TGV outbound, or an earlier afternoon TGV and/or later morning Eurostar inbound. |
Avignon TGV station is 3 miles from Avignon city centre & Avignon Centre station. A new rail link from Avignon TGV station to Avignon Centre station opened in 2013 and shuttle trains now run every 30-45 minutes, journey time 5 minutes, fare around �1.80. If you'd rather travel to Avignon Centre, simply specify 'Avignon Centre' when booking at www.raileurope.com and it'll add the shuttle train for an extra �1.50. Map of Avignon showing stations.
Aix en Provence TGV station is 10 miles from Aix city centre. A shuttle bus runs from Aix TGV station to Aix Gare Routi�re in the town centre every 15 minutes for most of the day, journey time 23 minutes. On arrival at Aix-en-Provence TGV, cross over to the west side of the station and leave via the Porte Sud following signs downstairs for bus. The bus stop is located on the eastbound carriageway of the D9 main road that passes underneath the station. See www.lepilote.com, it's route 40.
How much does it cost?
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London to Lille by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way, �78 return standard class or �97 one-way, �168 return in standard premier (1st class).
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Lille to Avignon or Marseille by TGV starts at �20 each way.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Lille by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Lille in 1h22, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Lille station guide & tips on changing trains.
2. Lille to the South of France by TGV
TGV or Train � Grande Vitesse is French Railways high-speed train, with 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar. They come in various types, some single-deck, some double-deck TGV Duplex, you could get either on cross-France routes from Lille. Most have power sockets at seats, most now have free WiFi. The photos below show a single-deck TGV with the Christian Lacroix designer interior. The direct TGVs from Lille by-pass Paris on a high-speed avoiding line via Charles de Gaulle Airport station. More about TGV.
Option 2, London to Provence via Paris
This is the fastest & most frequent option and also usually cheapest, if you don't mind changing trains & stations in Paris. Take Eurostar from London to Paris in 2h20, change stations in Paris by metro or taxi, then take a 300 km/h double-deck TGV Duplex from Paris Gare de Lyon to Marseille in as little as 3h05. A same-station change in Lille is easier (see option 1 above), but going via Paris offers a much wider range of departures and usually cheaper fares. Why not take an earlier Eurostar and have lunch at the fabulous Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon before boarding your TGV to the South of France?
Timetable outward 2024
Timetable inward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at the grey bar.
You don't have to book the exact Eurostar I show above as connecting with that particular TGV. Eurostar links London & Paris almost every hour, by all means book an earlier Eurostar outward or a later one back if it has cheaper fares or you want to spend time in Paris. Lunch at the Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon?
Always check times for your specific date using www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com as times can vary. Don't book a Eurostar ticket until you have confirmed onward times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
Avignon TGV station is 3 miles from Avignon city centre & Avignon Centre station. A new rail link from Avignon TGV station to Avignon Centre station opened in December 2013 and shuttle trains now run every 15-30 minutes, journey time 5 minutes, fare around �1.80. If you'd rather travel to Avignon Centre, simple specify 'Avignon Centre' when booking at www.raileurope.com and it'll add the shuttle train for an extra �1.50. Map of Avignon showing stations.
Aix en Provence TGV station is 10 miles from Aix city centre. A shuttle bus runs from Aix TGV station to Aix Gare Routi�re in the town centre every 15 minutes for most of the day, journey time 23 minutes. On arrival at Aix-en-Provence TGV, cross over to the west side of the station and leave via the Porte Sud following signs downstairs for bus. The bus stop is located on the eastbound carriageway of the D9 main road that passes underneath the station. See www.lepilote.com, it's route 40.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Aix, Avignon or Marseille by TGV starts at �20 each way.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
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Can't find any cheap tickets? Try the lo-cost Ouigo option.
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
2. Paris to Avignon, Aix or Marseille by TGV Duplex
Sit back with a glass of red and enjoy the ride - book an upper deck seat for the best views. The train is equipped with power sockets for laptops & mobiles at all seats in both classes, and a cafe-bar serves drinks, snacks & microwaved hot dishes. More about TGV Duplex. Paris Gare de Lyon station guide.
Option 3, London to Provence by lo-cost Ouigo
In 2013, SNCF (French Railways) launched a budget-airline-on-rails called Ouigo. Ouigo operates several no-frills trains a day from Paris to Lyon, Aix en Provence, Avignon, Marseille, N�mes & Montpellier using special double-deck TGV Duplex trains with one class, no catering, no 1st class. Like budget airlines, there are baggage limits and extra fees for large or additional bags. See more about Ouigo including travel tips & luggage limits and the Man in Seat 61's opinion of Ouigo.
You can use a Eurostar ticket from London to Paris plus a lo-cost Ouigo ticket from Paris to Avignon, Aix or Marseille, as long as you allow plenty of time between trains in Paris, meaning 2 or 3 hours not the usual 1 hour you might allow with regular trains.
That's because Ouigo is a separate company (even though wholly-owned by SNCF French Railways). You'll have separate tickets for the Eurostar & Ouigo, Ouigo has no agreement in place with Eurostar to guarantee onward travel if there's a missed connection, unlike the Railteam arrangement which protects your connection between Eurostar and normal TGV InOui trains. So if Eurostar train runs late and you miss your Ouigo or vice versa. you may have to pay for a new ticket. It's your risk, which is why you should allow 2 or ideally 3 hours between trains in Paris, not one.
How to buy tickets
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Step 1, go to www.eurostar.com and book a Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord from �52 one-way, �78 return.
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Step 2, go to www.sncf-connect.com and book a lo-cost Ouigo TGV from Paris to Lyon, Aix en Provence, Avignon, Marseille, N�mes & Montpellier from as little as �10 each way. Check baggage limits carefully, you may need to pay an extra fee.
Ouigo Essentiel or Ouigo Plus? If you pay the Ouigo Essentiel fare, then you can pay an extra fee to have a larger bag with you and another fee to choose a seat. If you pay the extra for Ouigo Plus, the bag fee and the seat choice fee are included, along with a faster boarding line at Paris stations and some streaming content on the WiFi.
Tip: Only credit/debit cards issues in European & certain other countries such as Australia & the USA are accepted for Ouigo bookings, but if you buy Ouigo tickets from www.thetrainline.com (which also sells Eurostar tickets and is easy to use, recommended, just a small booking fee to pay) you can pay via PayPal which gets round this, see the Ouigo page for more about Ouigo tickets.
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Some Ouigo departures leave from the Gare de Lyon in central Paris, but some go from Marne La Vall�e a 45-minute �8 RER ride outside Paris. Obviously, pick one leaving from Gare de Lyon, allowing at least 2 or 3 hours between the Eurostar arrival and Ouigo departure.
You can transfer from Paris Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon by RER express metro in about 30 minutes as explained here.
If you need to transfer to Marne la Vall�e, allow 3-4 hours between Eurostar arrival and Ouigo departure. To reach Marne la Vall�e, take RER line B from Paris Nord to Ch�telet-les-Halles, then RER line A to Marne la Vall�e-Chessy. Journey time 50 minutes, trains run every 10-15 minutes.
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Tip: In practice, I'd start with the Ouigo booking, then work backwards to find a connecting Eurostar. Do a dry run on both sites before booking for real.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
2. Paris to the South of France by Ouigo
Ouigo is a subsidiary company of SNCF French Railways, set up as a budget airline on rails. It uses double-deck TGV Duplex trains, but one class only, with no 1st class, no catering, airline-style baggage limits and a 30-minute check-in. More about Ouigo. Paris Gare de Lyon station guide.
London to N�mes, Montpellier, Carcassonne, Perpignan
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Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Lille: This is the easiest option, especially if you've lots of baggage, kids or mobility problems, as there's no need to cross Paris. Take Eurostar to Lille Europe and make a simple same-station change onto a direct TGV from Lille to N�mes & Montpelier. Change at Montpellier for Narbonne & Perpignan, although on certain days you'll find a direct TGV from Lille.
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Option 2, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris: This is the fastest, most frequent and usually cheapest option, although it involves changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi. Take Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, change stations in Paris by taxi or metro, then take an impressive double-deck TGV Duplex from Paris Gare de Lyon to N�mes, Montpelier, Narbonne or Perpignan. Change at Narbonne for Carcassonne. How about lunch in Paris at the fabulous Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon?
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Option 3, by Eurostar & sleeper train from Paris to Carcassonne or Perpignan: The most time-effective option! Runs on Friday & Sunday nights all year, and every day from July to early September. Take a late afternoon Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, then sleep in a couchette from Paris Gare d'Austerlitz to Carcassonne or Perpignan on the intercit� de nuit sleeper train.
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Option 4, the ferry alternative: It's slower than Eurostar, but if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, live on the south coast, or at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, it's an option. Travel from London to Paris by train & ferry either via Dover-Calais or overnight via Portsmouth-Caen as shown here. Then take onward trains from Paris, booked at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Lille
This is the most stress-free way to travel from London to the south of France. Take a Eurostar to Lille and make a simple same-station change of train onto a 300 km/h (186 mph) TGV direct to N�mes & Montpellier with no need to cross Paris. South of Lyon the TGV runs along the scenic Rh�ne Valley, crossing and re-crossing the River Rh�ne, flying at ground level through the hills of Provence over some breathtaking viaducts, passing pretty French villages and the occasional chateau. If you're going beyond Montpellier, watch out for your first sight of the Mediterranean coast and for the flamingos on the various �tangs (lakes) which the train passes or crosses on a causeway.
Timetable outward 2024
Timetable inward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at the grey bar.
* Runs on Fridays, also runs on some Thursdays & Sundays.
** The 05:28 from Montpellier & 05:56 from Nimes runs on Mondays and Fridays only.
Nimes Pont du Gard & Montpellier Sud de France are out-of-town stations several km from each city.
Nimes & Montpellier St Roche are in the centres.
f = this TGV arrives Lille Flandres, 500m walk to Lille Europe for the Eurostar to London.
m = The 11:28 from Carcassonne is an Intercit� direct to Montpellier Saint Roche, arriving 12:56, change at Montpellier for the TGV to Lille.
There are many other journey possibilities changing trains and stations in Paris.
Always check train times for your specific dates using www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, as the times shown here can vary. Don't book any Eurostar tickets until you have confirmed onward train times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
How much does it cost?
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London to Lille by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way, �78 return standard class or �97 one-way, �168 return in standard premier (1st class).
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Lille to Nimes, Montpellier or Perpignan by TGV starts at �29 each way in 2nd class, �49 in 1st class.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
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When using www.raileurope.com, remember to click More options and enter Lille Europe if you want to find journeys via Lille.
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Lille by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Lille in 1h22, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Lille Europe station guide & tips on changing trains.
2. Lille to the South of France by TGV
TGV or Train � Grande Vitesse is French Railways high-speed train, with 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar. They come in various types, some single-deck, some double-deck TGV Duplex, you could get either on cross-France routes from Lille. Most have power sockets at seats, most now have free WiFi. The photos below show a single-deck TGV with the Christian Lacroix designer interior. The direct TGVs from Lille by-pass Paris on a high-speed avoiding line via Charles de Gaulle Airport station. More about TGV.
Option 2, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris
Going via Paris is more frequent, usually faster and often cheaper than going via Lille, if you don't mind changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi.
If you allow an extra hour or two between trains, you can have lunch at the amazing Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon. You'll see the same great scenery along the rural Rh�ne Valley then across the South of France as taking the Lille route.
I won't list all the options here, to find train times & prices via Paris, simply run an enquiry at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
Tip: If you use Raileurope.com, you can click More options and enter Paris as a via station with a suitable stopover duration to add time for lunch or a longer stop.
For help crossing Paris by metro or taxi, see the Changing Stations in Paris page.
Option 3, by Eurostar & sleeper train
This is the most time-effective way to the Occitane region. The Paris-Perpignan-Cerb�re intercit� de nuit sleeper train was discontinued in 2016, but it was saved and reinstated in 2017, running daily in summer, Friday & Sunday nights off-season. It has 4-berth 1st class and 6-berth 2nd class couchettes. If you want to use it, here's how. More about Intercit�s de nuit.
London ► Narbonne, Perpignan, Port Vendres
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Step 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 14:31, arriving Paris Gare du Nord at 17:48.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include a meal with wine.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare d'Austerlitz.
By all means book an earlier Eurostar and have dinner at the celebrated Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon before strolling over the bridge across the Seine to the Gare d'Austerlitz for your sleeper south. Or try the floating restaurant Off Paris Seine, next to the Gare d'Austerlitz.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to Carcassonne or Perpignan by intercit� de nuit overnight train, running daily in summer (July to September) and Friday & Sunday nights in winter. It leaves Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 20:08 (the exact time may vary) and arrives Narbonne 08:31, Perpignan at 09:09, Collioure 09:34, Port Vendres 09:39 & Cereb�re 09:54.
This train has 4-berth 1st class couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes and 2nd class seats, see more about Intercit�s de Nuit here. Times may vary, so check times online for your date of travel.
You can see if it's running on your date at www.thetrainline.com, www.raileurope.com or www.sncf-connect.com, but don't look further than 2 or 3 months ahead.
Port Vendres, Perpignan, Narbonne, Carcassonne ► London
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Step 1, travel to Paris by intercit� de nuit sleeper train, running daily in summer (July to September) and Friday & Sunday nights in winter. It leaves Cereb�re at 18:59, Port Vendres 19:14, Collioure 19:19, Perpignan 19:46, Narbonne 20:35, arriving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 07:53.
This train has 4-berth 1st class couchettes, 2nd class 6-berth couchettes and 2nd class seats, see more about Intercit�s de Nuit here. Times may vary, so check times for your specific date of travel.
You can see if it's running on your date at www.thetrainline.com, www.raileurope.com or www.sncf-connect.com, but don't look further than 2 or 3 months ahead.
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Step 2, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 10:11 and arriving London St Pancras at 11:30.
Eurostar has two cafe-bars, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Standard Premier & Business Premier fares include a breakfast.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Perpignan or Cerb�re starts at �22 in a seat, �29 in a 6-berth 2nd class couchette or �59 in a 1st class 4-berth couchette.
If you want privacy, you can book a whole 2nd class couchette compartment for 1-6 people from �150 or a whole 1st class couchette compartment for 1-4 people from �180.
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Prices vary like air fares, rising as the cheaper tickets are sold. Children under 4 go free, without their own seat or berth.
How to buy tickets
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Buy tickets at www.thetrainline.com or www.raileurope.com. Click here for full details on how to buy train tickets to France.
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You can book sole or dual occupancy of a 4-berth compartment, this facility is called Espace Privatif, see details of the cost & how to buy tickets here. Espace Privatif can be booked online at www.thetrainline.com & www.sncf-connect.com, but not at other websites selling French train tickets.
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What's the sleeper train like?
The intercit� de nuit overnight train has 1st class couchettes in 4-berth compartments & 2nd class couchettes in 6-berth compartments, each bunk supplied with lightweight sleeping-bag & mineral water. More about Intercit�s de Nuit. Watch the video guide. Paris Austerlitz station guide.
London to Biarritz, Hendaye & Lourdes
There are two options, both benefitting from the opening of the extension of the Paris-Tours high-speed line all the way to Bordeaux on 2 July 2017. This knocked another hour off the journey.
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Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris. This is the most frequent and usually cheapest option. Take Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, change trains and stations, then take a TGV Duplex high-speed train from Paris Gare Montparnasse to Biarritz or Lourdes. Times via Paris are shown below, but there are seasonal variations so check times for your date online at www.raileurope.com. Why not take an earlier Eurostar and have lunch in Paris?
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Option 2, by Eurostar & TGV via Lille & Bordeaux, avoiding Paris. You can take Eurostar to Lille and travel by direct TGV from Lille to Bordeaux, with (usually) another change there. This avoids the need to change trains & stations in Paris, but it usually works out more expensive. I haven't shown this option here, but you can easily check train times at www.raileurope.com - it can help to click More options and specify Lille (any station) in the via box.
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Option 3, by Eurostar & sleeper train. An Intercit� de Nuit sleeper train runs between Paris Gare d'Austerlitz & Tarbes/Lourdes. This is the most time-effective option. I recommend dinner at the Train Bleu restaurant at the Gare de Lyon before strolling over the bridge across the Seine to the nearby Gare d'Austerlitz to catch the sleeper south. Appears to have been discontinued.
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Option 4, the ferry alternative: It's slower, but if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, live on the south coast, or at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, it's an option. Travel from London to Paris by train & ferry either via Dover-Calais or overnight via Portsmouth-Caen as shown here. Then take onward trains from Paris, booked at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
Timetable outward 2024
Timetable inward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at the grey bar.
* = This Intercit� de Nuit runs Friday & Sunday all year, may or may not run, often only opens for booking a month ahead, what a way to run a railway!
s = On Sunday mornings, the earliest Eurostar connection is at 08:12 from Paris arriving London at 09:30.
Sleeper = Intercit� de Nuit with 1st & 2nd class couchettes & 2nd class seats.
You don't have to book the exact Eurostar I show above as connecting with that particular TGV. Eurostar links London & Paris almost every hour, by all means book an earlier Eurostar outward or a later one back if it has cheaper fares or you want to spend time in Paris.
Always check times for your specific date using www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com as times can vary. Don't book a Eurostar ticket until you have confirmed onward times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Biarritz or Lourdes by TGV starts at �29 each way in 2nd class, �49 in 1st class.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
2. Paris to Southwest France by TGV Duplex Oc�ane
Almost all these trains on this route are new TGV Duplex double-deck trains with the Oc�ane interior shown here. The trains have 1st & 2nd class with free WiFi and power sockets at all seats, and a cafe-bar. More about TGV Duplex Oc�ane. Paris Gare Montparnasse station guide.
A TGV Duplex at Paris Gare Montparnasse.
TGV Oc�ane cafe-bar on the upper deck in car 4 or 14 (above left) and 2nd class seats (above right).
TGV Oc�ane 1st class seats. All 1st class seats (except the end ones) rotate to face direction of travel. There are USB & 2-pin outlets above each drop-down table.
TGV Oc�ane stairs, just 9 easy shallow steps. There are toilets & luggage racks upstairs & downstairs. Above right, luggage racks upstairs.
The TGV pauses at Bordeaux St Jean en route to Hendaye.
London to Lyon & Grenoble
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Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Lille: The easiest option. Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille Europe and make a simple same-station change onto a direct TGV to Lyon Part Dieu, with no need to cross Paris. Relax over a glass of wine as you swish past the French countryside, the green hills just north of Lyon are especially pretty. Almost as fast as flying, but far more enjoyable with no airport security queues in sight. Services with one change at Lille are shown in the timetables below. Map of Lyon showing station.
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Option 2, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris: Alternatively, you can take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, change trains and stations in Paris, and take a TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon Part Dieu. You need to cross Paris, but this route offers an almost hourly departure from London to Lyon and fares are often cheaper this way. You can stop off in Paris, if you like.
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Option 3, the ferry alternative: Slower & usually costlier than Eurostar, but if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, live on the south coast, or at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, it's an option. Travel from London to Paris by train & ferry either via Dover-Calais or overnight via Portsmouth-Caen as shown here. Then take onward trains from Paris, booked at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Option 1, London to Lyon & Grenoble via Lille
Timetable outward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at each grey bar.
Always check train times for your specific dates using www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, as the times shown here can vary. Don't book any Eurostar tickets until you have confirmed onward train times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
How much does it cost?
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London to Lille by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way, �78 return standard class or �97 one-way, �168 return in standard premier (1st class).
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Lille to Lyon by TGV starts at �20 each way.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
Using an Interrail pass
-
Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Lille by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Lille in 1h22, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Lille Europe station guide & tips on changing trains.
2. Lille to Lyon by TGV in as little as 2h57
TGV or Train � Grande Vitesse is French Railways high-speed train, with 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar. They come in various types, some single-deck, some double-deck TGV Duplex, you could get either on cross-France routes from Lille. Most have power sockets at seats, most now have free WiFi. The photos below show a single-deck TGV with the Christian Lacroix designer interior. The direct TGVs from Lille by-pass Paris on a high-speed avoiding line via Charles de Gaulle Airport station. More about TGV. Lyon Part Dieu station guide.
Option 2, London to Lyon via Paris
This is more frequent, sometimes faster and often cheaper than going via Lille, if you don't mind changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi. If you allow an extra hour or two between trains in Paris you can have lunch at the amazing Train Bleu restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon.
Train times
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Eurostar links London St Pancras and Paris Gare du Nord almost every hour taking 2h20. Change stations in Paris by metro or taxi, then TGV Duplex trains link Paris Gare de Lyon with Lyon Part Dieu every hour taking 2 hours.
I won't list the many possible departures here, to find train times and prices via Paris, simply run an enquiry at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
Always allow at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris southbound, 90 minutes northbound (as northbound you have to allow for the Eurostar check-in).
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Lyon by TGV starts at �20 each way.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
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Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
Booking for the TGV opens up to 4 months ahead, less than this when the December timetable change intervenes. Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, but I recommend waiting until your onward train times can be confirmed before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.
If making a round trip, always book London to Paris as a return journey as Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways. But Paris-Lyon return fares are simply two one-ways.
If using www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Paris as a via station with a suitable stopover duration to allow time for lunch, or simply to ensure you have an adequate time between trains.
London to Bordeaux
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Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Lille. The easiest option. Take Eurostar to Lille Europe in 1h30 and make an easy change in Lille onto a direct double-deck TGV Duplex to Bordeaux now taking as little as 4h26 with no need to change trains and stations in Paris. Relax over a glass of wine as you swish past the French countryside. However, although this avoids the need to change trains and stations in Paris, there are only a few options each day and most involve an easy 500m 6-minute walk between Lille Europe and Lille Flandres stations, as shown by the little 'f' against their departure time from Lille.
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Option 2, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris. This is the most frequent option, and often the cheapest. There are hourly Eurostars from London to Paris Gare du Nord taking 2h20, take the metro or a taxi to Paris Gare Montparnasse and hop on a TGV to Bordeaux St Jean taking as little as 2h04 since the Tours-Bordeaux high-speed line opened in July 2017. Some of these TGVs are single deck, but most are now double-deck TGV Duplex Oc�ane.
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Option 3, the ferry alternative: It's slower & usually costlier than Eurostar, but if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, live on the south coast, or at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, it's an option. Travel from London to Paris by train & ferry either via Dover-Calais or overnight via Portsmouth-Caen as shown here. Then take onward trains from Paris, booked at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Option 1, London to Bordeaux via Lille
Timetable outward 2024
Timetable inward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at the grey bar.
Always check train times for your specific dates using www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, as the times shown here can vary. Don't book any Eurostar tickets until you have confirmed onward train times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
* Lille Flandres station is an easy 500m 6-minute walk from Lille Europe Eurostar/TGV station.
Only journeys via Lille are shown here. There are many other journey opportunities changing trains and stations in Paris, check times and prices at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Shaded = time-effective journey with overnight stop in Lille. By all means choose an earlier evening Eurostar outbound, or later morning Eurostar inbound. I suggest the Crowne Plaza EuroLille or Novotel Suites Lille Europe, both hotels are located at Lille Europe station with good reviews. |
How much does it cost?
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London to Lille by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way, �78 return standard class or �97 one-way, �168 return in standard premier (1st class).
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Lille to Bordeaux by TGV starts at �29 each way in 2nd class, �49 in 1st class.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
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Tip: Using www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Lille (any station). If necessary, book London-Lille first, add to basket, then add Lille to Bordeaux..
Using an Interrail pass
-
Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Lille by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Lille in 1h22, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Lille station guide & tips on changing trains.
2. Lille to Bordeaux by TGV
TGV or Train � Grande Vitesse is French Railways high-speed train, with 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar. They come in various types, some single-deck, some double-deck TGV Duplex. Some Paris-Bordeaux TGVs are single-deck with the Christian Lacroix interior, see the photos here, most are TGV Duplex, some with the excellent new Oc�ane interior.
Option 2, London to Bordeaux via Paris
This is more frequent, sometimes faster and often cheaper than going via Lille, if you don't mind changing stations in Paris by metro or taxi. The southern section of the Paris-Bordeaux TGV line opened in July 2017, making it possible to go from central London to Bordeaux in as little as 5h45 - in fact, I travelled from London to Bordeaux and back as a day trip soon after the new high-speed line made such a thing possible. I may have been one of the first people in history to have made a day trip from London to Bordeaux by train! But why not take an extra hour or two and have a leisurely lunch in Paris on the way?
Train times
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Eurostar links London St Pancras and Paris Gare du Nord almost every hour taking 2h20. Change stations in Paris by metro or taxi, then take a TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Bordeaux St Jean taking just over 2 hours. Most Paris-Bordeaux TGVs are the new double-deck TGV Duplex Oc�ane with a cafe-bar & free WiFi.
I won't list the many possible departures here, to find train times and prices via Paris, simply run an enquiry at www.raileurope.com, Thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
I'd allow at least 1 hour 10 minutes between trains in Paris southbound, 2 hours northbound (as northbound you have to allow for the Eurostar check-in).
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Bordeaux by TGV starts at �20 each way.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
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Buy tickets at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
Booking for the TGV opens up to 4 months ahead, less than this when the December timetable change intervenes. Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead but I recommend waiting until your onward train times can be confirmed before buying a non-refundable Eurostar ticket.
If making a round trip, always book London to Paris as a return journey as Eurostar return fares are significantly less than two one-ways. But Paris-Bordeaux return fares are simply two one-ways.
If using www.raileurope.com, click More options and enter Paris as a via station with a suitable stopover duration to allow time for lunch, or simply to ensure you have an adequate time between trains.
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
London to Strasbourg
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Option 1, by Eurostar & TGV via Lille. The fastest & easiest option, taking as little as 6h15 centre to centre with one easy same-station change at Lille. It's not very frequent, however, details of the one or two daily departures are shown below.
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Option 2, by Eurostar & TGV via Paris. The most frequent option, often the cheapest. Details are not shown here as there are so many possible departures every day, it's easy to check times & prices at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com. You take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in 2h20 with departures almost every hour, it's an easy 7-minute walk to the nearby Gare de l'Est, then you take one of the frequent high-speed TGVs from Paris to Strasbourg in as little as 1h47.
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Option 3, the ferry alternative: Slower & usually costlier than Eurostar, but if you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, live on the south coast, or at short notice when Eurostar is expensive, it's an option. Travel from London to Paris by train & ferry via Dover-Calais or overnight via Portsmouth-Caen as shown here. Then take a train from Paris to Strasbourg, booked at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Option 1, London to Strasbourg via Lille
Timetable outward 2024
Timetable inward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at the grey bar.
Always check train times for your specific dates using www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com, as the times shown here can vary. Don't book any Eurostar tickets until you have confirmed onward train times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
Shaded = time-effective journey with overnight stop in Lille. By all means choose an earlier evening Eurostar. I suggest the Crowne Plaza EuroLille or Novotel Suites Lille Europe, both hotels are located at Lille Europe station with good reviews. |
How much does it cost?
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London to Lille by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way, �78 return standard class or �97 one-way, �168 return in standard premier (1st class).
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Lille to Strasbourg by TGV starts at �20 each way.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
What are the trains like?
1. London to Lille by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Lille in 1h22, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Lille station guide & tips on changing trains.
2. Lille to Strasbourg by TGV
TGV or Train � Grande Vitesse is French Railways high-speed train, with 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar. They come in various types, some single-deck, some double-deck TGV Duplex, you could get either on cross-France routes from Lille. Most have power sockets at seats, most now have free WiFi. The photos below show a single-deck TGV with the Christian Lacroix designer interior. The direct TGVs from Lille by-pass Paris on a high-speed avoiding line via Charles de Gaulle Airport station. More about TGV.
London to Limoges, Brive & Toulouse
Take Eurostar to Paris in just 2h20. There are then two rail routes from Paris to Toulouse: The classic route from Paris Gare d'Austerlitz to Toulouse via Limoges & Brive uses conventional 200 km/h (125 mph) trains. The high-speed route from Paris Gare Montparnasse to Toulouse via Bordeaux uses 300 km/h (186 mph) TGVs, this is a longer way round but it's still faster.
Timetable outward via high-speed line
Timetable outward via classic route
Timetable inward via high-speed line
Timetable inward via classic route
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: It's easy, you read downwards, each column is a journey you can take. You change trains at the grey bar.
Sleeper = Intercit�s de Nuit couchette train between Paris & Toulouse, with 2nd class 6-berth couchettes, 1st class 4-berth couchettes, reclining seats. Watch the Intercit�s de Nuit video. Times may vary.
* Monday-Saturday mornings, later trains are available if you prefer. On Sundays, the first train runs later than this, check times online.
e = First Eurostar of the day runs later on Sundays.
Trains marked TGV are high-speed TGV trains. Trains running via Limoges are 200 km/h Intercit� (formerly T�oz) trains, see photos below.
You don't have to book the exact Eurostar I show above as connecting with that particular TGV or Intercit�. Eurostar links London & Paris almost every hour, by all means book an earlier Eurostar out or a later one back if it has cheaper fares or you want to spend time in Paris.
Always check times for your specific date using www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com as times can vary. Don't book a Eurostar ticket until you have confirmed onward times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Limoges starts at �25 each way in 2nd class, �45 in 1st class.
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Paris to Toulouse starts at �29 each way in 2nd class, �49 in 1st class.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
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Tip: If you want the classic route via Limoges, click More options and add Limoges as a via station.
Using an Interrail pass
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Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
2. Paris to Toulouse by TGV Duplex Oc�ane
The high-speed trains between Paris Montparnasse and Toulouse are mostly TGV Duplex double-deckers with the Oc�ane interior shown here. The trains have 1st & 2nd class with free WiFi and power sockets at all seats, and a cafe-bar. More about TGV Duplex Oc�ane. Paris Gare Montparnasse station guide.
A TGV Duplex at Paris Gare Montparnasse.
TGV Oc�ane cafe-bar (above left) and 2nd class seats (above right).
TGV Oc�ane 1st class seats. All 1st class seats (except the end ones) rotate to face direction of travel. There are USB & 2-pin outlets above each drop-down table.
The TGV pauses at Bordeaux St Jean.
Or Paris to Limoges, Brive or Toulouse by Intercit�
Although merely 200km/h (125mph) trains not TGVs, most Paris-Limoges-Brive-Toulouse trains now use stylish air-conditioned coaches like this, with a unique interior design formerly branded T�oz. 1st class seats have power-recline and are fitted with power-points for laptops/mobiles. There's a small children's play area in 2nd class, & baby-changing room. There is usually a cafe-bar or at least a refreshment trolley service. Seat map. Paris Austerlitz station guide.
Or Paris to Toulouse by Intercit� de nuit sleeper train
The intercit� de nuit overnight train from Paris to Toulouse has 1st class 4-berth & 2nd class 6-berth couchettes, each with lightweight sleeping-bag & mineral water. More about Intercit�s de Nuit. Paris Austerlitz station guide.
London to Vichy & Clermont Ferrand
Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Nord, change stations by taxi or metro to the Gare de Bercy and catch a southbound express to the Massif Central.
Timetable outward
Timetable inward
Notes for the timetable
You don't have to book the exact Eurostar I show above as connecting with that particular TGV. Eurostar links London & Paris almost every hour, by all means book an earlier Eurostar outward or a later one back if it has cheaper fares or you want to spend time in Paris.
Always check times for your specific date using www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com as times can vary. Don't book a Eurostar ticket until you have confirmed onward times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Vichy or Clermont starts at �20 each way.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
Using an Interrail pass
-
Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
2. Paris to Vichy & Clermont by Intercit�
Although merely 125mph trains not TGVs, most Paris-Vichy-Clermont trains now use stylish air-conditioned coaches like this, with a unique interior design formerly branded T�oz. 1st class seats have power-recline and are fitted with power-points for laptops/mobiles. There's a small children's play area in 2nd class, & baby-changing room. There is usually a cafe-bar or at least a refreshment trolley service. Watch the video. Seat map. Paris Bercy station guide.
London to Le Mans, Nantes & Rennes
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Option 1, via Lille (shown below): The easiest way to reach Brittany is to take a Eurostar to Lille and make one easy change of train in Lille onto a direct TGV to Brittany. This avoids having to change trains & stations in Paris. There's one good service every day as shown below. Check times for your specific dates at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
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Option 2, via Paris: You can also travel by Eurostar to Paris Gare du Nord, change trains and stations in Paris, then take a TGV from Paris Gare Montparnasse to Le Mans, Angers, Nantes, and Rennes. This is less convenient, but there's a wider choice of departures and you'll often find cheaper fares this way. I haven't shown times via Paris here, but you can easily check times & prices at www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
Tip: When using www.raileurope.com to check times via Paris, click More options, enter Paris (any station) as a via station with a stopover duration of 1 hour. This will ensure a robust connection across Paris.
Option 1, London to Brittany via Lille
Timetable outward
Timetable inward
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables: Each column is a service you can take. You read downwards, changing trains where you come to the grey bar.
Always check train times for your specific dates using www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com, as the times shown here can vary. Don't book any Eurostar tickets until you have confirmed onward train times. Eurostar doesn't run on 25 December.
How much does it cost?
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London to Lille by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way, �78 return standard class or �97 one-way, �168 return in standard premier (1st class).
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Lille to Angers, Rennes or Nantes by TGV starts at �29 each way in 2nd class, �49 in 1st class.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
How to buy tickets
Using an Interrail pass
-
Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
What are the trains like?
1. London to Lille by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Lille in 1h22, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Standard Premier and Business Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Lille station guide & tips on changing trains.
2. Lille to Le Mans or Brittany by TGV
TGV or Train � Grande Vitesse is French Railways high-speed train, with 1st & 2nd class and a cafe-bar. They come in various types, some single-deck, some double-deck TGV Duplex, you could get either on cross-France routes from Lille. Most have power sockets at seats, most now have free WiFi. The photos below show a single-deck TGV with the Christian Lacroix designer interior. The direct TGVs from Lille by-pass Paris on a high-speed avoiding line via Charles de Gaulle Airport station. More about TGV.
London to Normandy
![]() A great way to go: Brittany Ferries' excellent ship, the Bretagne waiting to sail overnight from Portsmouth to France. |
There are two ways to reach Normandy, for example St Malo, Caen, Bayeux, St Lo, Arramanches or Cherbourg. You can travel by Eurostar and connecting trains via Paris, or you can cross the Channel by ferry with Brittany Ferries. Caen makes a good base for visiting the D-Day beaches, although to get to the beaches you'll need to use buses or hire a car.
By Eurostar
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Take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord in 2h20, take the metro or a taxi from the Gare du Nord to Paris St Lazare then a fast train to Caen (2h20), Rouen (1h30), Le Havre (2h15), Bayeux (2h20) or Cherbourg (3h20).
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at �52 one-way or �78 return in standard class, �97 one-way, �168 return standard premier (1st class).
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Paris to Caen, Rouen or Cherbourg starts at around �15 each way.
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Like air fares, fares increase as the cheaper seats are sold, so book early & shop around for the cheapest departure. Check the online booking system to see prices for your date of travel. Children under 4 go free.
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Check fares & book at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
By ferry
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To go by ferry, you take a train from London Waterloo or your local station to Poole or Portsmouth, then a taxi from the station to the port, then you cross the English Channel by ferry to Normandy.
You'll find more about the London-Portsmouth-Caen (-Paris) route here.
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Step 1, check ferry routes, times & prices using the Direct Ferries website or using www.brittany-ferries.co.uk.
Routes include Portsmouth-St Malo, Portsmouth-Caen (Ouistreham) & Poole-Cherbourg. Many ferries sail overnight with cosy cabins, allowing you to spend a full day at work on one day, sail overnight and arrive in Normandy in time for breakfast next morning.
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Step 2, check UK train times and fares from your local station to Portsmouth or Poole using www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Remember to allow plenty of time to connect between train and ferry, at least 60-90 minutes, preferably more, plus the ferry check-in time, usually 30-60 minutes depending on the ferry operator. If taking a ferry from Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port, remember the station you want is Portsmouth & Southsea, not Portsmouth Harbour, take a taxi to the ferry terminal.
If arriving at Ouistreham (the ferry terminal for Caen), there's a special bus from the ferry terminal to Caen station in central Caen which leaves after the ferry arrives and passengers disembark - it costs just a euro or two. In the return direction there's no special bus, but the last regular town bus usually leaves Caen station around 20:00 for Ouistreham town, where you can have a meal then walk to the ferry.
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Step 3, if you need trains on the French side, for example from Cherbourg or Caen to Valogne, Carentan, Bayeux, Coutances or St Lo, use www.sncf-connect.com.
Visiting the D-day beaches
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Bayeux makes a good base, as many of the tours depart from there, and it's easily reached by train from either Cherbourg, Paris or Caen (and don't forget to visit the Bayeux tapestry, showing a much earlier battle from 1066!).
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www.viator.com has a selection of tours, including ones starting in Bayeux.
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Or try these links for private or group tours of the D-Day beaches: www.overlordtour.com, www.guided-normandy-tours.com, www.normandybattletours.com, www.dday-guide.com, www.ddaybattletours.com, www.firstnormandybattlefieldtours.com. Feedback would be very welcome.
How to get to Mont St Michel
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Mont St Michel has no station, the closest station is Pontorson-Mont St Michel station about 5 miles away, bus and taxis available.
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Option 1, via Paris
Take Eurostar to Paris. You can then travel from Paris to Mont St Michel in 4h30 by regional train to Pontorson-Mont St Michel and connecting bus or taxi. Between May & September you can travel from Paris to Mont St Michel in only 3h by taking a high-speed TGV to Rennes and connecting bus to Mont St Michel. See the Train travel in France page for more details.
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Option 2, via St Malo
Sail overnight from Portsmouth to St Malo with Brittany Ferries, www.brittany-ferries.co.uk. A taxi will take 52 minutes for the 50km from St Malo ferry terminal to Mont St Michel. There's a bus from St Malo to Mont St Michel once a day May-September, see keolis-armor.com, but it leaves too early in the morning to connect off the ferry. But you could spend a pleasant day and night in St Malo before taking the bus.
London to Lille & Northern France
London to Calais & Lille by Eurostar
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Regular Eurostars link London St Pancras with Lille Europe station, an easy 800m walk from Lille city centre.
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Eurostars no longer stop at Calais Fr�thun 9 km (5 miles) outside Calais town. For Calais you will have to get off at Lille Europe, walk 500m to Lille Flandres then catch a local train to Calais.
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You can buy tickets from London to Lille Europe at www.eurostar.com. But to buy tickets to Calais via Lille, use the French Railways website www.sncf-connect.com. Tip: Use London St Pancras as your starting station, not plain London.
London to Boulogne, Etaples, Le Touquet, Amiens & Northern France
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The easiest way to reach these places is to take Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille Europe, walk 500m along the road to Lille Flandres station and take a French regional train from there.
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The good news is that www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com & www.sncf-connect.com can all book the Eurostar and the regional French train together in one place. The less good news is that none of these websites is good at identifying journey opportunities. By all means just see what train times they give you, but the best way to check train times and buy tickets is this:
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Go to the German Railways all-Europe online timetable, int.bahn.de. This system is excellent at identifying journey opportunities, even ones which involve several changes of train. You can rely on the Germans!
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Enter London and your destination, for example Boulogne, Amiens, St Quentin, Le Touquet, Montreuil-sur-Mer or Etaples, whatever.
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Find a journey option that looks convenient for you, and make a note of the trains. Some suggested journeys will have a change of train in Lille (usually involving an easy 500m walk between Lille Europe station where the Eurostar arrives and Lille Flandres station), some a change in Paris (going via Paris is a long way round, but it can sometimes be a better bet).
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Regional TER train tickets can be used on any train that day, not just the specific one you book. Eurostar & TGV tickets come with a seat reservation and can only be used on that specific train.
The train & ferry alternative
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Alternatively, you can travel from London to Calais, Boulogne, Etaples or Amiens by ordinary domestic train to Dover and ferry to Calais, see the London to Paris by train and ferry page for details.
London to the French Alps
French Alps ski resort connections![]() Dark blue line = stations served by Eurostar ski train & Rail Europe Snow Train Light blue lines = bus or taxi transfers from rail stations. |
There are two ways to reach the French Alps by train, getting your holiday off to a good start. And yes, skis and snowboards are allowed on Eurostar and French TGV & TER trains.
1. Eurostar ski train to the French Alps every winter Saturday, click here
A Eurostar ski service links London with the French Alps every Saturday from late December to February. It leaves London in the morning and arrives early evening at Moutiers, Aime & Bourg St Maurice in the French Alps, see the map opposite for the resorts it serves.
This is the easiest way to reach the Alps from London during the skiing season, and its available both to independent travellers and as part of many skiing holidays. See the Eurostar Ski Train page.
2. Daily scheduled trains to the Alps, all-year round
Alternatively, you can take regular scheduled trains running daily year-round to destinations in the French Alps. You'll find additional direct Paris-Bourg St Maurice trains on Fridays & Saturdays in the skiing season.
Timetable outward 2024
Notes for the timetable
How to read these timetables Each column is a service you can take. You read downwards, changing trains where you come to the grey bar.
Important: Trains to the Alps vary enormously by date & time of year, in fact I'd call SNCF's timetable on these routes a total mess, so use these times as an example, go and check for your own specific date of travel at www.raileurope.com, www.thetrainline.com or www.sncf-connect.com.
b = change at Bellegarde.
c = change at Bellegarde & St Gervais.
d = change at St Gervais.
e = Eurostar leaves London at 09:24 on most Saturdays.
g = change at Chamb�ry.
Les Arcs is linked to Bourg St Maurice station by a funicular railway which runs every 20 minutes.
How to buy tickets
Using an Interrail pass
-
Using an Interrail pass for a straightforward round trip from London to France usually costs more than cheap advance-purchase tickets booked a few months ahead. But if fares are expensive or you need flexibility, or you live far from London, it can be a useful alternative. How to travel to France using an Interrail pass.
French Alps ski resort connections
Dark blue line = stations served by Eurostar ski train & Rail Europe Snow Train
Light blue lines = bus or taxi transfers from rail stations.
London to Corsica
![]() Arriving in Ajaccio at sunset on Corsica Ferries Mega Express II from Nice. |
Corsica is a fantastic destination, with Mediterranean beaches, great mountain scenery and excellent hiking opportunities (check out the GR20 walking route across the island!). Corsica doesn't get overcrowded either, even in summer. The Corsican tourist office website is www.visit-corsica.com.
UK to Corsica without flying? No problem! Just take Eurostar and a high-speed TGV or overnight couchette train from London to the south of France, then a ship or fast ferry across the sunny Mediterranean to Corsica.
Two ferry companies, Corsica Linea (www.corsicalinea.com) & Corsica Ferries (www.corsica-ferries.co.uk), sail from Marseille, Toulon or Nice on the mainland to Bastia, Ajaccio on Corsica. There are also ferries from Italy (Savona & Livorno, www.moby.it). The crossing from Nice to Bastia takes 5� hours by comfortable ship. There are daily overnight ferries from Marseille & Toulon to Ajaccio & Bastia with comfortable cabins. Here are two suggested ways to reach Corsica, though naturally they aren't the only options:
London to Corsica, via overnight ferry from Marseille
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Step 1, travel from London St Pancras to Marseille St Charles, see the train times above.
Check ferry times first, make sure you have several hours ion hand in Marseille, if necessary stay overnight. Book these trains as shown above.
On arrival at Marseille St Charles station, either take a taxi to the Corsica Linea (formerly SNCM) ferry terminal, or use the Marseille Metro (www.rtm.fr) from St Charles station 2 stops to Place de la Joliette, you want line 2, direction Bougainville, and the fare is around �1.80. Place de Joliette metro station is just 50m from the entrance to the ferry terminal. You can walk from the station to the ferry terminal via Marseille's famous Vieux Port, but it's a fair old way and not an attractive or easy walk once past the Vieux Port.
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Step 2, sail from Marseille to Ajaccio or Bastia, Corsica's first and second cities respectively.
Corsica Linea (www.corsicalinea.com, successor to defunct state-owned SNCM) sails overnight daily to both cities. Sailing times vary, but the ship usually sails from Marseille at around 19:00-21:00 arriving Bastia or Ajaccio around 07:00-08:00. Cabins have en suite toilet & shower, and even satellite TV if you don't mind watching Midsomer Murders in French!
The best way to book the ferry is online at www.corsicalinea.com, you simply print out your own ticket and show it at the port, or you can book most ferry routes & operators to Corsica on the Seat61 online ferry booking page. Alternatively, you can book by phone with their UK agent, Southern Ferries, on 020 7491 4968.
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In the return direction, there are daily overnight ferries from both Ajaccio & Bastia to Marseille. Allow at least 2 hours next morning to make the connection in Marseille, then choose one of the TGV and Eurostar services from Marseille to London shown above. You'll arrive in St Pancras in the early evening, less than 24 hours after leaving Corsica.
London to Corsica, via Corsica Ferries' afternoon sailing from Nice
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Step 1, travel from London to Nice by daytime trains and spend a night and morning in Nice. See the train times & fares above, and book the trains online as shown above. Spend the morning exploring Nice. At lunchtime, walk or take a taxi past the Old Town and around the headland to Nice's old port from where the ferries leave.
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Step 2, Corsica Ferries (www.corsica-ferries.co.uk) have a more or less daily afternoon sailing from Nice to Bastia, and on some days another one to Ajaccio, leaving Nice around 14:00-15:00 and arriving in Bastia or Ajaccio around 19:30-20:30 (all on day 2 from London). Top tip: Even though it's a daytime ferry, spend an extra �30 on a private day cabin, so you can snooze, take a shower and freshen up. Corsica Ferries ships are modern and very comfortable. The easiest way to book the ferry is online at www.corsica-ferries.co.uk, you simply print out your own ticket and show it at the port, or you can book most ferry routes & operators to Corsica on the Seat61 ferry booking page. The price varies depending on the season.
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In the return direction there's normally a morning sailing from Bastia (and on some days Ajaccio) to Nice, leaving around 08:00. Stay overnight in Nice then travel to London via Paris or via Lille, see the train times & fares above.
Holidays from the UK to Corsica, by train & ferry
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If you'd rather leave all the organisation to someone else, rail travel specialists www.railbookers.co.uk (0207 864 4600) can tailor-make a holiday to Corsica by train & ferry for any length of time, leaving on any date you like, using a variety of train & ferry options.
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Byway (Byway.travel) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating, they can sort a holiday to Corsica by train & ferry. Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning, on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.
To see pre-configured packages from the UK to France (including Corsica) by train, www.byway.travel/../france-by-train.
Or they can build a trip to your requirements, call 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form. Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.
Train travel in Corsica: Ajaccio, Corte, Bastia, Ile Rousse, Calvi...
A delightfully scenic narrow-gauge train links Bastia, Ponte Leccia, Corte, Vizzavona & Ajaccio (four trains per day), with a branch from Ponte Leccia to Ile Rousse & Calvi (two trains per day). The line winds right up through Corsica's dramatic central mountains, which explains why the 152km from Ajaccio to Bastia takes 3� hours! Highly recommended, although it can get hot and crowded in summer. It's run by French Railways (SNCF) though is branded CFC - Chemins de Fer de la Corse. For a route map and timetables, see official site cf-corse.corsica or unofficial site Chemins de Fer de la Corse. You may find more up-to-date timetables, as well as bus timetables, at independent website www.corsicabus.org. Nw air-conditioned trains with panoramic windows are now in service, linking Bastia & Ajaccio in under 3 hours at up to 100 km/h even on Corsica's narrow metre-gauge tracks.
London to other destinations in France
You can get to just about anywhere in France by train from London. Dijon, Reims, Clermont Ferrand, Versailles, Orleans, Blois, and so on.
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Go to www.raileurope.com or www.thetrainline.com.
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You can book from London to your final destination in one go. Look for journeys with an easy-same-station change in Lille if there are any shown. If you are offered this option, it's simpler than crossing Paris.
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However, for journeys via Paris, it's often better to split the journey in Paris as follows. This is so you can allow longer in Paris for a meal, or if an earlier Eurostar has cheaper fares available, it also allows you to avoid some sub-standard 40-minute cross-Paris connections which have unfortunately been pre-programmed into SNCF's database. I recommend nothing less than 60 minutes for any cross-Paris connection between Paris Nord and Paris Gare de Lyon.
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Step 1, book from Paris to your final destination at www.thetrainline.com. Step 2, allowing at least 60 minutes to cross Paris southbound, 90 minutes northbound (as this includes the 30 minute Eurostar check-in), book from London to Paris and back at www.eurostar.com. You can choose an exact seat on Eurostar if you book this way too, see tips on choosing a seat here.
Using an Interrail pass
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Pass or point to point?
Let's be clear, a pass will not save money over the cheaper point-to-point advance-purchase fares you normally see when booking a few months ahead. But when point-to-point fares are expensive (for example, at short notice) OR you want flexibility, for example the ability to change your mind, re-route or reschedule at will, you can travel from anywhere in the UK to anywhere in France & back using an Interrail pass.
If flexibility is what you want, buy the pass. If it's about saving money, you'll have to check point-to-point prices and do the maths.
It's worth doing the maths if you are under 28, if you have kids (kids get a free pass when accompanying an adult but still need to pay reservation fees) or if you live a long way from London (as a pass covers you from your home station to London).
Passes are available in 1st & 2nd class. By all means go out one way, back another, with an Interrail pass you can use almost any of the trains & routes shown on this page. For a tour of France, an Interrail pass is less risky than stack of inflexible advance-purchase tickets.
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How to use a pass for a trip to France
Step 1, buy a 4-days in 1-month Interrail pass from www.raileurope.com (click Rail passes and select Europe) or www.interrail.eu. You load the pass into the Railplanner app on your phone. See pass prices on the Interrail page.
4 days is the shortest pass period available, it's sufficient to get from almost anywhere in mainland Britain to anywhere in France & back. By all means buy a longer period pass for a more extensive trip.
A 4-day pass gives you unlimited train travel on any 4 dates you choose in an overall 1 month period. The first travel day can be any date you select in the 11 months after buying the pass. The 1 month period starts from that date. Learn about how Interrail passes work here.
Incidentally. you're only allowed 2 days of travel in your home country. Eurostar counts as travel in Britain for us Brits. So if (for example) you wanted to go Inverness to Nice, you have to go Inverness to Paris on the first day and Paris-Inverness on your last day. You can't stop overnight in London as that would clock up 4 days travel in Britain and you're only allowed 2. More about inbound/outbound days here.
Step 2, you need to buy a Eurostar passholder ticket from London to Lille or Paris & back, see prices & how to make Eurostar passholder reservations. Tip: Eurostar passholder availability is limited, so check availability before buying a pass.
Step 3, you need a reservation for each high-speed TGV or Intercit� you take in France and for couchettes on Intercit�s de nuit, see prices here. You can make these reservations online using the official Interrail reservation service. Interrail is not valid on Ouigo lo-cost trains.
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The Train Bleu restaurant, Gare de Lyon
I highly recommend eating at the famous and remarkable Train Bleu restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon, on the main concourse, see the Train Bleu restaurant page for more details.
Or at the Gare du Nord, the Brasserie Terminus Nord
If you'd like a decent meal near the Gare du Nord rather than the Gare de Lyon, try the typically French Brasserie Terminus Nord (www.terminusnord.com), directly across the road from the front of the Gare du Nord. It's good quality French cuisine in classic Parisian brasserie surroundings, famous for its oysters and seafood. Main dishes cost around �18-�24.
Holidays & short breaks by train
Several good companies organise holidays & short breaks to France by Eurostar & TGV, with no airport hassles and no days spent in cramped coaches on motorways.
Short breaks to Paris or Lille
Plenty of companies offer combined Eurostar+hotel deals for an economical short break in Paris or Lille. There are times when a combined Eurostar+hotel offer can be cheaper than a normal Eurostar ticket! Try:
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www.lastminute.com - short breaks to Paris
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www.railbookers.co.uk - tailor-made breaks to Paris and cities all over France
Railbookers,
railbookers.co.uk
Railbookers can tailor-make a flight-free holiday or short break to France for you, with train travel, transfers & hotels included, leaving on any date you like. For example, they offer a 2-night break to Avignon or a 6-night holiday to Nice & Cannes with daytime train travel by Eurostar & TGV. If you tell them what you want, they'll advise you on the best trains, routes & hotels and sort it all out for you. They get a lot of repeat business!
UK call 0207 864 4600,
www.railbookers.co.uk.
US call free 1-888-829-4775,
see website.
Canada call free 1-855-882-2910,
see website.
Australia call toll-free 1300 971 526,
see website.
New Zealand call toll-free 0800 000 554 or
see website.
Byway,
byway.travel
Byway (byway.travel) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating. If you're nervous about booking train travel yourself, they'll book a UK-France trip for you as a package, including overnight hotels, starting from any British station you like. Byway includes package protection, a 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and on-demand WhatsApp support while you're away.
To see pre-configured packages from the UK to France (even Corsica!) by train, www.byway.travel/../france-by-train.
Or they can build a trip to your requirements, call 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form. Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.
Tailor Made Rail,
tailormaderail.com
Tailor Made Rail offers packages from the UK to France by train which can be customised your requirements, with any stopovers you want. As it's a package, they'll take care of you if anything happens on one part of the trip, for example, a national strike. They're TTA-protected, which is like ATOL, but not just for agencies that sell air travel. Website www.tailormaderail.com/destinations/france.
Call their dedicated seat61 phone line 020 3778 1461 and quote seat 61 when booking. From outside the UK call +44 20 3778 1461. Lines open 09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday.
Car hire![Car Rentals in France](images2/carrentals.jpg)
Car hire comparison: www.carrentals.co.uk
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The award-winning website www.carrentals.co.uk compares many different car hire companies including Holiday Autos, meaning not only a cheapest price comparison but a wider choice of hire and drop off location.
European Rail Timetable & maps
The
European Rail Timetable
(formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable)
has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus
currency & climate information. It is essential
for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair
travellers. Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of
publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing
department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and
resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.
You can buy it online at
www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or
www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).
More information
on what the European Rail Timetable contains.
Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south. Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted. See an extract from the map. Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).
Guidebooks
Paying
for a guidebook may seem an unnecessary expense, but it's a
tiny fraction of what you're spending on your whole trip.
You will see so much more, and know so much more about what
you're looking at, if you have a decent guidebook. I
recommend the Lonely Planet or Rough Guides as the best ones
out there for independent travellers. Click the images
to buy the books - if you buy anything at
Amazon
through these links, Seat61.com gets a small commission (at no
extra cost to you) to help support the site. My own
book, an essential handbook for train travel to Europe based
on this website called "The
Man in Seat 61", was first published in June 2008 and
revised April 2010, and is available from Amazon with
shipping worldwide.
Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk
Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website, from around �2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.
Hotels in France
A special hotel for a short break in Paris
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There are the obvious choices such as the famous (and expensive) Paris Ritz in the Place Vend�me, founded by the Swiss hotelier C�sar Ritz & French chef Auguste Escoffier in 1898. Anyone who's anyone has stayed here, from Hemingway to Princess Diana.
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And the equally famous & expensive Le Meurice, which Von Choltitz made his headquarters during the occupation of Paris in WW2. It was at Le Meurice where Von Choltitz took the call from his F�hrer demanding to know "Is Paris burning?"
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But if for a special hotel for a luxury break or romantic weekend, I'd recommend the small, sumptuous, intimate L'Hotel, on the bohemian left bank, walking distance from the Seine, the Ile de la Cit� & Notre Dame.
Playwright Oscar Wilde spent the last days of his life here in room 16, famously quipping, "My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or the other of us has to go.". Fortunately the wallpaper is now all in very good taste (Mrs 61 & I had to room next to Oscar's). The hotel has been used by many famous people since then, from Sinatra to Mick Jagger. Rooms are on the cosy side, but they are beautifully decorated and have character that bigger and flashier hotels lack. Check prices & book a stay at l'Hotel.
Hotels near Paris stations
Hotels close to the Gare du Nord
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The 25 Hours Terminus Nord would be my first choice for a stay between trains, a big 3-star hotel directly across the road from the Gare du Nord. Formerly the Mercure Terminus Nord, it's been refurbished in a decidedly funky style and gets great reviews - I've had great feedback from Seat61 users too.
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The Libertel Gare du Nord Suede is 5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 2-star.
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You could also try the Art Hotel (3-star); Avalon Hotel (2-star); Hotel Cambrai (5 min walk from Gare du Nord, 1-star).
Hotels close to the Gare de l'Est
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The Libertel Gare de l'Est Fran�ais is directly opposite the station, 3-star;
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The OKKO Hotels Paris Gare de l'Est is alongside the station, on the side closest to the Gare du Nord,
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Libertel Gare du Nord Suede is 350m from the Gare de l'Est, 2-star;
Hotels close to the Gare de Lyon
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The Mercure Paris Gare De Lyon is part of the station complex itself, ideal if you've an early train next morning. It receives over 8/10 in reviews for staff, comfort & cleanliness. It gets less than 8 for facilities and room size, but that's not as important for one night between trains.
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The Citizen M Hotel gets great 8/10 or better reviews on all counts, close to 9/10 on some and I've had great feedback from seat61 users too. It's 160m 2-minute walk from the station. 4-star.
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Also try the Hotel Terminus Lyon (right in front of the station, 3-star); Novotel Paris Gare de Lyon (opposite the station, 4-star); Hotel 26 Faubourg (5 min walk from Gare de Lyon, 2-star).
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There aren't many cheap places around the Gare de Lyon, try the Hotel Ibis Styles Gare de Lyon across the road. If you're prepared to walk a bit, try the Libertel Austerlitz Jardin des Plantes as this is significantly cheaper but still with a 8+ review score, a 13-minute walk across the river Seine past the Gare d'Austerlitz.
Hotels close to the Gare Montparnasse
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The Mercure Paris Gare Montparnasse is 150m from the Gare Montparnasse, 4-star;
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The Best Western Sevres Montparnasse is 15 minute walk from the Gare Montparnasse, 3-star;
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La Maison Montparnasse is 10 min walk from the station, 2-star;
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The Hotel du Maine is 5 min walk from the station, 2-star.
Entrance to the Mercure Hotel at the Gare De Lyon, right next to the station's famous clock tower. Handy for early trains!
Backpacker hostels:
www.hostelworld.com
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in Paris and most other European cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & other tips
Always take out travel insurance
You should take out travel insurance with at least �1m or preferably �5m medical cover from a reliable insurer. It should cover trip cancellation and loss of cash & belongings up to a reasonable limit. These days, check you're covered for covid-19-related issues, and use an insurer whose cover isn't invalidated by well-meant but excessive Foreign Office travel advice against non-essential travel. An annual policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here. Here are some suggested insurers, I get a little commission if you buy through these links, feedback always welcome.
www.staysure.co.uk
offers enhanced Covid-19 protection and gets 4.7 out of 5 on
Trustpilot.
www.columbusdirect.com is also a well-know brand.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a European mobile data package and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. There's no need to buy a physical SIM card! Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.
Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, �500 per month as I write this. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards. And you can get a Curve card for free.
How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than getting a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you �5 cashback through that link.
Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When travelling you may use free public WiFi which is often insecure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using this link you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I also get some commission to help support this site.
Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, hotel bookings and Interrail or Eurail passes are often now held on your mobile phone. You daren't let it run out of power, and you can't always rely on the phone's internal battery or on being near a power outlet. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or buy from Amazon.com.
Touring cities? Use hill walking shoes!
One of the best things I've done is swap my normal shoes for hill-walking shoes, in my case from Scarpa. They're intended for hiking across the Pennines not wandering around Florence, but the support and cushioning for hiking works equally well when you're on your feet all day exploring foreign cities. My feet used to give out first and limit my day, now the rest of me gives up before they do!