Recently, my partner and I traveled from London to Paris for a short trip to one of the world’s most romantic cities.
We chose to get there by Eurostar train since it would only take two-and-a-half hours. As this was a special occasion — our 10-year anniversary — we upgraded to Eurostar Plus, paying a total of $395 for our two roundtrip tickets.
Our mid-tier Eurostar Plus tickets came to about $99 each way. Prices vary greatly by time and demand, but I’ve seen the basic standard tickets cost between $6 and $140 less each way.
Here’s what our trip was like and why I’m glad we upgraded.
First of all, I think rail travel is superior to traveling by plane in just about every way.
Flights from London to Paris take only about an hour and 20 minutes, which is technically shorter than the two-and-a-half-hour train ride.
But I still think the train is more efficient once you factor in the time it takes to get through security and passport control at the airport, walk to the departure gate, and board the plane.
Really, I’d take the Eurostar over a flight any day of the week.
Consider, too, the cost. A round-trip flight from London to Paris would’ve cost us about $332 per person, so our journey could’ve been $269 more had we flown.
Plus, our luggage allowance on the train was far more generous, and I didn’t have to worry about all the overhead bins being too full to fit my bag.
We also weren’t beholden to strict rules about how much liquid we could bring on board. We took our own drinks on the train and even sipped coffee through security checks. Our takeout cups were sent through the scanner in handy cup holders.
Check-in was fast, so I was glad we’d brought a deck of cards to help pass the time.
We breezed through passport and luggage checks in just 12 minutes, which I don’t think I’ve ever managed at an airport. But there was next to nothing to do on the other side of the barrier beyond trying to find empty seats, which were scarce.
We wished we’d spent longer exploring St Pancras International station before scanning our tickets and passing through the Eurostar gates, as there’s no turning back once you’re inside.
Architecturally, St Pancras is surely one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. It’s packed with shops, cafés, and restaurants, including Europe’s longest Champagne bar and outposts of upmarket London stores like Fortnum & Mason and Hamleys.
If you plan to get to your train early, I suggest you bring something with you to keep you occupied while waiting to board. We played cards for almost an hour before our platform was called.
Once on board, we quickly relaxed.
After a warm welcome from staff, we located our reclining seats, marveled at the legroom, and adjusted the resizable table between us so I could win another round of Rummy.
It was easy to relax in this spacious carriage. The seat configuration is well-designed to maximize privacy, with plenty of single seats for solo travelers who prefer not to have neighbors.
We booked seats facing each other with a single table between us, but there were also double tables surrounded by four seats for families and small groups.
We used the free, mostly reliable onboard WiFi to book Rodin and Picasso museum trips for the next two days and charged our phones using the handy outlets at our seats.
Surprisingly, there was some scenery to gaze at.
Many don’t expect to see beautiful scenery on this journey because it goes through the undersea railway tunnel that links England and France.
But we only spent 20 minutes below ground in the Channel Tunnel.
Otherwise, we enjoyed the green Kent countryside, expansive French farmland past Calais, and the industrial “vistas” on both sides of the train.
The onboard food offerings exceeded all our expectations.
Our food and drinks were served minutes after we’d started moving.
Our meal was included in our mid-tier rail fare, but standard passengers can buy food and drinks on board. Premier passengers can expect fine dining — think three-course meals with bubbly.
Because I’ve seen too many airplane meals that appear to have been designed for deep-space explorations, I had low expectations of the “light meal” that would be served on the train.
Instead, I was really pleasantly surprised. The menu changes seasonally, and according to Eurostar’s website, the dishes are made using ingredients sourced from local farmers, growers, and producers.
My partner ordered the sweet-potato falafel, grilled zucchini, hummus with Moroccan spices, and a spelt, corn, and scallion salad. His dessert was a white-chocolate cheesecake with blackcurrant compote. My prebooked gluten-free meal was tender chicken with a chickpea salad followed by a fruit cup.
We were delighted once we tasted the food: What it may lack in presentation, it more than makes up for in flavor. Plus, it was served with real cutlery and glassware.
Beer, wine, and soft drinks were also on offer, and we chose mini bottles of a quaffable Syrah. Just-about-drinkable coffee and tea were served after our meal.
Our train took us right into a famous terminal in Paris.
Our journey was over in two hours and 23 minutes.
Because the train goes right into the famous Gare Du Nord terminal in central Paris, some travelers may be able to save money on pricey transfers.
As we’d only brought backpacks for our short stay, we exited the station and enjoyed a leisurely, meandering 50-minute stroll to our hotel in the 3rd Arrondissement.
This felt like a far better way to immerse ourselves in the sights and sounds of the city than taking the Metro.
Overall, the upgraded train experience was well worth the extra money.
The pricier top-tier class — Eurostar Premier — offers added perks, the best being that tickets are exchangeable and refundable with no fee up to 48 hours after departure. Ticket holders can also access exclusive lounges, skip the queues with priority ticket gates, and take more luggage on board.
But those perks don’t come cheap: Eurostar Premier ticket costs for this route are over $319 per person one-way at the time of writing. That’s far more expensive than the mid-tier Eurostar Plus class we traveled in, which can start at about $91 one-way.
Upgrading to Eurostar Plus really enhanced our trip for a reasonable cost. Plus there’s still flexibility for Plus passengers who can change their ticket as many times as they want with no fee up to one hour before travel.
We loved the sense of space and privacy in the carriage, the stress-free boarding process, and the experience of being served wine and food at our seats.
This trip won me over. Our train ride felt more like a travel experience than just a mode of transportation to get us from point A to B.
And if you time your ticket right and travel at a cheaper time, you can upgrade from standard to Eurostar Plus for about the price of a cup of coffee.
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