Rail Travel
Letting the train take the strain.
Whether your travel plans include Hogwarts or Disneyland-Paris, a train may be the answer. With all the travel options available today, it can be difficult to decide which one to choose. The budget airlines have had the lion’s share of the market for a long time, and some prefer to take the family car on a ferry crossing, but increasing numbers are opting for rail travel. The Channel Tunnel and Eurostar have opened up an efficient and speedy way to get to Europe.
Ski Trains to the Alps
The Eurostar Ski Train offers a choice of Night or Day departures to Aime La Plagne, Bourg St Maurice and Moutiers which speed to the heart of the Alps and are all within reach of many great ski mountains.
Air travel will always be the obvious choice for long distance travel, but what about the shorter distances, weekend getaways or city breaks? Trains can fill the gap and the high speed services can make it even faster than flying. Taking into account the hassle of driving to an airport, paying to park the car, taking a bus to the terminal and then waiting in long queues, flying may not always be the best option for a quick hop over to Europe. Plus arrival time at the airport to check in for flights is much longer than it used to be.
In these days when we should all be concerned about carbon emissions and green travel, it is worth noting that many of the trains in Europe use less fuel than planes and provide a more green-friendly option than taking the family car.
Many travellers dread the thought of driving in European cities anyway, where sanity and rules of the road don’t seem to exist. Why spoil a trip with stress and headaches when it is so easy to sit back and watch the world go by from a comfortable train seat? There are great deals to be found with European Rail Passes, especially if purchased well in advance. The EuropeanRailGuide is a good resource for rail travel and a choice of passes.
The Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel provides for a very speedy and efficient way to the Continent. Eurostar provides rail services from London via the Tunnel to Paris, and Brussels and links on from there to many other destinations. Travelling at speeds of around 300km/186mph, means it is possible to be strolling the Champs-Elysées, or dining in style in Brussels in a little over two hours! The Eurostar currently makes 17 trips a day to Paris and 10 to Brussels. Unlike check-in times at airports, Eurostar normally requires a check-in of just 20 minutes before departure (although that would be cutting it a bit close for many tastes). Another advantage of Eurostar which many travellers may forget is the connection with Kent via Ashford International and Ebbsfleet.
Eurostar offers services to suit all budgets too. The trains all have a buffet car and licensed bar. Other than the normal Standard Service, there are two other services available on Eurostar: On the London-Paris route Premium First provides a special carriage and excellent service, and First Class includes complimentary food and drinks for the journey. Eurostar tickets can be booked up to 120 days in advance.
EuroTunnel
A fast and efficient way of taking your car to the continent.
Eurostar
Channel Tunnel rail travel between London, Brussels, Paris and Beyond.
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