Everything you need to know about travelling by Eurostar
The train service which connects Britain to France offers one of the easiest ways to reach mainland Europe from the UK.
But what are the nuts and bolts of travelling by Eurostar?
Here we answer the top questions for holidaymakers crossing the Channel by train this summer, from planning your journey and buying tickets to the amenities on board and departure times.
Planning
Where does the Eurostar go?
Five core cities can be reached via direct train from London – two in France (Paris and Lille), two in the Netherlands (Amsterdam and Rotterdam) and one in Belgium (Brussels).
Eurostar (eurostar.com) also lets travellers book trains to a range of onward destinations. The “Any Belgian Station” ticket does as its name suggests – allowing you to connect to any stop on the Belgian rail network (excluding Brussels Airport, for which an extra fee applies, but including Antwerp, Bruges and Liège) once you have arrived in Brussels.
Similarly, while you can no longer book a non-stop service from London to Disneyland Paris at Marne-la-Vallée (this option was pulled from the timetable in June 2023), the Eurostar website lets you buy a one-change (generally in Lille) ticket to the land of Mickey Mouse. Other onward destinations in France are Lyon, Avignon and Strasbourg. One-change trains to German cities Cologne, Aachen and Düsseldorf are also available.
In addition, the Eurostar Sun service dashes down to the south of France (Valence, Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille) during summer (June to August; dates vary annually) – with the caveat that trains depart from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels, but not from the UK.
However, the Eurostar Snow train does set off from London (services between December and February; again, dates change annually), bound – via Lille – for the ski resorts of the French Alps.
To be exact, the stations at Chambéry, Albertville, Moûtiers-Salins-Brides-les-Bains, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-Saint-Maurice.
How far ahead can you book?
Tickets are available six to eight months in advance of departure.
How much do Eurostar tickets cost?
The price is the same for the five core destinations. One-way tickets start at £39, whether you are travelling to Paris, Lille, Brussels, Rotterdam or Amsterdam. They can, though, be more expensive.
Eurostar offers three price categories – Standard, Standard Premier and Business Premier (to be rebranded as, respectively, Eurostar Standard, Eurostar Plus and Eurostar Premier from Nov 4 this year). One-way fares cost from £275 a head in the upper bracket (for Paris, Lille and Brussels; Premier fares to the Netherlands start at £290).
How can I get cheap tickets?
As with airfares, booking ahead is advisable. Prices are higher if you buy at short notice.
When are the quietest and busiest times to travel?
As with air travel, departures at sociable hours are usually more popular than those at the start or the end of the day. This is also reflected in Eurostar’s pricing.
Tickets for the early or late trains (the first train from London to Paris generally departs at 6.01am; the last of the day at 8.01pm) tend to be cheaper than those that leave at midday, or in the afternoon.
Can pets go on the Eurostar?
No. Pets are not allowed on Eurostar trains in and out of London, or Eurostar Snow and Eurostar Sun services. Guide dogs and support animals can travel (for free) on all routes. Eurostar asks that passengers contact them at least 24 hours in advance, to arrange access.
However, pets are allowed on Eurostar trains which start and terminate within mainland Europe (this does not include the Lille-Brussels legs of services in and out of London). Smaller pets (those which fit into a carrier of a maximum 45x30x25cm) can travel for free; larger dogs require their own ticket (€30 [£26] each way; these can be purchased from on-board staff).
On the journey
From where, and when, does the Eurostar depart?
London St Pancras International – in central London – is the sole departure point for Eurostar trains in the UK. Trains do not currently stop at the two Kent stations that were once part of the timetable. Services halting at Ashford and Ebbsfleet International were indefinitely suspended in 2020 (though a resumption in 2025 has been vaguely mooted).
Departure numbers vary from day to day, but travellers can generally expect up to 15 direct trains a day to Paris, 10 to Brussels, eight to Lille, and four to the two Dutch cities.
How early should you arrive at the station?
Brexit, and the need for in-person passport checks, has lengthened the departure process for passengers – but you do not need to turn up at St Pancras quite as early as you would at an airport. Eurostar advises you to arrive 90 minutes prior to your scheduled departure.
Do Eurostar trains have Wi-Fi?
Yes. For free, as part of your fare.
What is the luggage allowance on Eurostar trains?
On all Eurostar trains, there is no weight limit on luggage – but you must be able to transport your bags safely and store them in dedicated areas. Official advice suggests a bag can be no larger than 85cm long at its widest point. If travelling with bulky items, such as skis, you can book dedicated space for them.
The amount of luggage you can take on board varies. On services travelling to and from London:
In Standard and Standard Premier, the allowance is two pieces of luggage and one piece of hand luggage.
In Business Premier, the allowance is three pieces of luggage plus one piece of hand luggage
And in all travel classes, children can take one piece of luggage and one piece of hand luggage
Can you take liquids on to a Eurostar train?
Yes. Although airport-standard security checks, including baggage screening, are in force at all Eurostar stations, there are no restrictions on carrying liquids with you on the train.
What facilities are on board?
All trains have a buffet car (branded the “Eurostar Café”).
