Originally Posted by
Mizter T
The cheapest two tiers of Eurostar return fares for London-Paris are £69 and £99 - for Seniors (60+) and Youths (12-25) they're £55 and £60, and for children (4-11) they're £49 and £50.
Eurostar tickets go on sale 120 days in advance, though cheap fares can still be found closer to the departure date (especially if one's willing to travel out on the v. early trains), so if one manages to snag a cheap ticket it need be that expensive a day out, at least not in terms of travel costs.
It seems there is (or was until recently) a £79 return for standard ages (I think £70-ish for seniors), as that's what I booked for when my mom was here last week. We did spend one night in Paris, taking the 0653 over one day and the 2113 (or somewhere thereabouts) back the next day. I agree that even though London (and more generally the surrounding area) has tons to offer, it can be nice to head across the Channel for those who are making what might be a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe. My mom and her friend were exhausted after a whirlwind eight days that included the London Eye, hop on/hop off bus, riverboat from Greenwich to Westminster, two days in Paris (including top of Eiffel Tower at night), British Museum, Windsor Castle, Tower of London, National Gallery, and Stratford-upon-Avon (including Macbeth at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre). Sure, we could have fit in more in London/the Southeast (or even a jaunt to Wales) without the Paris excursion, but I think this was a nice blend that left this 29-year-old almost as worn out as the 62- and 73-year-olds who were visiting.