exilencfc

Has anyone tried throwaway ticketting a DB London Spezial as a way of getting cheap Eurostar tickets? Though at that time of year the London Spez presumably sells for more than its minimum price.

stut

Not for Paris - although it does work for Brussels.

For Paris, I usually go down the Disneyland (well, MLV Chessy) route if desperate - although I generally avoid actually travelling on the direct trains. There are connecting services available via Lille, and these are usually very keenly priced to MLV Chessy (less than to CDG or often the Gare du Nord, for example) but do stop at CDG, and sometimes TGV Haute Picardie.

As I often visit places on RER A, the route via Chessy isn't all that bad. Some other places I head to are extra-muros, so the RER B from CDG to Le Bourget, followed by an Autolib electric car can work well.

stut

(I realise TGV Haute Picardie is of very limited interest to most here, but as I used to live in Picardy, it is rather useful when I want to go back!)

757DUD

Using DB - London Spezial should be in principle no problem. However you have to board the eurostar in Brussels, which means you have to add a Thalys Ticket Paris-Brussel. Also they have limited availibility.
757DUD

Gagravarr

In theory, checkin is 30 minutes before. The 10 minutes before departure for Business Premier + Carte Blanche is strictly enforced. At 15 minutes before, on a quiet day, with a cheap standard ticket, I got through but with unimpressed looks. 20 mins before has always been fine. (These timings only apply for Lille, other places can be stricter)

If you know Lille, and walk fast, you can make it from Lille Flanders to Lille Europe in under 10 minutes. There's also the metro, it's only one stop, but with descending + waiting + ascending it's likely to be more than 10 minutes, but a good option with lots of bags

I'd probably be happy with a 39 minute transfer at Lille from Flanders to Europe, since I know where to go. For a single traveller who's looked up the route, ought to be fine too. For a family with lots of bags and a slow walker, might be a bit tight. 39 minutes Lille Europe to Lille Europe will be no issues at all.

Oh, and one other thing - the RailTeam promise says If the first part of your Railteam journey is delayed, causing you to miss a connection, you can board the next available train without changing your ticket, so a TGV delay shouldn't be an issue if you then miss your Eurostar, provided that Eurostar think you actually allowed enough time!

JDiver

Indeed; the reservation system they use was designed by the Sabre (American Airlines sold that division in 2000) engineers as a knock-off redesigned for rail applications. The Reserail and Sabre systems were designed to work using the same yield management principles.

Rebelyell

Just a couple of comments. My family took the Eurostar last year.

We booked out tickets March 29, 2013 for a July 5 crossing and paid $68 for the adults and $65 for the teen children. This ticket was quoted in dollars. So buying in advance really does save money.

It is sometimes possible to book Eurostar tickets through the German bahn.com site if you are going to or from Western/Southwestern Germany. Just plug in cities. My daughter and I returned to the Continent on July 10, London to Koblenz. This was on the Eurostar, with connections in Brussels and Cologne. The cost for two first-class tickets was 204 Euros, which included reservations. I made this reservation on April 15, so almost three months ahead. I suspect that in some cases it might be possible to do throwaway ticketing.

I think I may have had some extra savings on the trip because German Rail does not charge for one 14-year-old or younger traveling with a parent, but I did not get the full discount that I usually get. So my daughter did have to pay something. Usually the child travels for free with an adult on any German ticket, including international trips. But anyway, the point is that if you are going in and out of Germany, see if you can book the whole trip on bahn.com instead of piecing together the Eurostar with another ticket. You might save some money.

Finally, when planning itineraries, be aware that there is an overnight train-ferry-train between Amsterdam and London that operates at somewhat reasonable prices. You can book a cabin, sleep overnight, and kind of enjoy what amounts to a crappy cruise ship. I haven't been on this, but would like to.

I realize none of this really applies to the OP's trip, just throwing it out there for anyone planning a trip in the future.

Kadence

I feel your pain. I saw the prices rise almost daily when I was looking in early may for July 31st travel. I had to settle for a 7a.m. train from london to paris to get a cheaper rate.

KQ321

Indeed. Bookable online (for UK-Holland and Holland-UK). Further details and explanations on Seat61.

I don't think it's really trying to be a cruise ship - but I'd say that out of the available options (ie: plane, bus, train or ferry), the ferry is the nicest and most relaxing way to get from the UK to the Netherlands or vice versa. The day boat is cheaper - the night boat is more time effective, but more expensive as you also have to pay for a cabin - but even then, if you need to travel at short notice it can often be cheaper than the train (and possibly also cheaper than flying, once you factor in the cost of getting to/from airports, ancillary fees, etc, etc - and it potentially saves a night in a hotel).

pedanticus

As stated previously, I booked CDG-Lille Europe on TGV, followed by Lille Europe-St Pancras on the Eurostar. I chose the option, "Collection from an Automatic Ticket Machine". Any idea if I get tickets for the full journey at the CDG TGV station? Assuming the ticket kiosk will need my credit card?

KQ321

I understand you booked your journey CDG-London as a single journey on voyages-sncf.com (albeit with a change in Lille Europe). If so, then yes the SNCF ticket machine in at the CDG TGV station should issue paper ticket(s) for both legs of the journey; and yes, you will need to insert your credit card into the machine.

pedanticus

Made it in 39 minutes with little trouble.

waingro

Wow, and I thought I got ripped off when I paid $300 USD for 2 tickets on 10/24 booked one month in advance... I feel happy now

Airvan00

To add to the comments about buying in advance. On my last journey Paris to London I booked well in advance and paid €48. Just before departure a guy asked if the seat next to me was free, it was. We got chatting and he asked how much I had paid, as he had only just brought his ticket that morning for a last minute trip, he showed me his ticket it was for €248! And it said " tip up seat". The ones in the vestibule!

mad_rich

Ouch! I didn't know Eurostar even did these? I thought it was reservation only.

I paid about that several years ago when I had to make a mad dash from Cairo back to the UK. The only flight I could get on was to Paris Orly. I went up to BA and AF to enquire about walk-up prices to London and didn't like their reply, so I headed to Gare du Nord instead.

I don't think the Eurostar was much cheaper, if at all, than the flights. It was only when I got on board and saw the number of people in shorts and t-shirts carrying sports bags and looking quite sweaty, that it dawned on me I'd arrived just after the Paris Marathon had finished! Lucky to get a seat at all...