Poldy

I've checked them on Eurostar.com and the SNCF site as well.

First, I see some fare differences if I choose US as my location as
opposed to the UK at the eurostar.com site.

Do fares charged to Americans include shipping the tickets out to me or
am I suppose to collect them in London or Paris?

Also, at least on SNCF, it appears a round-trip journey from Paris to
London and back could be had for as low as 60 euros but a round-trip
journey for the same dates from London to Paris is more like 134 euros
or greater.

When I checked fares a few months back, it appeared the SNCF site was
lower for the London-Paris trips. Now, eurostar.com is coming up lower
(59 pounds).

On SNCF, Paris-London trips can be had for as low as 70 euros.

The idea is either to fly into and out of London or Paris but go to the
other city via the train and return for the return flight.

So if I take a train which arrives at London Waterloo at 9 AM, will I be
able to make an 11 AM Virgin Atlantic flight at LHR? Considering the
transit time and the check-ins and security procedures?

Lennart Petersen

"poldy" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected]...
    > I've checked them on Eurostar.com and the SNCF site as well.
    > First, I see some fare differences if I choose US as my location as
    > opposed to the UK at the eurostar.com site.
    > Do fares charged to Americans include shipping the tickets out to me or
    > am I suppose to collect them in London or Paris?
    > Also, at least on SNCF, it appears a round-trip journey from Paris to
    > London and back could be had for as low as 60 euros but a round-trip
    > journey for the same dates from London to Paris is more like 134 euros
    > or greater.
There's more demand for trips originating from London than Paris which
explains price differences.

Runge

Last question : nooo

"poldy" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]...
    > I've checked them on Eurostar.com and the SNCF site as well.
    > First, I see some fare differences if I choose US as my location as
    > opposed to the UK at the eurostar.com site.
    > Do fares charged to Americans include shipping the tickets out to me or
    > am I suppose to collect them in London or Paris?
    > Also, at least on SNCF, it appears a round-trip journey from Paris to
    > London and back could be had for as low as 60 euros but a round-trip
    > journey for the same dates from London to Paris is more like 134 euros
    > or greater.
    > When I checked fares a few months back, it appeared the SNCF site was
    > lower for the London-Paris trips. Now, eurostar.com is coming up lower
    > (59 pounds).
    > On SNCF, Paris-London trips can be had for as low as 70 euros.
    > The idea is either to fly into and out of London or Paris but go to the
    > other city via the train and return for the return flight.
    > So if I take a train which arrives at London Waterloo at 9 AM, will I be
    > able to make an 11 AM Virgin Atlantic flight at LHR? Considering the
    > transit time and the check-ins and security procedures?

Keith W

"poldy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I've checked them on Eurostar.com and the SNCF site as well.
    > First, I see some fare differences if I choose US as my location as
    > opposed to the UK at the eurostar.com site.
    > Do fares charged to Americans include shipping the tickets out to me or
    > am I suppose to collect them in London or Paris?
    > Also, at least on SNCF, it appears a round-trip journey from Paris to
    > London and back could be had for as low as 60 euros but a round-trip
    > journey for the same dates from London to Paris is more like 134 euros
    > or greater.

That rather depends on when you travel

    > When I checked fares a few months back, it appeared the SNCF site was
    > lower for the London-Paris trips. Now, eurostar.com is coming up lower
    > (59 pounds).

Prices fluctuate dependent on seasonal demand. August is the
peak month for French holiday travel and business hotels
in Paris offer cut rates as the city empties and fares into Paris fall
while fares elsewhere rise.


    > On SNCF, Paris-London trips can be had for as low as 70 euros.
    > The idea is either to fly into and out of London or Paris but go to the
    > other city via the train and return for the return flight.
    > So if I take a train which arrives at London Waterloo at 9 AM, will I be
    > able to make an 11 AM Virgin Atlantic flight at LHR? Considering the
    > transit time and the check-ins and security procedures?

No , you need to be at the check desk at LHR by 9AM and
you have to allow at least 1.5 hours for transit Waterloo
to LHR.

Keith

proo

Eurostar tickets now charge according which day and time you travel as well as the ticket type. Also the French websites are sometimes cheaper as the gourvernment subsidises train travel (that's what I've heard). Doesn't matter where you live as I used to get the tickets sent to the UK but booked on the french site. You could also just pick up your tickets at the station from the automated machines (need your credit card you booked on and a code). If your train gets in at 9am it'll take you over an hour to get to Heathrow if you take the tube at that time. Likewise if you take the Heathrow Express as you have to get to the opposite end of town. That'll leave you about 20-30mins before last check-in (assuming no delays) which I think is too risky. It'd be safer to go to London the day before, you can get a cheap B&B in Paddington/Bayswater and then hop on the Heathrow Express (Paddington). You can even check in there too depending on the airline.

BonjourLaFrance.net

One of the reasons for price differences is that Eurostar and SNCF are
different companies with their own pricing structure.

Also, the SNCF does not sell tickets directly to the public outside of
France. They mandate other companies in each country and these
companies do have some leeway. For instance I've noticed that in the
USA the notion of "peak period" (which costs more if purchased from the
SNCF) and "standard period" pricing generally does not exist. Thus
making certain tickets purchased in the USA actually cheaper than if
purchased in France.

However, you can only purchase a SNCF ticket from the web site of the
country where the ticket will be delivered. If you live in the USA you
must purchase from the USA website. So, someone living in the UK can
not purchase SNCF tickets from the USA site and have them delivered to
the UK.

With regard to delivery of tickets, they are shipped to your doorstep.
There is an extra charge for this depending on how quickly you want to
receive your tickets. From time to time there is a "free delivery"
incentive... but, there is also generally a minimum purchase in order
to benefit from this offer. You can see the delivery cost when you
begin to fill in the reservation and purchase form on the website.

Bon voyage,
BonjourLaFrance.net

Martin Rich

On 23 Aug 2005 01:26:17 -0700, "BonjourLaFrance.net"
<[email protected]> wrote:


    >However, you can only purchase a SNCF ticket from the web site of the
    >country where the ticket will be delivered. If you live in the USA you
    >must purchase from the USA website. So, someone living in the UK can
    >not purchase SNCF tickets from the USA site and have them delivered to
    >the UK.

Could not an American order from the UK Eurostar site and pick up the
tickets from Waterloo (or from the French site and pick up at Gare du
Nord) on the day of travel...

    >With regard to delivery of tickets, they are shipped to your doorstep.

... I've chosen to pick up tickets at Waterloo when I've used the UK
site: having them delivered to home just means one more piece of paper
to remember when I leave

Incidentally in answer to the original poster

    >So if I take a train which arrives at London Waterloo at 9 AM, will I be
    >able to make an 11 AM Virgin Atlantic flight at LHR? Considering the
    >transit time and the check-ins and security procedures?

Not if 11am is take-off time (you'd be OK if 11am is recommended
checkin time). For a long-haul flight from LHR an hour before
take-off is an absolute minimum - the LHR website recommends three
hours. You would also be doing very well to get from Waterloo to LHR
within an hour

Martin

Lennart Petersen

"BonjourLaFrance.net" <[email protected]> skrev i meddelandet
news:[email protected] oups.com...
    > One of the reasons for price differences is that Eurostar and SNCF are
    > different companies with their own pricing structure.
    > Also, the SNCF does not sell tickets directly to the public outside of
    > France. They mandate other companies in each country and these
    > companies do have some leeway. For instance I've noticed that in the
    > USA the notion of "peak period" (which costs more if purchased from the
    > SNCF) and "standard period" pricing generally does not exist. Thus
    > making certain tickets purchased in the USA actually cheaper than if
    > purchased in France.
    > However, you can only purchase a SNCF ticket from the web site of the
    > country where the ticket will be delivered. If you live in the USA you
    > must purchase from the USA website. So, someone living in the UK can
    > not purchase SNCF tickets from the USA site and have them delivered to
    > the UK.
    > With regard to delivery of tickets, they are shipped to your doorstep.
    > There is an extra charge for this depending on how quickly you want to
    > receive your tickets. From time to time there is a "free delivery"
    > incentive... but, there is also generally a minimum purchase in order
    > to benefit from this offer. You can see the delivery cost when you
    > begin to fill in the reservation and purchase form on the website.
    > Bon voyage,
    > BonjourLaFrance.net
No need to deliver tickets to foreign countries as you can pick up them at
the station or take advantage of the opportunity to print out them yourself.

Gg

"poldy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I've checked them on Eurostar.com and the SNCF site as well.
    > First, I see some fare differences if I choose US as my location as
    > opposed to the UK at the eurostar.com site.
    > Do fares charged to Americans include shipping the tickets out to me or
    > am I suppose to collect them in London or Paris?
    > Also, at least on SNCF, it appears a round-trip journey from Paris to
    > London and back could be had for as low as 60 euros but a round-trip
    > journey for the same dates from London to Paris is more like 134 euros
    > or greater.
    > When I checked fares a few months back, it appeared the SNCF site was
    > lower for the London-Paris trips. Now, eurostar.com is coming up lower
    > (59 pounds).
    > On SNCF, Paris-London trips can be had for as low as 70 euros.
    > The idea is either to fly into and out of London or Paris but go to the
    > other city via the train and return for the return flight.
    > So if I take a train which arrives at London Waterloo at 9 AM, will I be
    > able to make an 11 AM Virgin Atlantic flight at LHR? Considering the
    > transit time and the check-ins and security procedures?

Why not fly into Paris and return from London, or vice versa? Even if not a
great deal less expensive, it would save the time involved with a return
trip on Eurostar. Also you won't have to worry about making a flight with a
tight schedule.

GG