dmorgan-numeral one-ATdslextreme.com <> wrote:


    > What I'm unsure of is possible alternatives involving getting between
    > the 2 European cities by surface means. I'd like to consider it. Like,
    > the chunnel between London and Paris and the TGV train between Paris
    > and Marseille. Those means of travel could be interesting for their
    > own sake.

It is. This is some of the longest highs speed trains journeys one can
make... your suggested aproach (Marseilles - Paris, then Paris London) is
not the best one though, as it would involve changing stations in Paris.

Better would be to get either:

TGV from Marseilles to Lille. Then Eurostar from Lille to London. This
involves a relatively easy change in Lille. When booked in advance some
intersting reductions can be had, but I doubt these trains are open for
booking yet.

The other option is the direct Avignon - London train that runs in summer.
The timetable of that train isn't known yet though.


    > It looks (my internet research on this started only this afternoon)
    > like the surface approach will be 1) expensive, and 2) hard to
    > integrate with the intercontinental air legs. I don't know if it's to
    > be forgotten, or if forgetting it would be premature.

I do not understand what you mean with "hard to integrate with the
intercontinental air legs as you're staying a week in both London and
Marseilles...

Just go to www.sncf.fr and try to look up/book Marseilles - London. Several
connections are available daily, avoid the ones that make you change in
Paris. Duration of the trip is about 7 hours. The problem is that no site
will give you prices yet, as the trains haven't opened for reservation yet.
They usually do so two months before departure.
Marseilles - Lille can be had for EUR 60,-
With Eurostar the problem is that returns are cheaper then singles. Cheapest
return -s EUR 70,- I do not have experience with using just one half of a
return ticket.


Krist