Ski Season and the Eurostar
Introducing the Eurostar
Travelling from the UK to mainland Europe usually means flying. This means increased security measures, expensive train rides to the airport, waiting for ages between check-in and boarding, sitting in cramped seats with bad food and no on-flight entertainment. Not really the nicest of scenarios but what else can you do. Well, welcome to the Eurostar. High-speed trains connecting London to Belgium and France where you ride the Chunnel across the English Channel in comfort and style. An economy class ticket is about on par with many of the discount airlines in operation, but with Eurostar you’ve got the luxury of leg room, arm rests, ½ hour check-ins, an onboard café where you can grab a snack of your liking and in some carriages you’ve can catch up on the current day’s news.
And with the coming ski season your choice of destinations has increased to include Bourg-St-Maurice, Aime-la-Plagne and Moutiers all in the French Alps. Disembark and be right on the ski fields. The Eurostar website even offers up snow spy cameras so you can keep tabs on the local skiing and weather conditions. Voted the best Snowsport Transportation by the 2005 Snow Awards, Eurostar make the trip as easy and convenient as you could ever hope for.
Where Does the Eurostar Go?
The Eurostar website boasts over 100 destinations reached when travelling with them. The direct destinations from the UK include: Paris, Brussels, Lillie, Disneyland and Avingnon. But it is the connections destinations that really give you a chance to get out there and explore Western Europe. Some of the most popular connection destinations include: Amsterdam, Bruges, Strasbourg, Lyon, Dijon, Toulouse and Nice. Visit www.eurostar.com for a complete list of where you can go.
How Much Does It Cost?
Prices vary depending on your age, the amount of time you leave between booking and departure and just how much of a creature of comfort you really are. But generally speaking you can get a cosy set in Standard Class seating return to Paris of Brussels for only £49. (Add an extra £10 to that total if you happen to be over 26).
Are there any perks I should be aware of?
Of course there are. The Eurostar site is a wealth of information about where you’re going and where you want to be. But some of the best bits are the 2-4-1 deals where you and a friend can escape for one low price. There also a whole selection of City Breaks Package Deals that sets you up with some pretty fancy accommodation for a pretty low price. And if that’s not enough for you, a new feature of the site called Voice of a City. So far it’s only available for Paris but Voice of a City allows you to meet 7 different Parisians as they show you their city. You get a nature-loving and very cute landscape architect or a late-night hectic little puppet. You get fantastic insights into the city.
For more on the Eurostar visit their UK site at www.eurostar.com.
