Chunnel prices?

atlantamoi · 11-23-04, 07:32 AM

Probably going to hit London and Paris in February. 4 days in each city... flying into London and out of Paris. I thought the chunnel (Eurostar) would be the easiest and cheapest option, but now I'm not so sure. Has anyone taken a one-way trip through the chunnel and paid LESS than the round-trip price? I can't find any good deals one-way that don't make you purchase it round trip for the "deal" (looks like $90 r/t after noon is the best price).

If flying between the two cities is the same price, which would you choose? Seems like even if the prices are the same that the train would still be optimal since you basically go from city center to city center (and get to see the countryside).

(edited to add... I'm planning this trip on my own, but if you know of a good company that has decent package trips feel free to suggest).

FiveO · 11-23-04, 07:54 AM

Anyone can fly....take the chunnel!

Lateralus · 11-23-04, 08:05 AM

http://www.virgin-vacations.com/site...1/1/2004&k=752

Virgin`s Channel over to Paris

Get your fill of the romance - not to mention rich French pasteries - with this two-country tour. Traipse about London for three days and nights, then it's off to Paris aboard the Eurostar train. In just three hours you'll arrive for three glorious days and nights in Paris, and fly back to London on British Midland, and then continue home with plenty of great memories.

I've been thinking about this trip for some time, and this is the best that I've seen.

edit-- I don't see anything for Atlanta but check Travelzoo they have links to lots of good deals

SMB-IL · 11-23-04, 08:32 AM

It's fantastic to see the countryside, but keep in mind that a lot of the trip is in the chunnel itself, so darkness outside. Take the chunnel, it's a great experience.

atlantamoi · 11-23-04, 08:39 AM

Spent more time searching online. You can fly between London and Paris for about $62 per person (final price). I guess with train fees to the airports it would probably be close to a r/t ticket on Eurostar.

What about taking a ferry to France, then a train? Probably more hassle than worth it. I just want to get to Paris w/out paying more than I need to.

marty888 · 11-23-04, 08:41 AM

You can check fares and scedules on this RailEurope site:

http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/eurostar/index.htm

atlantamoi · 11-23-04, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lateralus
http://www.virgin-vacations.com/site...1/1/2004&k=752

Virgin`s Channel over to Paris

I've been thinking about this trip for some time, and this is the best that I've seen.

Thanks for the link. I just looked over their offers. The more I read of these package tours I think it's possibly a better deal to do this on my own. The price for the Virgin tour with taxes included would be close to $2,000 for two. So far, booking everything on my own, I can stay 8 nights (instead of 6) for $1,600. That's flight and a $100 a night hotel. Many hotels have stay 4 nights, get one free. And no flying back to originating city. I was pleasanty surprised to see that most airlines don't charge THAT much more to fly into London and out of Paris. Maybe $30 extra per ticket.

The cheapest package tours I found were on gotoday.com (http://www.gotoday.com/site_gtweb/pu...From=11/1/2004)
Their hotels get iffy reviews.

Thanks for the advice so far.

Y2K Falcon · 11-23-04, 09:38 AM

Beware of low flying helicopters in the Chunnel.

Heat · 11-23-04, 10:04 AM

If you want to be adventurous, surely there are ferries between the two cities. Else, I would go with the Chunnel just to say that I've been through it.

Lateralus · 11-23-04, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by atlantamoi
Thanks for the link. I just looked over their offers. The more I read of these package tours I think it's possibly a better deal to do this on my own. The price for the Virgin tour with taxes included would be close to $2,000 for two. So far, booking everything on my own, I can stay 8 nights (instead of 6) for $1,600. That's flight and a $100 a night hotel. Many hotels have stay 4 nights, get one free. And no flying back to originating city. I was pleasanty surprised to see that most airlines don't charge THAT much more to fly into London and out of Paris. Maybe $30 extra per ticket.

The cheapest package tours I found were on gotoday.com (http://www.gotoday.com/site_gtweb/pu...From=11/1/2004)
Their hotels get iffy reviews.

Thanks for the advice so far.

Yeah that was one of the sites I was looking at as well. The thing I like about these sites is that you can extend your stay by up to two weeks without having to get another hotel.

Where are you getting your information for booking on your own?

And don't forget about priceline and bidding for travel if you want to take a chance for cheaper prices.

atlantamoi · 11-23-04, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lateralus
Where are you getting your information for booking on your own?

Well, to start, Northwest has Paris r/t for $408 through March (includes all the junk fees). $433 for into London and out of Paris. This is from Atlanta with a layover in Amsterdam (same price for Minneapolis or Detroit layover).

There are various websites I've seen over the past few days that list hotel bookings with special offers of one free night for a 3 or 4 night stay. Since that is the bulk of the expenses I was mainly comparing this to a package tour. I realize the Virgin thing has a couple of extra benefits and might be less of a pain, but I'm pretty cheap!! I'm willing to put up with a bit of hassle to save a couple hundred.

I've been online a couple of hours reading and reading. I love the newsgroups on Google (deja.com). You can learn quite a bit from those groups. Seems whatever extra cost Eurostar charges for the chunnel trip it is worth it in time savings and for the experience. I've also seen museum passes for each city that look like decent deals (Paris for 3 days for $50... London a bit more).

(edit to add... about the hotel sites... I can't remember which ones I've looked at... too many. I know that tripadvisor.com has customer reviews on hotels)

nickdawgy · 11-23-04, 11:12 AM

Reminds me of Seinfeld....

DodgingCars · 11-23-04, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SMB-IL
It's fantastic to see the countryside, but keep in mind that a lot of the trip is in the chunnel itself, so darkness outside. Take the chunnel, it's a great experience.

It's been about 7 years, but I remember only being in the chunnel for about 30 mins of about a 3 hour train ride.

naughty jonny · 11-23-04, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DodgingCars
It's been about 7 years, but I remember only being in the chunnel for about 30 mins of about a 3 hour train ride.

Channel is only about 25 miles under the sea/ocean, and adding the down/up distance, you'd probably only need an extra 5 miles of tunnel at each end.

With a speed of approximately 80mph, 1/2 hour sounds about right. It's the London -> tunnel, tunnel -> Paris bits that's the long part.

SMB-IL · 11-25-04, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DodgingCars
It's been about 7 years, but I remember only being in the chunnel for about 30 mins of about a 3 hour train ride.

Really?? It's only been three years for me and it seemed like FOREVER in the chunnel. You know, now that I think of it, we returned from Paris to London at night, so I may have been projecting the night darkness to the chunnel itself -- how dumb am I?

Oh well, but again, take the chunnel, not a plane!

Nick Danger · 11-25-04, 03:48 PM

If people drive on the left side of the road in Britain, and they drive on the right side of the road in France, on which side do they drive in the Chunnel?

11-23-04, 07:32 AM	#1
atlantamoi DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Atlanta Posts: 7,382	Chunnel prices? Probably going to hit London and Paris in February. 4 days in each city... flying into London and out of Paris. I thought the chunnel (Eurostar) would be the easiest and cheapest option, but now I'm not so sure. Has anyone taken a one-way trip through the chunnel and paid LESS than the round-trip price? I can't find any good deals one-way that don't make you purchase it round trip for the "deal" (looks like $90 r/t after noon is the best price). If flying between the two cities is the same price, which would you choose? Seems like even if the prices are the same that the train would still be optimal since you basically go from city center to city center (and get to see the countryside). (edited to add... I'm planning this trip on my own, but if you know of a good company that has decent package trips feel free to suggest). __________________ Continues higher education in music knowledge by being schooled though Blogs. Last edited by atlantamoi; 11-23-04 at 07:42 AM.

11-23-04, 07:54 AM	#2
FiveO DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,531	Anyone can fly....take the chunnel! __________________ "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world...she walks into mine..."

11-23-04, 08:05 AM	#3
Lateralus DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Valley of Megiddo Posts: 8,469	http://www.virgin-vacations.com/site...1/1/2004&k=752 Virgin`s Channel over to Paris Get your fill of the romance - not to mention rich French pasteries - with this two-country tour. Traipse about London for three days and nights, then it's off to Paris aboard the Eurostar train. In just three hours you'll arrive for three glorious days and nights in Paris, and fly back to London on British Midland, and then continue home with plenty of great memories. I've been thinking about this trip for some time, and this is the best that I've seen. edit-- I don't see anything for Atlanta but check Travelzoo they have links to lots of good deals __________________ (Facebook) (Lat's book lists) Last edited by Lateralus; 11-23-04 at 08:08 AM.

11-23-04, 08:32 AM	#4
SMB-IL DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: 2nd City Posts: 1,269	It's fantastic to see the countryside, but keep in mind that a lot of the trip is in the chunnel itself, so darkness outside. Take the chunnel, it's a great experience. __________________ "Listen Betty, don't start up with your white zone shit again."

11-23-04, 08:39 AM	#5
atlantamoi DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Atlanta Posts: 7,382	Spent more time searching online. You can fly between London and Paris for about $62 per person (final price). I guess with train fees to the airports it would probably be close to a r/t ticket on Eurostar. What about taking a ferry to France, then a train? Probably more hassle than worth it. I just want to get to Paris w/out paying more than I need to. __________________ Continues higher education in music knowledge by being schooled though Blogs.

11-23-04, 08:41 AM	#6
marty888 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Times Square Posts: 11,844	You can check fares and scedules on this RailEurope site: http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/eurostar/index.htm __________________ *Describing torture as "enhanced interrogation" is like describing child abuse as "enhanced discipline".* My DVD List at DVD Aficionado

11-23-04, 09:38 AM	#8
Y2K Falcon DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Aostin, TX, USA Posts: 19,876	Beware of low flying helicopters in the Chunnel.

11-23-04, 10:04 AM	#9
Heat DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 14,253	If you want to be adventurous, surely there are ferries between the two cities. Else, I would go with the Chunnel just to say that I've been through it.

11-23-04, 11:12 AM	#12
nickdawgy DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Southern Cal-ee-for-nee Posts: 15,749	Reminds me of Seinfeld....

11-25-04, 03:48 PM	#16
Nick Danger DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 10,766	If people drive on the left side of the road in Britain, and they drive on the right side of the road in France, on which side do they drive in the Chunnel? __________________ Not-shopping is not a moral act at this time. --Sally Singer, Vogue Magazine (2/19/09)