Travelling to Paris, how?
Travelling to Paris, how?
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Chrisw666

Original Poster:

22,655 posts

229 months

Friday 10th February 2012
quotequote all
I'm normally good at this kind of thing but appear to have developed internet man incapable of decisionitis.

I'm a fan of driving pretty much anywhere that a plane isn't needed for. SWMBO is much less of a fan and doesn't really like being a passenger for longer than a couple of hours either.

So from the North East would you use trains, planes or automobiles (with a little help from Le shuttle) to get you to Paris? No accommodation booked yet, that decision will be made once I work out how to get there.

From juggling around costs driving is the cheapest and gives the most flexibility, Trains aren't too bad but the train from up here to that London is more than the one to Paris which annoys me, and planes seem a bit more expensive but less flexible than driving.

I think I'm probably trying too hard to avoid being penned in by timetables and to justify a road trip as a better option.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

235 months

Friday 10th February 2012
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Plane all day long. Train/car will take too much time.

jagracer

8,248 posts

266 months

Friday 10th February 2012
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Depends where in the north east you are but train to Kings Cross or St Pancras then Eurostar or alternatively drive to Ebbsfleet, park car in station car park and Eurostar to Paris.

CraigMST

9,080 posts

195 months

Friday 10th February 2012
quotequote all
hornetrider said:
Plane all day long. Train/car will take too much time.
Probably cheaper and easier than driving too.

Chrisw666

Original Poster:

22,655 posts

229 months

Friday 10th February 2012
quotequote all
jagracer said:
drive to Ebbsfleet, park car in station car park and Eurostar to Paris.
Looked at that option and I quite liked it.

For the dates we can travel flights appear to be an utter pain to find morning out evening back from Newcastle that don't require a 2 hour stop in LHR.

marcosgt

11,504 posts

206 months

Friday 10th February 2012
quotequote all
Chrisw666 said:
jagracer said:
drive to Ebbsfleet, park car in station car park and Eurostar to Paris.
Looked at that option and I quite liked it.

For the dates we can travel flights appear to be an utter pain to find morning out evening back from Newcastle that don't require a 2 hour stop in LHR.
The trouble with Ebbsfleet is the times of trains.

I'd go that way to Paris for work, but it means going the previous morning as all the trains seem to stop at around lunch time! Stupid idea...

I live west of London so get the plane from Heathrow.

M

PS I'm sure someone will find me a timetable proving it's all different now, but this was certainly the case a few months ago.

marshalla

15,902 posts

231 months

Friday 10th February 2012
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Chrisw666 said:
Trains aren't too bad but the train from up here to that London is more than the one to Paris which annoys me,
It depends where you are in the NE, but Grand Central have some incredibly cheap 1st class fares (Northallerton-London for £39 for me next week). It's possible to get some package deals through Eurostar too (or at least it used to be) which include all rail fares in one booking.


sleep envy

62,260 posts

279 months

Friday 10th February 2012
quotequote all
balls to flying - the cost of getting to and from the airport plus the hanging around isn't worth it

train & eurostar

Chrisw666

Original Poster:

22,655 posts

229 months

Friday 10th February 2012
quotequote all
marshalla said:
It depends where you are in the NE, but Grand Central have some incredibly cheap 1st class fares (Northallerton-London for £39 for me next week). It's possible to get some package deals through Eurostar too (or at least it used to be) which include all rail fares in one booking.
I'm planning this for June, East Coast and Grand Central are only selling tickets until late April at the minute. Part of me thinks if I wait and strike the day things go on sale I'll grab cheap tickets, part of me just wants something planned and sorted.

Bluebarge

4,519 posts

208 months

Friday 10th February 2012
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I'm baffled. You'd rather spend all day on a train or the motorway than catch a 1 hour flight from Newcastle, Glasgow or Edinburgh that would cost you less money. You could probably extend your stay in paris to catch a convenient flight for less money than it would cost to drive there and back and park in central Paris.

But, if you think your missus would prefer to spend all day looking through a grimy train window and living off BLTs and pringles, you go right ahead and book that train











(and an appointment with a divorce lawyer).

marshalla

15,902 posts

231 months

Friday 10th February 2012
quotequote all
Bluebarge said:
spend all day looking through a grimy train window and living off BLTs and pringles,
You clearly travel at the wrong end of the train.

Chrisw666

Original Poster:

22,655 posts

229 months

Friday 10th February 2012
quotequote all
Bluebarge said:
I'm baffled. You'd rather spend all day on a train or the motorway than catch a 1 hour flight from Newcastle, Glasgow or Edinburgh that would cost you less money.
If I can find a convinient flight, which I will put some proper effort into this weekend then I will fly.

I just can't help being a bloke that loves road trips, and is a big geek who fancies a trip on the Eurostar because I haven't been on one yet. Probably a tad selfish though.

miniman

30,158 posts

292 months

Friday 10th February 2012
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How? More importantly, why?

Chrisw666

Original Poster:

22,655 posts

229 months

Friday 10th February 2012
quotequote all
How and why what?

Sorry was being thick. Why is because it is somewhere she hasn't been before and it's close enough for a weekend.

Edited by Chrisw666 on Friday 10th February 20:17

angry jock

1,005 posts

229 months

Friday 10th February 2012
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I have done the same thing a few times. Direct from Newcastle to ChDG. Train into the middle then Metro.
Job jobbed.

rswift

1,181 posts

205 months

Sunday 12th February 2012
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Did this last week, I live 30 miles North of London, but flying was still cheaper/more convenient.

£25 each way on Easyjet, from Luton. Uk to Paris is a busy route, check Skyscanner.com for comparison.

Or, for slight adventure, get yourself to Amsterdam & take the Tallis train to Paris, or Belgium & Eurostar from there.

Look at seat61.com for train adventures.