The London Traveler

Eurostar across the Channel Tunnel - now even faster

by Jed on November 6th, 2007

Wednesday, November 14th is a big day for people that regularly travel between London, Paris and Brussels. That is the day when the new, high-speed Eurostar service to London’s St. Pancras terminal begins!

Previously the Eurostar train service arrived at London Waterloo station, across the bridge from the Palace of Westminster. Unfortunately some of the track from the Channel Tunnel around the outskirts of London was such that trains couldn’t take advantage of their full speed. The new high-speed track and tunnel into St. Pancras station has now been completed, which will cut train times significantly.

London to Paris, now 2 hours 15 minutes (from 2:35)
London to Brussels, now 1 hour 51 minutes (from 2:15)

Not only that, but St. Pancras station and local area has experienced a dramatic redevelopment in the past years. Partly prompted by the long-term plans to bring Eurostar to St. Pancras, the whole neighborhood has undergone a redevelopment. From the concourses in the station (Europe’s largest champange bar!) to the local streets, the area is certainly in an upswing.

When it comes to traveling between London, Paris and Brussels, Eurostar really is the way to go. No lost luggage, you can show up 30-40 minutes before your train (instead of 90 minutes before a flight), and the trains go from city centre to city centre. It’s a pleasant journey, and if you catch the specials you can travel for really a quite cheap price. I highly recommend it!

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Photos from Flickr.

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