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If booking and riding the Eurostar sounds daunting, don’t worry because it’s not. Not only is it easy to book your tickets online, but the ride itself is very pleasant. We had such a wonderful experience and prefer this over a flight from Paris to London. Our specific route was a one-way ticket from Paris Gare du Nord to London St. Pancras International via Standard Premier.

Follow these easy steps to book your Eurostar ticket and enjoy the ride.

#1 Book Your Ticket Online

We reserved our seats a few weeks prior to our trip on Eurostar.com. It’s not necessary to reserve your tickets in advance, but the later you get your tickets, the more expensive it will be.

If you need to cancel your tickets, Eurostar has somewhat of a flexible cancellation policy. Make sure to review their policies before you book your ticket as they differ on the type of ticket you book.

We inputted our to-and-from destination and a list of train times and service class options were displayed with prices.

There are three different types of class services: Standard, Standard Premier, and Business Premier. We opted for Standard Premier since we wanted extra spacious seats.

#2 Log in or Register an Account with Eurostar

If you don’t already have an account with Eurostar, you’ll have to register an account. You will be prompted to do so when you are ready to confirm your seat reservation. Creating an account takes only a couple of minutes and it is worth the time to get the proper updates leading up to your departure date.

#3 Check Your Email for Updates

You’ll receive emails regarding your reservation and updates if any changes are made to your reservation. We recommend writing down the seat number you reserved as it will come in handy if they reissue you a different one.

We received a couple of emails prior to our departure that the train was getting switched; however, there was no specific mention that our seat number had changed. We just happened to notice that the seat number was different since we wrote down the original seat numbers.

Thankfully, it’s easy to change your seats and they provide a seat map so you can view the seating arrangement.

#4 Go Through Customs and Security Screening at Paris Gare du Nord

Since we were traveling from Paris to London, this meant that we were entering a new country (The UK is not a Schengen zone country) so we had to go through Eurostar’s customs and security screening, which is located on the upper level.

The line for the Standard ticket was significantly longer than the Business Class line, so it’s best to give yourself plenty of time here. If you arrive at the station more than two hours prior to your departure, you will not be able to queue for customs and security screening just yet.

Luckily, you can easily kill time at the station since there are several options for food on the lower levels. We grabbed a couple of delicious sandwiches at Paul, the popular bakery in Paris. There is limited seating, so if you see an empty seat, grab it before it’s gone.

Toilets are also available in the station, but it’s not free. It will cost you 1 Euro. If you are able to hold your restroom break, there are toilets in the Eurostar Departure Lounge, free of charge.

FYI: It’s completely fine to take water bottles through security.

#5 Wait in the Eurostar Departure Lounge

Once you pass customs and security, you will be in the Eurostar Departure Lounge. Here you can sit and relax while you wait for the gates to open for your train. The lounge offers duty-free shops, eateries, WiFi (free for 20 minutes), and plenty of seating. If you purchased a Business Premier ticket, there is a separate Business Premier Lounge. 

When time gets closer to your departure time, it’s best to start lining up at the gate closest to your train cart. The gates usually open 20-30 minutes before departure time. We wanted to store our luggage near our seats, so getting in the front of the line was a priority. Once the gates open, you are free to enter the railway platform. 

 #6 Find Your Seat

To find your seat, you’ll have to locate the train’s cart number. This can be a little tricky to find for first-timers, so if you have any issues, there are station agents nearby to help. When you find your train cart, you’ll find an area to store your luggage.

The luggage rack is fairly small, so if you have a large suitcase, you might find it a challenge to use the space that is provided.  We both had an Away Medium and Carry-on Suitcase that fit perfectly in the racks. There are also racks above your seat, but you can only fit a tiny suitcase or hand luggage up there.

#7 Enjoy the Standard Premier Experience

Our Standard Premier seats were comfy with plenty of leg room. There was also a table in between us that was expandable if we needed more table space. We stored our backpacks on a rack above us and hung our blazers on a hook located directly behind our seats.

If you need to charge your device, there is an outlet on the left or right hand of your seat.

The duration of the trip was about two and a half hours and there were display monitors with information regarding our journey. It gives information on the estimated arrival time and the train’s speed.

Meals

Our ticket also came with a light meal and drinks (including alcohol), which were served at our seat. The food was cold, so it wasn’t the best meal we had. If you want a warm meal, that is provided with the Business Premier ticket.

We recommend grabbing something to eat the station beforehand. Our sandwiches and pastries from Paul’s bakery stand were definitely more satisfying.

If you have any dietary restrictions, this can be requested at the time of your online booking. Candy selected a non-dairy meal, so she received a completely different meal from Crystal.

Wi-Fi

The Wi-Fi signal was pretty strong in the beginning, but as the train started approaching rural areas, the signal became too weak to use. It’s suitable to check emails, but you will not be able to view photos or videos online.

Bathrooms

There are bathrooms at the end of each coach as well as disabled toilets and baby changing facilities on board. The bathroom was easily accessible and was very spacious. 

#8 Arrive at London St. Pancras International

When you exit the Eurostar train station at St. Pancras International, you can either take the tube or get a taxi to your final destination in London. We ordered an Uber, but we later found out from a local that it’s actually a little bit cheaper to ride the local cab instead. 

That’s it! A simple and painless process that gets you from Paris to London in a flash. We wish all forms of transportation could be as nice as Eurostar.

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