Since we came to live in London a few years ago, we have visited several European cities that we did not know yet, but without a doubt one of the things that we like the most about living in London is how easy it is to travel from London to Paris .
There are several options to travel to Paris from London, but the most recommended are: By Train, by Plane, by Bus or by Car.
What will you find in this article?
- Options to travel from London to Paris
- Traveling from London to Paris by Train
- Traveling from London to Paris by Plane
- Traveling from London to Paris by Car
- Traveling from London to Paris by Bus
- Day trips to Paris from London
- Tips to spend a day in Paris from London
Options for traveling from London to Paris
Travel from London to Paris by Train
For us it is the most recommended option, whether you are traveling with children or if you are just adults, traveling by train from London to Paris through the Eurotunnel is easy and much more comfortable than doing it by plane or driving in our opinion.
The train that connects London with Paris is the Eurostar and the journey takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes. The train leaves from the London station “ St. Pancras International ” and arrives at the Parisian station “ Gare du Nord ”.
In both cases, the stations are well connected by metro and different bus lines, so getting to them will be easier, faster and cheaper than going to the airport.
The prices of the Eurostar tickets to go from London to Paris can vary according to the time of year and the demand there is, that is, a bit like in the case of flights, but if you can get your tickets early enough, surely You can get prices a little lower.
You can consult the different types of Eurostar ticket and the prices on its official website.
Travel from London to Paris by Plane
Depending on the area of London in which you are staying (or live) or the airline that is most convenient for you to use, you should consider traveling from one London airport or another.
Almost all direct flights between London and Paris are direct and have a flight time of approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes , although you will have to add the time to get to the airport, check-in, etc. and then the journey from the Paris airport to the center. (In our article on Paris airports on QverParis.com you can find all the details on how to get from the airport to the center of Paris.)
The average price of a London – Paris flight, according to the Skyscanner website, is 120 Euros in the months of June, July and August and less than 65 Euros during the rest of the year.
There are different airlines that cover the London – Paris route, but most of the flights are operated by Easyjet, Iberia (together with British Airways) and Vueling.
The London airports from which you can fly to Paris are Luton, Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick. Most of them arrive at Paris – Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG), although there are a few that depart from Heathrow and arrive at Orly airport (less recommended as it is further from the center of Paris).
Travel from London to Paris by car
If, for whatever reason, you prefer to travel from London to Paris by car and take the opportunity to visit other places along the way… there is the option of traveling using the Eurotunnel or connecting with one of the ferries that connect the United Kingdom with the French coast.
The distance from the center of London to the center of Paris is about 485 kilometers, so the estimated travel time, without stops and without counting possible traffic jams in the surroundings of the two cities, is greater than 6 hours according to Google Maps . More than half of the trip takes place on highways.
As we have said, if you decide to travel from London to Paris by car, then we recommend that you plan a leisurely trip and make a few stops along the way , even taking the opportunity to stay a night in a small town in France or visit the Dover area in south east England.
If you travel from London to Paris by car through the Eurotunnel, then you will first have to reach the town of Folkstone through the M20 motorway that connects London with the coast, which is where you can take the train with your car to get there. to Calais, on the French coast. This journey lasts a little over 30 minutes.
All passport control is done without getting out of your car and given the increase in security measures in recent years, it is possible that the entire car is searched both when leaving and when arriving.
Once you arrive in France, the easiest way to get from Calais to Paris is through the A16 motorway.
Traveling from London to Paris by Bus
The distance between London and Paris by road (through the Eurotunnel) is about 485 Kilometers , which the buses usually cover in an approximate time of 9 hours or perhaps a little more depending on the time they leave central London ( by traffic) and whether it is done directly or with transshipment.
In my opinion, although it is a cheap option, I would never recommend it as you will lose a lot of time on the bus and unlike traveling by car, you are not free to stop wherever you want.
The price of the bus ticket from London to Paris (one way) is around 20 or 35 Euros depending on the date and time.
There are several companies that cover this route by bus, such as National Express , Megabus , Ouibus and Eurolines.
Day trips to Paris from London
Considering that the Eurostar takes less than 2.5 hours to reach Paris, it is not surprising that many people who visit London for a few days take a day trip to Paris. After a pleasant train ride you are in the center of Paris, and you can directly board the Paris tourist bus and see the most important things in the city very easily.
There are several packages that include Eurostar tickets with guided tours, or tickets for Paris attractions to spend a day in Paris from London. Some examples are:
- Paris Day Trip from London Including Versailles and Paris Tour
- Eurostar tickets and metro ticket for one day in Paris
- Paris Day Trip from London by Eurostar + Paris Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tickets
- Tour of Paris and lunch at the Eiffel Tower
Tips for spending a day in Paris from London
The most common is to go by Eurostar from London to Paris to spend the day. If you decide to do this, you will arrive at the “Gare du Nord” train station as we mentioned before. As the train station is a bit far from the center, and as the attractions of Paris are far from each other, one of the best options to make the most of the day is to ride the Big Bus Tours in Paris nothing more to arrive, since there is a stop at this same train station (Stop 11 blue line).
If you have bought tickets in advance for the tourist bus, you can simply redeem the tickets at that same stop, making it much easier. You can use the two Big Bus lines available to spend the day, the blue and the red, getting on and off as many times as necessary. Don’t forget that we also have a code so you can get a 10% discount when buying Big Bus tickets.