How to get from London to Paris in 2026 (what I’d AVOID)

As I’m a keen overland traveller, I travel from London to Paris (and vice versa) a few times a year. If I want to go anywhere in Southern Europe, I’ll need to pass through the French capital on my way.

And I know I’m not the only one! Many Brits who have work in Paris, elsewhere in France or Spain or Italy might pass through the capital, and the same for French people.

The cities sit a mere 214 miles from one another, making it relatively easy to travel between the two. In fact, there are multiple options – and I’d recommend assessing them all before you settle on one!

I’ve travelled between London and Paris every way possible: train, coach, driving and flight.

So, whether you’re on a Eurotrip around the continent or are living in London and wondering how to get to Paris, here’s my complete guide on how to travel from London to Paris, from my experience trying every option!

Eurostar train: the best way to get from London to Paris

Let’s not beat around the bush: the high-speed Eurostar train is regarded by many (including myself) to be the best way to get from London to Paris.

Why? It’s fast (typically faster than flying if you factor everything in!), it’s comfortable and it’s convenient.

Eurostar revolutionised the London-to-Paris travel scene when it debuted in 1994, making use of the world’s longest undersea tunnel, the Channel Tunnel, to connect the two iconic cities on a direct train.

Where Eurostar departs from

When I’ve taken Eurostar, my journey on this high-speed train has nearly always begun at London St Pancras Inernational, one of Central London’s main stations. I think I took it once from Ashford International when I was young, but it no longer stops there!

Reaching London St. Pancras Station is a pain if you’re based in Kent, like my family, but it is easy, regardless of where you are in London; options include taking the Piccadilly Line from Heathrow Airport or the Thameslink train from Gatwick.

Even if you’re already in the city, multiple Tube lines like the Northern, Victoria, and Circle lines converge at this transit hub.

What check-in is like

At St Pancras, you’ll go through both UK and French immigration, along with airport-style security (no restrictions with liquids, however – they once even gave me a coffee holder so I could take my coffee through!).

I’d recommend buying any food and snacks before going through security – there’s a Pret and a few other eateries on the other side, but there are more options around St Pancras – or you could try Eurostar cafe when you’re on the train (which is a bit more expensive and limited, but a fun experience!).

See official information (from Eurostar) about what to do when you arrive here.

What the journey is like

The train journey is about 2 hours and 15 minutes. I can never believe how quick it is! Around half an hour of that is going through the Channel Tunnel, but don’t expect to see anything exciting!

The service frequency is also quite high, with up to 19 daily departures.

Amenities on the Eurostar are designed to keep you comfortable; you’ll have access to free WiFi (which actually works most of the way!), power outlets and the bar-buffet car to purchase refreshments.

There are three service classes: Standard, Plus and Premier. I have information about upgrades and making use of Club Eurostar in my Eurostar tips post.

In Paris, the Eurostar train arrives at Paris Gare du Nord, which has quick metro links to most of the city. I’ve often taken the RER to Gare du Lyon to get a high-speed train to Milan or Barcelona.

How much does Eurostar cost?

Eurostar ticket pricing is quite dynamic. For standard class tickets one-way, expect to pay £50-£100+ – although I have seen flash sales with tickets as cheap as £35.

Whenever I post about Eurostar on social media, I always get so many comments saying £100 is unrealistic. Personally, I’ve only ever paid more than this ONCE, and that was the day before I travelled, during May half term! But of course, if you don’t book in advance and book peak times, prices do rise.

Eurostar have a function where you can find the lowest fares in any particular month – you can go through to that here.

Plus, upgrades are sometimes avaialable. On a previous Eurostar trip, I paid an extra £25 for a Standard Premier ticket.

Below is my YouTube video about what Eurostar upgrades REALLY get you.

See money-saving Eurostar hacks here.

This included a meal, comfier seats, and a quieter carriage. For me, it was worth the extra expense for a little affordable luxury!

How to book Eurostar

You can book Eurostar on the official Eurostar website.

I’d recommend booking as early as possible when you know your dates to secure the best prices!

Flying from London to Paris

Flying might seem like the obvious way to travel between London and Paris, but I actually wouldn’t recommend it!

There are numerous flights linking London and Paris daily.

London is a key aviation hub with no less than six airports (although they’re mostly located a bit of a way out of the city centre!).

The cheapest tickets will be with budget airlines, which typically depart from Stansted or Luton (and will likely land at Paris Beauvais, which is around 60 miles from the centre!).

British Airways and Air France also connect the two cities; they depart from London Heathrow and Gatwick. 

Upon landing in Paris, you’ll likely find yourself at either Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, which primarily handles international flights, Paris Orly Airport, located closer to the city centre or Paris Beauvais Airport, which is miles away.

From Charles de Gaulle, RER trains take you to the city centre, while Orly is served by both the Orlyval light rail and various bus services. From Beauvais, you’ll either need to take a bus or a taxi/ train combo.

Flights are short – it is just a quick hop across the Channel so you’re looking at less than an hour – but you’ll need to arrive at the airport two hours before, allow around 60 minutes to travel to the airport and time to get through immigration and travel from the airport the other way! It could easily take up most of a day.

This is why I wouldn’t necessarily recommend flying – the Eurostar is much quicker and easier!

I’ve not flown to Paris recently, but I flew into CdG quite a few years ago, and found it fairly quick and painless. If I’d flown into Beauvais, however, I think it would have been a different story! That said, I wouldn’t now as I’m trying to cut out unnecessary flights.

How to book flights to Paris

I often book flights on Trip.com. You can see all the best deals for Paris (including hotels!) here.

Driving from London to Paris

Driving from London to Paris is ideal for confident drivers who want the flexibility to visit places en route.

If you have your own car, you can drive it in France, although you’ll need the following:

• Reflective jackets: You should have one for everyone in the car and keep them in an easily accessible place.
• Warning triangle: This is compulsory to carry in case of breakdown.
• Headlamp beam deflectors: There are different rules when it comes to car lights in Paris. Either use deflector beam stickers or adjust the lighting.

If you’re visiting London and heading to Paris, you might be able to rent a car; although a lot of rental companies don’t allow you to take their vehicles abroad. You may find that you need to purchase more comprehensive insurance if you want to drive to France.

I’d recommend checking here to search a range of car hire companies and read the policies carefully to see if you can take a rental car abroad.

I’ve never been the DRIVER on a London to Paris road trip, but I have been a passenger. I don’t mind this way to get from London to Paris, as long as I don’t have to do the actual driving! If it was me on my own, I’d choose the train or bus (see below).

Next up: crossing the English Channel!

There are two main options here: the Channel Tunnel or taking a ferry.

The Channel Tunnel is speedy and unique: you’ll drive your car onto a train, which then transports you underwater from Folkestone in the UK to Calais in France.

It can be more expensive than the ferries, which depart from Dover and arrive in Calais or Dunkirk. And I’ll be honest… once you’ve done the Channel Tunnel once, it’s not that exciting. (I grew up around 45 minutes from the tunnel, so we used to do this trip a LOT). The views from the ferry are much better!

The drive itself takes around six to seven hours – add on around two hours for the ferry (including embarking/ disembarking) and an hour if you’re taking the Channel Tunnel. Of course, remember both the “Chunnel” and the ferry can be subject to delays!

Driving in France

Remember these points if you’re driving in France:

• They drive on the right-hand side, unlike in the U.K.
• Pay attention to speed limits, which change depending on weather conditions.
• And driving and parking in Paris can be a challenge – if you are driving, I’d recommend staying on the outskirts of the city and taking the train in!
• Some French highways are toll roads; I imagine these are contactless now, but it’s a good idea to have some Euro change just in case.

I’ve heard that Rouen and Amiens are both worth a stop (although I’ve not been to either myself), if you want to break up the drive!

How to plan driving

You’ll need to book your place on the Channel Tunnel (also called EuroTunnel, Le Shuttle or some people refer to it as the “Chunnel”) or on a P&O or DFDS ferry.

Ferry tickets are usually cheaper – they can be as little as £25 per car, especially if you get a promo deal. They can rise closer to the time, so I’d highly recommend booking in advance!

If you’re renting a car, search for car rentals here, but do double-check the Ts&Cs for driving in France and be aware that you’ll be driving on the opposite side of the road for most of the time.

Coach: The cheapest way to get from London to Paris

Wanting to travel on a budget?

There are buses from London to Paris – some with ultra-cheap tickets! 

Companies like FlixBus offer regular services between the two cities. I’ve done this option three times, twice overnight and once during the day.

Where do coaches to Paris leave from?

In London, most international buses depart from Victoria Coach Station, conveniently located near the London Victoria train and Underground stations.

You’ll arrive in Paris at Bercy Seine, which is close to the Paris metro. If you’re looking for food near Bercy, I’d recommend heading to Bercy Village, which is about a 10 minute walk away. I recently had dinner at Petit Bao and loved it!

What are the coaches like?

The buses are relatively comfortable, but it’s a longer journey (much more so than the Eurostar!).

A bus ride from London to Paris typically takes between nine and ten hours, depending on whether you take the Channel Tunnel or ferry.

Expect basics like limited WiFi, power outlets, and onboard restrooms – although they’re cramped and smelly – on most services.

On some Flixbus routes, you can pay around half the ticket price to guarantee that there’s nobody sitting next to you. I’ve done this before and it is worth doing for peace of mind!

That said, on my most recent journey, when I took the day coach from London to Paris, I chose my seat last-minute. I deliberately selected a more expensive front seat, which at the time had no seat neighbour – and that stayed the same throughout my journey.

What is the journey like?

I wouldn’t do the night bus journey again, unless I was doing some kind of YouTube challenge (which I find myself doing more and more often these days…).

Last time I took the night bus, we ended up on the ferry midway, which meant I had to wake up, go through immigration, walk around the ferry for 90 minutes, then get back on the bus… all in the middle of the night!

That said, my most recent day trip departed at 8:30am, and we spent a lazy morning driving through Kent, we took the Channel Tunnel, were a little delayed at the tunnel but then embarked and entered France. We arrived in Paris around 7:00pm local time.

I had the front seat and nobody sitting next to me and I caught up on work and relaxed. I genuinely quite enjoyed the journey!

How to book the London to Paris coach

Book the London to Paris coach on the Flixbus website.

Ticket prices are usually budget-friendly. Flixbus has a good refund and change policy, and you can also pay £1.99 to reserve your seat.

On my night bus journey a few years ago, I actually paid twice to change my seat, as I was trying to ensure I was sitting on my own – and it worked!

Travelling from London to Paris FAQs

How much is the train from London to Paris?

The cost of a Eurostar ticket from London to Paris varies significantly based on when you book. I usually book very far in advance, which means I pay as low as possible!

Standard class fares can start at around £50 for one-way if booked well in advance; and sometimes they have flash sales where rates dip even lower.

I usually buy a Eurostar giftcard on TopCashback to get a bit of extra cashback too – if you sign up to TopCashback using this link, you’ll get a £10 bonus when you earn £10 in cashback.

But prices can surge to over £200 for last-minute bookings or during peak travel seasons!

So book your Eurostar as quickly as possible when you know your travel dates.

How do you get from London to Paris cheaply?

The most budget-friendly option for travelling from London to Paris is by coach.

Companies like FlixBus offer fares that can sometimes go as low as £20 for a one-way journey if booked in advance! I have done this option a few times in the past, but I do it less so these days.

This includes the ferry/ channel tunnel crossing and takes you straight from the centre of London to the centre of Paris.

Is it better to fly or train from London to Paris?

While flying can sometimes be cheaper and faster in terms of air time, the Eurostar train has central departure and arrival points, and I think that this often makes it cheaper overall.

Eurostar also provides greater baggage allowances and less stringent security checks!

But the main reason I take it is because it’s more environmentally friendly, and I try to avoid flying unnecessarily.

Prices of both can fluctuate.

What is the fastest way to get from the UK to Paris?

The quickest way is by Eurostar, at 2 hours 15 minutes (you need to check in just over an hour before).

While the plane has a flight time of approximately one hour, this doesn’t account for additional time spent on security checks, boarding, and transit to and from the airport – which adds a lot of time on to your journey!

So I think that the train is fastest 🙂.

Do we need a visa to travel from London to Paris?

UK citizens don’t need a ‘visa’ per se, but at the time of writing, UK citizens need to go through EES checks the first time they enter the EU. This involves taking fingerprints and pictures, and can take a bit longer than normal.

If you’re visiting London from another country, you may need a different kind of visa for France and the Schengen countries. I recommend checking your government travel advisory website.

Is the plane cheaper than Eurostar?

It’s possible to find budget flights cheaper than Eurostar tickets, especially if you book well in advance.

However, prices can rise when you factor in the costs of transport to and from the airport and potential baggage fees.

Is it cheaper to fly to London and take a train to Paris?

It can be, depending on where your starting point is and how much Eurostar is!

It might sometimes be cost-effective to use London as a transit point but this isn’t a universal rule.

Is Paris worth a day trip from London?

Yes, definitely! While I’ve never done it myself, my mum and stepdad enjoyed one a few years ago.

To take a day trip from London to Paris, hop on the relatively short Eurostar journey time of around 2-3 hours.

You won’t have time to see everything but you can certainly cover key attractions like the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Notre Dame!

Is a day trip to London from Paris worth it?

If you’re based in Paris, a day trip to London from Paris is definitely possible!

Focus on major sights like Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, or the London Eye.

However, you’ll be limited in what you can explore within that time frame.

See some of my best things to do in London here.

Distance between London and Paris

The distance between London and Paris, as the crow flies, is 214 miles/ 344 km.

Driving distance is 296 miles/ 476 km.

Can I travel from London to Paris without a passport?

No, you’ll need a passport to travel from London to Paris, issued within the last 10 years, with at least three months’ validity from the date you intend to leave.

You won’t be able to travel without one!

Is it cheaper to stay in London or Paris?

Cost of living and accommodation prices are comparable in both cities, but London is often considered slightly more expensive overall.

The choice between the two largely depends on your personal budget and what you plan to do during your stay!

How to travel between London and Paris!

Whether your priorities are extra legroom, getting to Paris quickly or finding the cheapest fares, it’s effortless to travel to Paris from London! 

Don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel for overland travel videos. If my content’s helpful to you, leaving a tip on KoFi is much appreciated!