Eurostar

Also see: Eurostar London-Paris-London at Paris for Visitors

ABOVE: Two Eurostar trains in the Gare du Nord, Paris.

Also see: Eurostar London-Paris-London - a first-hand report

If you saw the film Mission Impossible, you've already seen Europe's "Chunnel" passenger train in action. In that movie, Tom Cruise fended off a helicopter from the Eurostar's roof until the chopper blew up inside the English Channel Tunnel.

Most Eurostar trips are less dramatic. More than two dozen high-speed electric trains (based on French TGV designs) connect London with Lille, Paris, Brussels, Avignon, the French Alps, and the Disneyland Paris resort at speeds of up to 300 km/h or 186 mph.

Travel time can be as little as 2 hours 15 minutes between London and Paris, or 1 hour 51 minutes on the London-Brussels route. (Trains that stop at Ashford, Lille, and other stations take a few minutes longer.)

A few points worth noting:

• Eurailpass isn't valid on Eurostar. However, you'll get a discount of about 20% off the standard fare if you have a Eurailpass, Europass, France Railpass, BritRail Pass, or Benelux Tourrail Pass.

• Like the airlines, Eurostar offers a variety of promotional fares. Some of these offer big savings over normal published fares.

• Travel time through the English Channel Tunnel is only 23 minutes, which is good news for sightseers and claustrophobes.

• Ride quality is remarkably smooth, even at 186 mph (300 km/h), so nervous travelers should be able to keep their apprehension in check as the train races across the countryside.

• Pets aren't allowed, so leave Fido or Fifi at home.

• Special fares to Disneyland Paris and the French Alps (via ski train in winter) are available; consult the official Eurostar Web site on page 2 for details.

• Le Shuttle, the train that carries automobiles under the English Channel, uses the same tunnel as Eurostar but is a separate service. For more information, click the links under "Le Shuttle" on page 2.

Next page: Eurostar links

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