The Best Way to Travel Between London and Paris

While in France, we were impressed with the ease of travel between Paris and London. We knew we had to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore two nations' capitals and experience their unique cultures. The destinations were everything we hoped they would be, but the journey between each world-class city was just as impressive. If a trip to Paris and London is on your bucket list, we would like to share a few things about the Eurostar trip we enjoyed.

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While in London, we stayed at the Hyatt Regency London Stratford. The hotel is located in the middle of the Westfield Stratford shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. The Hyatt is within walking distance of the neighborhood metro tube station. The transfer to Kings Crossing station is relatively easy from Westfield Stratton, and across the street from Kings Crossing station is the international London St Pancras station that facilitates the London to Paris leg of the Eurostar Line.

If you have school-age children or are a Potter fan, search for and visit Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Crossing station. Right next to the platform is a unique Harry Potter gift shop. Our Children, ages 10 and 13, decided to go through the process of selecting their wands while visiting Kings Crossing's Platform 9 ¾.

We recommend YO sushi if you find yourself at St Pancras during lunchtime. You order from a server, and your food is served on a conveyor belt between the tables. While waiting for your meal, you can select sushi and sashimi mini-meals the chef creates and sends around the room on the belt. You are charged for the selections you choose along with your meal.

There are many restaurants and pubs to explore at St Pancras to help you pass the time while waiting for your train. We suggest wandering and exploring the property and selecting treats and drinks for your trip.

The boarding process is similar to an airport. The check-in gates are on the lower level, and you can scan the barcodes of your ticket at a self-serve kiosk or check in at a staffed desk.

After the check-in counter is a security checkpoint that consists of an X-ray machine and a metal detector. The lines move quickly, and the procedure is not as intense as an airport; no liquid restrictions exist. Once through security, there are both the UK and French passport control checkpoints.

You proceed to the departure lounge once you are past the passport officials. We found the lounge highly crowded, and the seating could have been better. Try to time your check-in process so that you are not one of the last travelers through security if sitting while waiting is essential to you. You are called to the board 15-20 minutes before departure by car numbers. You can check your ticket and follow the signs to your boarding destination. The trains dock upstairs, so you will use an escalator or lift (elevator) to access your boarding point.

Our car had overhead luggage racks that were very narrow. At the end of the car are additional luggage racks. We recommend limiting your luggage to backpacks, shoulder bags, and a small wheeled carry-on bag. If you have ever seen a flight crew walking to their terminal at an airport, you probably noticed how they pack a small carry-on bag with an attached soft shell bag. This setup used by the pilots and stews is perfect for traveling by Eurostar train. We actually used this setup for our entire two-week trip to Europe. We utilized capsule packing, a style that mixes and matches basic essential tops and bottoms to create many outfits from a few pieces of clothing that can be dressed up or down depending on how worn or paired. If you are interested in the luggage we used, it can be found on Amazon here.

Our car had pod-style seating. Four seats were grouped, two facing each other, with a table in the middle. Think of a booth at a restaurant but with individual seats. There were USB outlets to charge electronics, and the table was folded to give you more area to eat or sit while reading or relaxing.

There are no formalities when you arrive at Paris's Nord Station. Before boarding the train for both countries, all security procedures are conducted, so you can immediately walk out of the station and begin exploring Paris.

One fact to be aware of is the lack of restrooms in Paris Nord Station. But many restaurants across the street have facilities available. You could get a drink and a snack and use the restroom if needed.

If your immediate plans are to transfer onward to Disneyland Paris, there are about 25 trains a day from Nord to Disney. Checking the map as I sit here and type, I see the RER train would take an additional 45 minutes to complete travel to Disney.

When we exited the station, we were at the end of our incredible two-week journey, so we transferred to the Hyatt Regency Charles Degaulle (The Atrium), where we had dinner and could relax and sleep before our morning flight back to Miami.

Have you ridden any of the Eurostar lines in Europe? Please email or message us on Social media to chat about your experience. Remember to share our blog with your travel social network so we can all connect and share experiences worldwide.

Do you need travel planning? Email us at sunhatsntravelmaps@gmail.com so we can help you plan an amazing adventure!