London To Paris By Train: An Epic Interrail Trip (1/3)
We travelled from London to Paris by train as part of an epic Interrail journey, sharing practical tips, costs, planning advice, and first-hand experiences.
It’s July 2023, and my daughter and I set off from London to Paris by train, at the start of what would be an epic Interrail route finishing in Rome.
We took eight long-distance trains, covered 1,200 miles and went through seven countries.
For those who don’t know, an Interrail travel pass allows unlimited train travel across Europe within a certain timeframe.
This is the first of three blog posts, covering our journey from London to Rome by train, starting with a few days in the French capital.
The second post – Exploring the Alps by Train: Zurich, Innsbruck, and Salzburg – covers the middle part of our trip.
And then we wrap up in Italy, which you can read about in Discover Italy By Train: Catch the Nightjet For Italian Adventures.
Hopefully you’ll find the practical advice and insight valuable, and I can inspire you to plan your own journey in the not too distant future.
London to Rome by Train
Travelling by train from London to Rome was an exciting adventure I’ll never forget. The route my daughter and I took went through some of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
There was only one rule established from the outset, that we’d leave our house in England on foot, and walk back through that same front door two weeks later. No cars allowed!
After leaving our home in the Midlands, we headed to London, checked in for Eurostar and we were soon on our way to Paris, where we’d spend 48 hours exploring the city’s famous landmarks.
We took a TGV Lyria to Zurich (4hrs) before continuing our journey to Innsbruck. A great little city, where we spent one particularly fun afternoon at the Bergisel Ski Jump.
Our next stop was Salzburg, exploring the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for the Sound of Music – keep reading to find out what we thought of the official tour!
Then we took our first ever sleeper train from Salzburg to La Spezia, perfect for swallowing up some miles overnight and waking up in the beautiful Cinque Terre.
Three nights in Monterosso al Mare offered some much needed relaxation – the sandy beach helped! – before we headed to Rome to explore the eternal city and its many famous landmarks.
Was It Easy To Plan This Trip?
In truth, planning for this trip started six months before we travelled. Perhaps I was being over cautious as it was the first journey like this I’d organised.
I quickly discovered the excellent The Man in Seat 61, which became my bible for detailed route planning. And RailEurope turned out to be great for checking schedules and timetables.
How the Interrail Pass works takes a bit of thought. There’s a version (Interrail) available for European residents, and its counterpart (Eurail) for non-Europeans.
The Global Pass allows unlimited travel in 33 countries, with options ranging from 4 day flexi passes (any 4 days within a month) to 3 months of continuous travel. A One-Country Pass provides unlimited travel within that specific nation.
Pricing varies based on the pass type and duration, with the Global Pass starting around €280 for an adult for 4 travel days within 1 month. One-Country Passes differ by location, with prices starting at approximately €144 for 3 travel days in a month for countries like Italy.
Additional costs also apply for Eurostar, high-speed or night trains requiring reservations.
What Interrail Pass Did We Buy?
We were in the very fortunate position that my daughter didn’t turn 12 until a few days after the end of our trip. And an Interrail pass for under 12’s is FREE! (reservations are not though!)
So, I opted for 1st class Interrail (the one for Europeans!) Global passes with 5 travel days within the month at a cost of £329. Helped by a healthy 10% promotional discount when I booked in January.
There’s a few things to consider when buying a pass:
- Do you need a Global Pass or One-Country?
- How many days will you need to use your pass for?
- You can only use your pass for one outward/inward journey from your home country.
- Seat reservations apply on some routes – see below!
- Do the maths to see if a pass saves you money.
How we used our ‘five travel days in a month’ passes:
Travel day one: Our home town to London Kings Cross, and then St Pancras in London to Paris by train. Seat reservation was free on LNER, but Eurostar had an unavoidable €80 supplement.
Travel day two: Paris Gare de Lyon to Zurich, and then a few hours later, Zurich to Innsbruck. There was another unavoidable supplement on the train out of France – around €80 – and an optional seat reservation from Zurich to Innsbruck of €16.
Travel day three: Salzburg to La Spezia on the Nightjet sleeper train. Although the journey technically spans two days, you only use one travel day from your pass. The night trains are not free in the Interrail scheme, but they offered a healthy discount saving more than €100.
Travel day four: Monterosso al Mare to La Spezia and then a quick change onto the direct train down to Rome. There was an optional seat reservation on this service of around €24.
Travel day five: Not particularly exciting, but due to the high price of trains in the UK, it made sense to use our final travel day to travel back from Stansted Airport to our home town. At least there was no supplement!
Note: If you’re wondering how we got from Innsbruck to Salzburg, we booked a really cheap Westbahn train for under £20…so it made no sense using a valuable travel day.
So when you total everything up, all of our travel from the Midlands, UK through to Rome, Italy cost just under €600 (for us both) using the Interrail pass.
This could have been €100 less if I’d chosen a second class ticket, and a further €50 less without an en-suite cabin on the Nightjet.
My Top Tips For Interrailing
- Don’t bother with 1st class: A nice upgrade on Eurostar, but in future I’d save the money and do an extra tour somewhere.
- Travel with children before they are 12 – and benefit from free travel, apart from those pesky seat reservations (France – I’m looking at you!)
- Watch out for supplements: This really can break your budget. France is the worst offender! And a seat reservation is different to a ticket – don’t get caught out! But using the Interrail app (called RailPlanner), you can filter for ‘reservation free’ services elsewhere.
- Research is key: Make sure you find out everything you need to know about the routes you’re taking and the places you’re visiting. The Man in Seat 61 is the best resource out there and his website helps you come up with some really fun routes.
- Examine timetables carefully. Check for direct services and different operators. We made a considerable saving (£23 vs. £44) by choosing the Westbahn train from Innsbruck to Salzburg, rather than an OBB service.
- Make use of your pass – it’s underwhelming to use a Global Interrail Pass from Stansted Airport to Peterborough, but UK trains are so expensive, it often makes financial sense to make the most of your in/out days.
- The Nightjet booking window can be a bit hit or miss. Most services go on sale six months before departure, but for others, you just have to check every day.
What About Booking Accommodation?
Hotels were all booked on a ‘pay on arrival with free cancellation’ basis. Something that seemed easier to do with Booking.com than most other hotel sites.
I did this as it gave us the flexibility to consider different routes should anything change before we travelled. I was thinking engineering works or cancelled trains.
Fortunately this didn’t happen on this trip, but it saved the day when planning 2024’s adventure, with hotels booked before a 3 month line closure was announced between Switzerland and Italy.
London to Paris by Train
We left London St Pancras at 12:24pm, arriving in Paris Nord just 2.5 hours later.
It was my first time on Eurostar and I genuinely thought it was pretty cool.
The train was super modern, a smooth ride and I had plenty of legroom and space to move around.
As mentioned earlier, we travelled in 1st Class Standard Premier, due to holding 1st class Interrail Passes.
The lunch was great and we had no complaints. But I’d probably just bring a sandwich next time and use standard class (which has a reduced additional fee).
Eurostar departs from London St Pancras and arrives at Paris Nord, both conveniently located in the heart of the two cities..
Our stay in Paris was great, despite the persistent downpour that seemed determined to accompany us throughout this whole adventure.
Who’d have thought Europe could be so wet in July and August!
Getting from Gare du Nord to our hotel was a breeze thanks to the efficient metro system. We used it throughout the trip, as it made getting from one landmark to another really easy.
Where to stay in Paris
After much research, I chose to stay at Hotel Clement in the Latin Quarter, mainly because it had fantastic reviews, was affordable and I wanted a hotel that was Parisian in style.
We spent two nights here on a room only basis – and the cost was 286 euros.
Save money: I spotted an 8% cashback offer on Quidco when I booked this hotel. Saving me £22.88 for simply clicking on a link. Join Quido here
While the view from our room might not have showcased the iconic Paris skyline – it was an inner courtyard garden – the room was spacious, clean and comfy.
The hotel is also so conveniently located. Less than 1km from Notre Dame and the Louvre (just across the river), and within easy walking distance of the Luxembourg Gardens.
We spent a few hours here on our first evening. It was our first chance take stock of the start of our journey, discuss what we wanted to do in Paris, and talk about the rest of the trip.
The Luxembourg Gardens had a really relaxed feel. There were groups of local sitting around playing chess, others had brought a picnic to enjoy in the evening sunshine, others a bottle of wine.
My Top 3 Things to do in Paris
As we were only in Paris for a couple of days, we had to be up and out early, and make the most of our time there.
As I often do when I visit a new city, I thought the best way to explore was the Big Bus Tour. We’ve done these in other countries and it’s always a great way to get your bearings.
Tip: We bought our Big Bus Tour ticket via the app
The Eiffel Tower
No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the iconic Eiffel Tower. Built in 1889, this wrought-iron lattice tower stands tall at 324 meters and offers breathtaking views of the city.
You can choose to take the elevator or climb the stairs to reach the top of the tower. If you’re feeling adventurous, we recommend taking the stairs to the second floor.
Once you reach the top, take in the panoramic views of Paris and snap some photos to remember your trip.
My favourite trip: Paris: Eiffel Tower Guided Tour by Elevator
The Louvre
The Louvre is the largest museum in the world and houses an extensive collection of art and artifacts. It is home to over 35,000 works of art and attracts over 10 million visitors every year.
Some of the most famous artworks in the Louvre include the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and the Venus de Milo.
It’s a must-visit attraction in Paris, but be prepared for long queues. To avoid the queues, it is recommended that you book your tickets online in advance.
My favourite trip: 2-Hour Louvre Museum Guided Tour with Ticket
Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees
We loved this area. If you’re looking for a historical monument that offers breathtaking views of Paris, the Arc de Triomphe is a must-visit.
Located at the western end of the Champs Elysees, this iconic monument was commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806 to celebrate his military victories.
The Arc de Triomphe stands at 50 meters tall and offers a panoramic view of Paris from its rooftop.
Afterwards, stroll along the Champs Elysees and soak in the atmosphere of Parisian glamour. From designer boutiques to high-end department stores, there’s something for everyone.
You can also find some of the city’s best restaurants and cafes here, so take a break and enjoy a delicious meal or a cup of coffee while people-watching
Book online: Purchase rooftop tickets from GetYourGuide to get memorable photos.
Paris to Zurich Train
And just like that, our time in Paris was over. We had a blast and I’d like to return to explore a bit more, and perhaps sample some new restaurants.
But exciting times were ahead. After a couple of days in the French capital, Switzerland was calling. So it was off to Gare de Lyon to catch the high-speed TGV Lyric that would whisk us from Paris to Zurich in just over four hours.
There are several departures throughout the day. We were on the 10.22am, which arrived into Zurich HBF at 14:26.
Want To Keep Reading?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this first blog post from our 2023 London to Rome Interrail Trip.
As I mentioned right at the start, it’s just one of three posts telling the story of an amazing summer trip from London to Rome by train.
You can read the next leg of the journey at Exploring the Alps by Train: Zurich, Innsbruck, and Salzburg.
And the final instalment at Leaving Austria: And Catching the Sleeper Train to Italy.
Paris to London by Train FAQs
How much does it cost from London to Paris by train?
The cost varies, but standard Eurostar tickets typically range from £50 to £150 one-way, depending on how far in advance you book and what time of day you want to travel.
Is Eurostar cheaper than flying?
Often, yes. Eurostar can be cheaper than flying, especially when considering additional costs like airport transfers and luggage fees.
How long is the train from London to Paris?
The Eurostar train from London to Paris takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Is London to Paris Train Ride Scenic?
The ride is not particularly scenic as it passes through the Channel Tunnel and mostly countryside, but it’s comfortable and convenient.
What is the best part of Paris to stay in?
We stayed in The Latin Quarter and think it’s an excellent choice due to its lively atmosphere, historical sites, and close proximity to major attractions.
What is the best website to book hotels in Paris?
Due to the huge choice of hotels, many with free cancellation and book now pay later, we think Booking.com is the best for hotels in Paris.
Is there a direct train between Paris and Zurich?
Yes, there are direct high-speed trains between Paris and Zurich, taking around 4 hours.
My Final Thoughts
This was a great start to my trip, and I really enjoyed my first ever journey on Eurostar and exploring the French capital.
A couple of days was just right to get my bearings, see the main things I wanted to catch, and then head off to the rest of the trip.
