Train Tickets London to Paris: A 5-Step Guide

Step 1: Buy a Eurostar seat for the train tickets London to Paris

Eurostar sells the train tickets from London to Paris, and the trip is one of the easiest 1 day trips from London to plan. According to Eurostar's London to Paris page, fares are advertised from £39 one way. That is the lowest "from" price, not the price on every train.

Pick the time you want to leave, then choose a ticket type. Eurostar's ticket types are Standard, Plus and Premier, and they differ in how early you must arrive. Step 3 gives those times.

Book before you travel. The cheapest fares are shown as "from" prices, and the price you see can rise as trains fill. The Eurostar pages we could read do not say how many weeks ahead fares go up, so check the date you want and book as soon as you are sure.

Pro Tip Keep your passport and your ticket in your hand luggage, not in a suitcase, because you need both at the first gate at St Pancras.

Step 2: Go to St Pancras and expect about two hours sixteen minutes

Eurostar trains leave London from St Pancras International and arrive at Paris Gare du Nord. Most trains take about 2 hours 16 minutes, and some take up to 2 hours 37 minutes, according to Eurostar.

St Pancras sits beside King's Cross station in north London. If you are staying elsewhere, the getting around London guide shows how to pay for the Tube, so you reach the station on time.

Gare du Nord is in the north of Paris, and you do not clear any checks when you get off. Those are done in London before you board.

Step 3: Arrive early and clear the border checks

Arrive at St Pancras at the time shown on your ticket. For Standard and Plus tickets, that is 75 minutes before departure, and the gates close 30 minutes before. For Premier, it is 45 and 15 minutes, according to Eurostar's check-in page. Eurostar says timings can change, so read your own ticket.

You pass security and the border checks before you board. Your passport is checked, and you may have to give your fingerprints and a photo. The UK government explains that, for people entering the Schengen area at St Pancras, this information is taken at the border before you leave the UK. Registration is free, and the record lasts 3 years.

If you travel on a British passport, it must be less than 10 years old on the day you arrive. It must also expire at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area. You can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa.

If you are not a British or Irish citizen, check your way back too. A UK ETA (electronic travel authorisation) costs £20 and lasts 2 years for any number of trips, according to the UK government's ETA page. Make sure yours is still valid on the day you return.

Key Takeaway For a Standard or Plus ticket, be at St Pancras 75 minutes before departure, because the gates close 30 minutes before the train leaves.

Step 4: Check what a Paris day trip really leaves you

A day trip to Paris works, but it is a short day. The train takes about 2 hours 16 minutes each way, which is about 4.5 hours on the train in total. Add 75 minutes at St Pancras at the start, and you lose roughly six hours before you count a single sight.

A day in a second city is a visit, not a stay.

You can still see the main sights. Pick two or three, such as the Eiffel Tower, a river cruise and one museum, and leave the rest. A day trip is the wrong choice if you want to enter a big museum properly or eat a long lunch without watching the clock. Stay at least one night in that case.

If you would rather not plan the day, two organised trips include the return train. The Paris day trip with a guided tour and Seine cruise is listed from €310.32 per person and rated 4.6 from 225 reviews. Premium Tours runs it, the group has up to 50 people, and it takes 14.5 hours. It meets at St Pancras International. It includes the return train, a guided panoramic tour of Paris and a 1-hour river cruise. Admission to attractions, meals and Louvre entry are not included. The listing says it is not suitable for wheelchair users.

The Paris tour with a sightseeing bus and lunch cruise is listed from €476.23 per person and rated 4.9 from 8 reviews. Evan Evans Tours runs it, and it takes 15.5 hours. You check in at St Pancras at 5:30 (5:00 on Saturdays) for the Eurostar. It includes the return Eurostar with reserved seats, a hop-on hop-off bus ticket and a 2-hour lunch cruise on the Seine. The tour is independent, so you explore alone. The listing says it is not refundable, and that seat requests are not guaranteed.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 2026-10-24.

Since October 2026, Things to Do in London counts 2 GetYourGuide listings that take you from London to Paris by train, with prices from €310.32 to €476.23.

Step 5: Decide between a day trip and your own ticket

Buy your own ticket if you want to choose the time, the sights and how long you stay. A tour is worth it if you want the train, the seats and the day planned in one booking. You pay more, and you get a guide or a route.

Buy a ticket alone when you want a night or more in Paris. Both listed trips return the same day, so they do not fit a longer stay. If a one-day visit is what you want, the London to Paris day trip page shows the organised options in one place.

Check these before you book either way:

• Does the train time leave you at least five hours in Paris?
• Is your passport valid for the dates, and will it be checked at St Pancras?
• Do you know how you will get to the station 75 minutes before departure?

If you plan a longer stay, see where to stay in London for the nights on your way in or out.