Inspiration and great deals for your next low-carbon trips
Since its merger with Thalys, Eurostar has greatly expanded its reach. London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne… From Paris, Lille, or Brussels, its trains offer direct service to some of the most beautiful cities in northwestern Europe, without having to go through the airport.
But where exactly can we go with Eurostar, how much does a ticket cost, and when should you book to get the best prices? In this guide, we've compiled a list of destinations served, travel times, fares, and our best tips for traveling on a budget (with, as a bonus, an exclusive perk reserved for members of the HOURRAIL Club!).
The Eurostar network now forms a major northwestern European corridor, with three major hubs: Paris, Lille, and Brussels. Depending on your departure point, the destinations you can reach directly, travel times, and fares will vary. Here’s a quick overview of the network before you board.
Departing from Paris Gare du Nord, Eurostar offers direct service to ten cities in four countries : London in the United Kingdom, Brussels in Belgium, Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands, as well as Aachen, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen and Dortmund in Germany.
© eurostar.com (based on a search conducted on September 15, 2026)
Lille isn't marketed as a Eurostar destination from Paris (it's a domestic route), but Lille Europe is nonetheless a very convenient station for travelers heading north. From there, London is only 1 hour and 22 minutes away and Brussels-Midi, about 35 minutes away. To continue on to Amsterdam or Germany, however, you’ll generally need to transfer in Brussels.
And actually, Brussels-Midi is undoubtedly the best starting point for exploring the Eurostar network. From the Belgian capital, you can travel directly to Paris in 1 hour and 22 minutes, London in 2 hours and 1 minute, Amsterdam in 1 hour and 52 minutes, Rotterdam in 1 hour and 10 minutes, Aachen in 1 hour and 10 minutes, or Cologne in 1 hour and 50 minutes, not to mention Düsseldorf and Duisburg on the same line.
In other words, there are plenty of opportunities to plan a few European getaways throughout the year, or to take advantage of the end of the year to set out and explore the Christmas markets from Brussels, Cologne, or Amsterdam.
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🚄 Coming soon: Celestia trains. In October 2025, Eurostar placed an order with Alstom for 30 new double-decker trains (with an option for 20 more), named Celestia. Designed to be interoperable across the entire current network as well as at two future destinations, Geneva and Frankfurt, they will begin commercial service in May 2031, with six trains available at launch. Another new feature announced: a two-level cocktail bar, open to all passengers (not just First Class passengers).
As for the budget, there’s no one-size-fits-all price: rates can vary significantly depending on the destination, the travel dates, and, above all, when you book. To help you get a better idea, here’s an overview of travel times and starting fares from Paris (unless otherwise noted). Standard-class one-way fares, subject to availability: they vary significantly depending on the date and how far in advance you book!
| Destination from Paris | Fastest time / estimated time | Standard Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Brussels | 1 hour and 20 minutes | starting at €29 |
| London | 2 hours and 20 minutes | starting at 44 €* |
| Rotterdam | 2 hours and 40 minutes | starting at €35 |
| Aachen | 2 hours and 40 minutes | starting at 32 € |
| Amsterdam | 3:20 | starting at 35 € |
| Cologne | 3:20 | starting at 32 € |
| Düsseldorf | 4 hours | starting at 32 € |
| Duisburg | 4 hours | starting at 32 € |
| Essen | 4:20 | starting at 32 € |
| Dortmund | +4 hours | starting at 32 € |
* For London, the fare is currently €44 one way based on a round trip, subject to availability. Continental rates are also introductory rates subject to availability.
💡 Good to know: Of course, the network doesn't stop at these direct routes. With one transfer, Eurostar provides access to more than 120 destinations: Antwerp, Ghent, and Liège in Belgium; Dortmund and other German cities; as well as the French Alps in winter with Eurostar Snow (Chambéry, Albertville, Bourg-Saint-Maurice…) and the south of France in the summer with Eurostar Sun.
© eurostar.com (based on a search conducted on September 15, 2026)
Already booked your ticket? There are a few more details you should know before you leave. And they’re important, because the formalities aren’t quite the same depending on whether you’re going to London or staying within the Schengen Area.
For trips in the Schengen Area (Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Aachen, Cologne, Düsseldorf, or Duisburg), A valid French ID card is sufficient.
For London, , on the other hand, since Brexit, A passport is required and a French ID card is no longer sufficient. European nationals must also have a ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) To enter the United Kingdom: mandatory for European citizens since April 2025, it has been strictly required at check-in since February 25, 2026. It currently costs £20 (approximately €23), is valid for two years (or until the passport expires), and allows for multiple stays of up to six months each. Applications are submitted online on the British government's official website or through the UK ETA app, and takes about ten minutes.
Also, be sure not to arrive at the platform at the last minute. For trips within the Schengen Area, allow about 20 minutes early, and rather 30 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord. For London, allow plenty of time and go by the time listed on your ticket: security and passport checks take place before boarding, and f at least 30 minutes before departure 15 minutes in Standard and Eurostar Plus, and 15 minutes earlier in Eurostar Premier!
When it comes to train stations, remember this above all else: Paris Gare du Nord and Lille Europe in France, Brussels-Midi in Belgium and London St. Pancras International in the United Kingdom.
In the Netherlands, trains serve Rotterdam Central and Amsterdam Centraal ; in Germany, management Aachen Central Station (Aachen), Cologne Central Station (Cologne), Düsseldorf Central Station or Duisburg Central Station.
Eurostar at Paris Gare du Nord Station - © Sophie Renassia
Three levels of comfort are available on board:
Good news if you tend to travel with your whole household: Eurostar is pretty generous when it comes to luggage. In Standard and Eurostar Plus, you can bring two pieces of checked luggage and one carry-on bag, with no stated weight limit, provided you can carry and stow them yourself. The maximum dimensions vary by route: 75 × 53 × 30 cm on the continental grid, and up to 85 cm in the longest dimension for trains to and from London. In Eurostar Premier, you can even bring three pieces of checked luggage, in addition to your carry-on.
A Eurostar train bound for Brussels - © Sophie Renassia
Let's be honest: Eurostar fares can sometimes be a bit dizzying. In our search for Rotterdam, for example, the same trip could range from €65 to €145 depending on the day you choose. But before you give up on your weekend getaway, there are a few tips that can seriously lower the cost.
If you have a flexible schedule, Eurostar Snap It's definitely worth checking out. Here's how it works: you choose your date, your destination, and a time slot, but you let Eurostar decide which specific train you'll take. Your final schedule will be provided to you no later than 48 hours before departure.
In exchange for this flexibility, the reduction can be as high as 50% off the Standard rate available at the time of booking. Snap tickets are available for trips departing soon and can currently be booked up to 10 days in advance, subject to availability.
The flip side of the coin: they aren't neither exchangeable, nor refundable, nor transferable. So keep this in mind for getaways where a strict schedule isn't important.
Not surprisingly, The earlier you book, the better your chances of finding the best rates. Eurostar tickets generally go on sale several months in advance (up to 10 to 11 months before departure, depending on the route) and the lowest fares tend to become scarcer as trains fill up.
The day of the trip can also make a real difference: Tuesdays and Wednesdays usually offer the best rates. And if you're more of an improviser, all is not lost: Eurostar Snap can actually make certain last-minute trips much more appealing.
Update as of September 2026: our exclusive discount for dudu members HOURRAIL Club! (25% off Eurostar tickets) has now ended.
But the good news is that we offer discounts all year round, and we obviously hope to be able to offer you some new ones with Eurostar soon.
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The HOURRAIL Club: the community for low-carbon travel and slow travel
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Arriving in London or Brussels doesn't always mean getting off the train for good. Both cities are also excellent gateways for continuing your journey further into Europe—all without taking a plane.
At Brussels-Midi, European Sleeper allows you to continue your overnight journey to Berlin and Prague, with three departures per week. Since September 9, 2026, the cooperative has also been connecting Brussels to Milan three times a week, via Germany and Switzerland.
© European Sleeper
The combination is pretty convenient: a daytime Eurostar from Paris, followed by a night train departing from the same station in Brussels. No need to go to the airport, No hotel stays to add, and when you wake up, you're already a few hundred kilometers further along.
Full details on schedules, fares, and the various levels of comfort can be found in Our Complete Guide to the European Sleeper.
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London, too, may be just a stop along the way. Once you arrive in St. Pancras, just cross the street to get to King's Cross, from where LNER and Lumo provide direct service to Edinburgh. The fastest trains now take a little over 4 hours to reach the Scottish capital.
And if you want to take the train experience to the next level, you can also spend the night aboard the Caledonian Sleeper. Departing from London Euston, its overnight trains serve, among other destinations, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, and Fort William.
We detail all the options in Our Guide to Traveling Through Scotland by Train.
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Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).
Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.
