Travel to London, Paris, Lille, Brussels and Amsterdam by EurostarTravel to London by Eurostar

On account of specific check-in procedures and stricter customs controls, Eurostar passengers need to be at Eurostar check-in at least 30 minutes before departure (at all Eurostar stations).

Thalys passengers travelling from Paris Nord (Paris) and Lille Europe (Lille) need to be at the station 20 minutes before departure, due to stricter security measures at French Thalys stations.

Furthermore, non-systematic and non-permanent security checks will be introduced in the train stations of Brussels-Midi, Antwerp-Central and Liège-Guillemins for Thalys, TGV^® and ICE passengers as from July 2017. Taking into account that you may be subject to these security checks, we ask you to foresee a safe time margin and make your way to the platform sufficiently on time.

At other stations, allow yourself enough time to find your way around the station (this varies greatly from one station to another) and to catch your train with complete peace of mind. Generally, we recommend being on the platform around 5 minutes before departure of the train.

For most high-speed trains (notably Thalys, Eurostar, TGV^®, TGV Lyria and ICE), the cheapest fares are available in limited quantities. So to benefit from the best prices, we suggest you avoid peak times and book your journey as far ahead as possible.

To help you find the lowest prices on the main Thalys and Eurostar services, we can offer you a clever fare calendar: at a glance, you can see all trains with seats at the lowest prices over a period of several months.

In some circumstances, it can be more cost-effective to travel as a group, as some rail companies offer fares which are exclusively available to small groups of 3-5 passengers. Examples include the Thalys "Mini Group" fare or the "Pack Tribu" fare from TGV^®.

Finally, many railway operators regularly run temporary offers on fares, offering passengers good deals on rail travel. To ensure you don't miss out on these offers, we recommend you visit our website or Facebook page regularly, or sign up for our newsletter.

Check our fare calendar for Thalys and Eurostar >

The booking period can vary from one type of train to another. The main international trains at a glance:

• Eurostar, ÖBB Nightjet, ICE, IC-Bus and other Deutsche Bahn trains: booking possible 6 months before travel.

• Thalys, TGV Lyria, Nightjet, Thello and Trenitalia trains: booking possible 4 months before travel.
  Exception for Thalys seasonal services: for Thalys Snow to the French Alps, booking possible from the end of the summer for the whole ski season. For Thalys Sun to the south of France, booking possible from the end of the winter for the whole summer season (date to be specified each year).

• TGV^®: booking possible 3 months before travel.
  Exception: TGV^® early bird sale for travel in winter periods (Christmas and ski season) and summer periods (July and August). For these periods, the date of the early bird sale is to be specified each year.

• "Conventional" international trains (InterCity or regional trains): buying tickets without booking a seat, particularly to the Netherlands, Lille or Luxembourg, is possible 335 days (11 months) before travel. But unlike the other trains mentioned, there are no restrictions on the various fares on these "conventional" trains, so these are available up to the last minute.

Exception: every year in mid-December, different European rail companies simultaneously amend their train services, with new timetables taking effect more or less throughout Europe.

On certain rail networks (particularly in Germany), the new timetables for mid-December are only confirmed and published at some point during October. When this occurs, bookings for rail travel from mid-December onwards can also only be made after a given date in October.

On board Eurostar, you can carry, as a maximum, 1 item of hand luggage (handbag, briefcase, computer bag, etc.) + 2 bags or cases (not exceeding 85 cm in length) per adult passenger.

Buggies are allowed on board free of charge in addition to the authorised volume of luggage, provided they are folded and stored in the luggage rack above your seat.

If you are travelling in Business Premier, you can carry up to 1 item or hand luggage + 3 bags or cases (max. 85 cm in length).

Children (under 12) can take 1 item of hand luggage + 1 bag or case (max. 85 cm in length). Children under 4 years old travel for free and are not included in the booking and do not need a ticket. They do not need a seat or luggage allocation and must sit on the lap of a parent or guardian.

Eurostar registered luggage service

If you wish to travel with more luggage or heavy or cumbersome items (+ 85 cm in length), you must contact the Eurostar luggage registration service available in London, Paris, Lille and Brussels. Registered luggage and cumbersome items are not allowed on board Eurostar departing from or going to Ashford, Ebbsfleet, Calais, Disneyland^® Paris and on ski itineraries and the south of France.

Registered luggage travels in a reserved space on the next available train so as not to cause congestion in your carriage. It will be available for collection at your Eurostar station of destination within 24 hours of registration.

This service also means you can send your luggage on in advance and collect it on your arrival. You can register your luggage on the day of departure, but please allow enough time to register your luggage and then check in yourself 30 minutes before your train leaves.

Contact the Eurostar luggage registration service

• at Paris Nord: +33 1 55 31 58 33
• at Brussels (Midi/Zuid): +32 2 224 88 62
• at London St Pancras: +44 344 822 5822