Eurostar flights

Eurostar flights and information

Eurostar Check-in | Eurostar baggage allowance | Eurostar legroom

Eurostar Check-in

Depending on the class of service – Business Premier, Standard Premier, Standard – check-in is a minimum of 30 minutes before departure. For Avignon-bound trains or ski services, the minimum check-in time is one hour before departure.

Eurostar baggage allowance

Passengers can take two medium-sized bags and a piece of hand luggage on Eurostar. A piece of luggage should be no longer than 85cm. There’s usually no need to check luggage, although this option is available on the London to Paris, London to Brussels and London to Lille routes (cost £18-£25). Some items will need to be transported via registered baggage service, including trunks, bicycles and sporting and collectors’ weapons or knives. Passengers bound for the Alps may bring an extra item of luggage per passenger (pair of skis or a snowboard).

Eurostar legroom

Eurostar seats are roomier than your average airline seat. The amount of legroom varies according the type of seat and class of travel. In Standard Class, in an aisle or window seat, the legroom is 84cm. Around a table (seating four), the legroom is 184cm. In Standard Premier and Business Premier, solo seats and twin seats have 94cm of legroom. Opposite seats (two seats facing each other) and tables (seating four) offer plenty of space to stretch out – 193cm.

Pre-arranged seating

Seats are assigned during the booking process.

Passenger change details

Tickets are non-transferable and may only be changed if the fare class allows. Non-flexible tickets are non-refundable and non-changeable; semi-flexible tickets are refundable and exchangeable. There is a fee involved in exchanging a ticket or getting a refund on a ticket.

Child fares

Children under the age of four travel free. Eurostar offers a discount of about 25 per cent for children aged between 4 and 11. There are youth fares (12-25) too, although the discount is very small, about 1 per cent.

Senior fares

There is a small discount for passengers aged 60 and above.

Pets

Only guide dogs are allowed on Eurostar. Pets are not allowed.

Carrying musical instruments

Small instruments may be carried on board Eurostar trains. For large musical instruments (such as a cello), passengers should use the registered baggage service, which operates between London, Paris, Brussels and Lille Eurostar terminals. The item will be ready for collection within 24 hours of registering it. The cost is £18-£25.

In-flight service

If you’re travelling Standard Class, coaches 6 and 13 are the buffet carriages. Eurostar has a tasty menu for purchase, ranging from chocolate bars and crisps, croissants and coffee, sandwiches and salads to hot meals. Prices are comparable to airline prices – £1 for a bag of crisps. In Standard Premier Class, staff serve drinks and a cold meal to passengers’ seats. Business Premier Class offers the tastiest option of all – passengers may choose from a hot menu and wine is served.

Air miles

Eurostar has two loyalty programmes – Eurostar Frequent Traveller and Eurostar Plus Points.

In addition to collecting points, Frequent Traveller gives access to business lounges, dedicated fast-track check-in and ticket desk, and a pre-bookable taxi service.

Eurostar Plus Points is a money-back loyalty programme. Spend £1, earn one point. At 300 points, customers will receive a £20 e-voucher, which can be used to book Eurostar travel. Points can be shared with family and friends.

Airline food link

Eurostar publishes its menus on its website.

In-flight magazine

The on-board magazine is called Metropolitan and can be read online too.

Airline alliances

Eurostar is a member of Railteam, an alliance of high-speed rail operators – DB (Germany), SNCF (France), NS Hispeed (Netherlands), ÖBB (Austria), SBB (Switzerland) and SNCB (Belgium).

Airline overview

Not an airline, admittedly, however Eurostar has become a popular alternative to flying – especially on the London-Paris route. It carries more passengers on its routes than all the airlines combined.

The high-speed rail link – trains run up to 300km per hour (186 miles per hour) – has been in operation since 1994. Today, Eurostar serves, in addition to Paris, Brussels, Lille, Disneyland Resort Paris, Avignon and seasonal ski routes (Moûtiers, Aime-la-Plagne, Bourg-St-Maurice). Connecting services link Eurostar with more than 100 destinations around Europe.

St Pancras is the London Terminal and there are points at Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International. Gare du Nord is the terminus in Paris and there are calling points in Calais-Fréthun and Lille-Europe. The terminus in Belgium is Midi/Zuid in Brussels.