h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Actually Eurostar is quicker from city center to city center, since there is only minimal checkin time and you don't have to suffer the tube (or the hideously expensive Heathrow Express) in order to get to (or away from) the airport. In fact if you add the additional travel costs to/from the airport, it may well work out cheaper.

Symbolic

Eurostar is really yet another symbol of British cockups. Whilst on the continent the trains speed through the countryside at terrific speed, upon emerging from channel tunnel in the UK they have to slow to a snails pace - presumeably in order not to show up the rest of what used to be British Rail. This is unlikely to change much before 2006 (if ever).

Still we get what we deserve - low taxes and useless public services.

Robin,

You are absolutely correct about the benefits of city centre to city centre travel afforded by Eurostar.

I currently work in Brussels and am a regular user of Eurostar, I find it not only to be much quicker than flying, it is also less prone to delays etc.

Regarding costs it is certainly comparable to the cost of flights once you add on taxi/train fairs to and from the airports.

The new high speed link from the tunnel to St Pancreas is amazingly on schedule and on budget at the moment and will shave approx 20-25 minutes off the total journey time to Paris and/or Brussels. This means London to Brussels in 2hrs 15mins and London-Paris in about 2:40.

Regarding your final comment - you are absolutely right!!

The last post about Eurostar was absolutely right - but if you want exact information about the price difference of Eurostar Premium compared with the airlines - try booking a Business Class ticket to Paris with Air France or British Airways - around £315 one way, which includes 'some kind of snack' (BAs own words) compared with Eurostar Premium (£250) including a three course meal with unlimited wine and champagne plus a complemetary taxi on arrival - and as long as you are leaving central London for central Paris, a shorter journey time.

I can't help thinking that this could do with some updating... Eurostar blasts throught Kent at 186mph now so it is only 2h20mins London-Paris which means that, city centre-city centre, it is by far quicker to go by train. Ditto for Brussells.