Eurostar through fares

[calc7]

Never used one of these before.

Does the connecting UK train function as an "Advance", or can you take any reasonable connecting train? Or do you get one of the Lndon E* CIV "open" tickets?

 

[lemonic]

It really depends. I don't know if there is a way of finding out until you get the tickets. Basically, assume you get an Advance which restricts you to a specific train, but if there are no Advances available (either due to no quota or not available on the route) or the price of Advances has gone above the flexible tickets e.g. Euro Std Single or Euro High Saver Single, then you should get sold a flexible ticket.

The tickets are sold to/from London Eurostar CIV not London International CIV.

If you book the connecting journey by phone on 01233 617913 then you may be able to specify if you would prefer to pay more for a flexible ticket.

 

[calc7]

Thank you - I shall do just that.

 

[Oscar]

You can find fares to Lndon Estar CIV at www.brfares.com. The Eurostar site offers the cheapest fare (Advance or walk-up) for the connection it suggests. Phoning Eurostar Domestic Sales allows you to choose your connection and apply Railcard discounts. On the Eurostar site you can find breakdown of the fare into Eurostar fare and National Rail fare by clicking for more details on the first confirmation page. From the price you can then work out what type of ticket you are being offered. You can also use this to work out which tier of Advances are available on certain trains before phoning Eurostar Domestic Sales.

 

[matt]

When I booked from Belgium to Coventry before Christmas the booking suggested it was an advance ticket from Euston to Coventry but when I picked it up it was Euro High Saver Single ticket (Lndon Estar CIV to Coventry) which seemed to be valid on any train.

 

[Oscar]

Did the booking refer to your tickets as "Standard Non-Flexible" (i.e. "Advance")? If you choose this kind of Eurostar ticket the Eurostar site will not tell you that only your Eurostar and not your National Rail ticket is an "Advance" ticket. In fact, the site will always tell you the conditions of your Eurostar but not of your National Rail ticket.

 

[matt]

Did the booking refer to your tickets as "Standard Non-Flexible" (i.e. "Advance")? If you choose this kind of Eurostar ticket the Eurostar site will not tell you that only your Eurostar and not your National Rail ticket is an "Advance" ticket.

Yeah it was a Standard Non-Flexible ticket

 

[johnnychips]

Which is why you need to get your Eurostar ticket stamped by the guard if it is delayed and miss the subsequent advance-ticket train. Suppose the same applies on your outward journey if your journey to London is delayed.

 

[newmilton]

I recently travelled Derby-Lille on through tickets bought through the Eurostar website. The DBY-STP component were advances, but at a price lower than anything EMT offers ... £14 down and £18 back IIRC. They gave us an hour to connect going (which we needed because we were 20' into London due to the weather) and about 45' between trains on the return.

There were extra passport checks on arrival back into London due to the infamous 'Lille Loophole', but the train was not especially full so we got through quickly. A full train and it would have been tighter.

Interestingly, when I travelled London to Clermont-Ferrand in October (also through booked from E*) I don't think the Paris-Clermont ticket was any cheaper than an SNCF Prems ticket. But I'm glad I booked that way as there was a power failure on the RER crossing Paris on the return leg, and I missed my Eurostar and had to be rebooked.