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30 Days in the UK

Posted by on

Hello all! I'm traveling from the U.S. to the UK at the end of April and leaving on May 31st. First two weeks will be spent in London with a 3 day trip to Paris and Amsterdam. I'll be taking the Eurostar to Paris to mainly check out the Père Lachaise Cemetery for a few hours. After that, I will be taking a train to Amsterdam and spend a couple of days there and then flying back to London. Some quick questions:

1) Having never traveled by aircraft to another country before, how long does it usually take to clear customs at Heathrow?

2) Will I need to take a Covid test before traveling to Paris and Amsterdam and after returning to London? I know the requirements change often so I will probably need to check again before I leave but just wondering what they are if I were traveling right now.

3) Will I need to clear customs after arriving at Paris and Amsterdam train stations?

4) I have read something about a Covid QR code but am a little confused by what I read. Is that something a tourist can get after they arrive in the UK and if so, where do I acquire one? Is it really needed?

The third week I will be on a guided tour through southern England and then returning to London for a few days before I take a train to Edinburgh. I could probably take a plane to Edinburgh but I think I would like to see the countryside via train instead while I travel to Edinburgh. I will spend a few days in Edinburgh and then catch a train or bus to Glasgow for a couple of days then take a plane to Derry, Ireland, then travel to Belfast, and then fly back to London on May 28th. That's a lot of planes and trains, which brings me to my next set of questions.

5) Do I need to arrive extra early at the train stations like I would for airports? I've never been aboard a passenger train before and have no idea about security and luggage and such.

6) Is one rail service preferred over another?

At some point I'm going to take a day trip from London to Puzzlewood Forest via train and bus. Looks like I will need to take a bus from Gloucester to Puzzlewood. I know it might be easier and faster to get there by car but since I'm not accustomed to driving on the left and not familiar with the roads I think it would be better to let someone else get me there. lol

7) Is the bus from Gloucester to and from Puzzlewood like a public transportation bus that runs a regular route with stops at regular intervals or is it something I would need to book for a particular time?

8) Is there anything else I should know that I haven't thought to ask?

Posted by
16420 posts

1) It could be five minutes or it could be an hour. It depends on how busy it is.

2) They keep changing.

3) You will enter Schengen before you board the Eurostar in London so when you arrive in Paris you just get off the train and go. Once you are in Schengen there are no more immigration checks. There will be no customs checks either between Paris and Amsterdam. (Immigration is for people. Customs is for goods.) You are familiar with Schengen? If not, buy a copy of Rick Steves' "Europe through the Back Door" and read it. It will prepare you for your trip.

4) You won't need anything for the UK. You will need a "Pass Sanitaire" in France which you can get at many pharmacies. You will need your passport and proof of vaccination-including the booster. You will need this if you want to eat in restaurants, visit museums, and possibly for your train to Amsterdam. I'm not sure of the rules for the Netherlands.

When you return to the UK you will go through immigration again.

5) For most trains you need to be on board a few minutes before departure. When you arrive at the rail station, you find your track and get on board. No security.

It's different for the Eurostar as you go through security and immigration prior to the trip. You must be there no later than 45 minutes before departure. Most here suggest at least 1 hour to 1:15 before departure.

6) For London to Edinburgh there are only two train lines serving that route. LNER and a new discount line. They both leave from Kings Cross station. From Edingburgh to Glasgow, I suggest the train. It takes about an hour.

7) Can't help with this.

There's lots you didn't ask. For your train questions most people suggest you visit this site: https://www.seat61.com/

I also suggest looking at Rick's informtion on train travel: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains

Posted by
14832 posts
  1. I'd take the Eurostar back from Amsterdam to London instead of flying. With the amount of time you have to be at the airport before an International departure (because yes, this is an international departure) plus time to get back in to London you can be to Central London on the train. The train trip is just over 4 hours.
Posted by
470 posts

re 6 There are also trains from Euston to Edinburgh run by Avanti which run on a different route
Search London All Stations for best fare
Suggest you consult www.seat61.com for information on rail travel in UK including how to book tickets from abroad
The nearest station to Puzzlewood is Lydney just over 5 miles. See their website

Posted by
7055 posts

3) There will be customs checks between London and Paris, but I don't know where and how they are done. But if you have nothing to declare that will not take much (if any time). Just note that due to Brexit the Eurostar now crosses the EU border and there are strict rules on what you can bring with you, but for a normal traveller the only thing that really matters is that you can't bring any food of animal origin and only limited amounts of alcohol. No checks between Paris and Amsterdam as they are both in the single market and Schengen zone. Although there might be some random checks of vaccine passes or similar. If you are not familiar with the Schengen area, this website is a good start: https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Travelling_around_the_Schengen_Area (and cheaper than buying a book).

5) Apart from Eurostar, as long as you are onboard the train before they close the doors you are on time. No checks of any kind, just find your platform and board the train. Apart from maybe a ticket check on the platform.

6) From London to Edinburgh, LNER or the lowcost option Lumo are the fastest options. I've never used Lumo so I really can't comment on them.

8) I agree about taking the Eurostar back from Amsterdam to London instead of flying.

Posted by
140 posts

1) millionaire question. Us passport holders shouldn't have too many troubles.
2) check UK foreign office website. It is a portal with the latest information.

3)not after arrival at paris. Not sure about the Netherlands stations. Customs are cleared at St Pancras station. A bit like flying from Canada to USA.
4) you won't be able to get the UK nhs issued qr code for EU, unless you are a uk resident who makes an appointment with NHS to put your vaccination record in NHS system.
5) no for domestic trains in UK. Doors closed 100 seconds before the scheduled departure.

Posted by
17 posts

Thanks for all the great information everyone! Definitely helps with my planning.

Posted by
34010 posts

number 3

Part of the reason for the longish mandatory check in time for Eurostar is that as soon as you have put your ticket in the machine or waved it at the scanner you will enter a queue to security check. Not quite like what I have heard about airport checks in the USA but a proper security check. Then exit Border Control with the country you are leaving (passports), then entry Border Control (passports and questions and verify covid status), then customs issues, then you are released to the waiting area before your train is called. Generally Eurostar runs to time - if you are still downstairs for whatever reason they won't wait.

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