Eurostar from st Pancreas station to Paris, Paris to Epernay o

Eurostar info here -- https://www.eurostar.com/search/us-en?origin=7015400&destination=8727100&adult=1&outbound=2023-08-25

Looks like you could make the 230PM train. There are 8 more trains after that as well.

https://www.eurostar.com/us-en/travel-info/your-trip/check-in

You need to be there 90 minutes before departure( unless you have a "Business Premier" ticket)

Note that processing at St-Pancras includes the expected security inspection but also French immigration proceedings. So movement is slower on the west side of the ride but quicker when you step off in Paris.
I find the easiest website for European continental travel is Trainline, which sells tickets at a small service charge. You can learn a lot before purchase.
But as always, consult www.seat61.com for railroad knowledge.

Thank you!

The Epernay & Reims trains run from Paris Est which is a short walk from Nord- https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Gare+de+l'Est/@48.8767903,2.3540753,16z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x47e66e72ebc10f6f:0xae5593252035142c!8m2!3d48.8767903!4d2.3592251!16zL20vMDJqOHI0bill

Research and buy French trains here- those to Epernay are TER trains, those to Reims are high speed TGV.- https://www.sncf-connect.com/

Arriving in Paris your Eurostar train does in fact terminate at Gare du Nord. Trains to the east like Reims and Strasbourg use Gare de l'Est. While close to each other there is an altitude difference and quite a long steep staircase (down) or a significantly longer flatter route between.

If you are humping cruise luggage and need your oxygen concentrator I think you will need help for that connection. How much help do you expect from your friend? I expect that she has luggage too.

Then again you have to do it all over coming back. The check in for Eurostar at Gare du Nord to return to England is upstairs at that station.

Thank you all so very much. Yes we are carrying luggage for ladies (one is 75 yo and uses the personal oxygen concentrator which I carry on a rollator (like a walker), plus I have a suitcase, overnight bag and one rolling suitcase for medical equipment such as a nebulizer and the POC components.) My friend is 61 but is strong and will have at least two bags for herself. We definitely cannot do the stairs at all (we thought there would be disability access to and from the station to the other station.

Hmmmm.....is there a way to get help from one station to the other? Or can we take a taxi or uber? I am wondering if we have to be there for the 90 minutes early for the trains to the east like Epernay or Reims?

I would consider hiring a driver from Gare du Nord to Epernay or where ever we end up staying if Rick Steves has suggestions on who could do this? We would enjoy a relaxing ride up there to the East Epernay especially if it is scenic.

Would it be better to overnight near the Gare du Nord and leave the next day for Epernay? The driver is much the easier solution if the days are long then....August 25? Thank you so for your help. I normally go from an airplane to the exit by wheelchair in the airports, but will have to walk using my rollator in the train stations so I have a place for my POC, purse etc. Hard for two ladies alone to manage all this. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. So very glad you told me about the stairs and that it is at a different location or station.

you may be able to get a G7 taxi between stations but for that short a ride they will want to charge enough. Let's see what locals say. balso? Sammy? Marble? 90015?

Janetravels? Bets?

edit - don't know how I left out Kim

Don’t forget that Kim may be able to provide guidance.

I think you can count on ramps at the two train stations, but they may not lead directly to the taxi stand. Have you looked at Google Maps, just to get a real idea of the distance? It does sound like a good idea to think critically about your packing for the cruise. While I realize that QE2 is one of the more traditional companies, you may find that learning about updated "standards" (I mean, like Hedge Fund Duuudes who won't go anywhere they can't wear a polo shirt .... ) may permit you to downsize your wardrobes. I'm not saying that it isn't nice to dress up for every dinner, I'm suggesting that you give more consideration to the "big picture."

https://goo.gl/maps/cvJCo1StNAAuazNP7

If you are asking for a "moderate" room in Epernay, I don't think you will be willing to pay for a car service from Paris (which has to be compensated for "return empty" to Paris). But that is a good idea. Have you thought about whether you need air conditioning in your room? That will increase your hotel costs and reduce the number of options.

Better wine houses are likely to require a reservation for a tasting or tour-especially in the summer. One way to facilitate that is to use a higher-end hotel that will make the booking for you. But you can certainly look on the internet to see if there is a booking form for the wineries that interest you.

I think it is unlikely that you have to climb down/up train stairs in Epernay, but you may want to double-check on that. Is Epernay your only destination in France for this trip? It may not be worth the effort. Regarding the short taxi ride, have you considered splitting your Paris stay (??) into two segments, before and after Epernay? I know you won't have jet lag, a big plus. But you have a long day of transfers upon arrival. Make sure you look into Eurostar accomodations for disabilities, so you don't stand in line for 25 minutes for the lengthy security checks, immigration, and customs. Are you flying home from Paris? I hope you're not returning to London. Your profile shows a lot of travel experience, but as I am now 71, I'm starting to think carefully about my limitations.

Have you thought about whether you need air conditioning in your room? That will increase your hotel costs and reduce the number of options.

I absolutely would not stay in a hotel in France in August without air conditioning, and especially if I were dealing with apparent respiratory weakness, as suggested by the OP's mention of traveling with oxygen.

I had a look at various options. None is 100% satisfactory.

I did not find any "cross-station" reduced-mobility assistance options from SNCF, alas.

Taxi is a possibility, because technically, drivers cannot refuse a ride, even a short one. But they will not be happy about it, and it might create an unpleasant interaction. Some negotiating might ensue.

G7 taxis can be prebooked at Gare du Nord, meeting point is in front of the Burger King. Since a prebooking fee is added to the fare, it probably helps avoid a grumpy driver.

The walk is downhill, stairs are easily avoided (do not take rue d'Alsace), but from Eurostar platforms to Gare de l'Est is still over half a mile...

Bus 91 runs the route, starting from rue Saint Quentin (perpendicular opposite the station). It's just one stop, and rue Saint Quentin is the starting point, so there should be a bus waiting.

“but will have to walk using my rollator in the train stations so I have a place for my POC, purse etc.”

Jeannie, I don’t have any advice regarding your transit BUT this statement alarms me. In Gare du Nord you’ll need to have your valuables attached to you and probably would be better served to have them in a money belt. There are pickpockets working the station so you can’t just have your purse laid on the rollator.

I am sorry I misspelled the word Pancras.......sincere apologies....I did think it was odd to name something that! Alas at age 75 with disabilities and tons to do to put this trip together, I did not check the spelling. Shame on me but I have it now for sure.

I definitely would want a room with air conditioning. Thank you.

Trying to make this connection with cabbies who don't want the short trip (and I do NOT speak French) doesn't sound like a plan either. We have to take trains all over England tho but do not change trains. Also no language barrier.

Maybe I will consider canceling this part of the trip as much as I hate to be that close and not get to do it.

It would be a shame to cancel because of uncertainty regarding a half-mile connection between stations.
Have a look at G7 taxis website: https://www.g7.fr/en/

If you prebook I am pretty sure you will have no issue, since your destination will be known in advance.

And the bus #91 provides a backup if there is a problem with the taxi.

Just make sure to allow for plenty of time; there are cafés at Gare de l'Est to pass the time.

will you be stopping over in Paris on the way back, or will it be train back to Gare de l'Est and back to Gare du Nord for Eurostar and back to London in one fell swoop?

It sounds quite the adventure.

I hope it all works out well for you.

Do please remember the extended check in time for the Eurostar back to London.

I suppose there are a few bus lines in Epernay, but I wonder if you know how you are going to get around for four days in Epernay? There will be a few wine showrooms and wine cafes in town, but presumably you will want to visit ... well ... grape farms ... around the countryside.

It's not correct to think of rural France as close to England. ("Fog In Channel; Continent Cut Off!") Your profile suggests that you have not been to France. While I like champagne, it seems odd to spend so much time and effort to do just one thing in the entire country of France, especially when there is a mobility limitation. It might make more sense to visit Paris and fly home from there. But it's clear that this is primarily a trip to England.

Have you evaluated your England itinerary for stairs, walking, and effort, in the August heat? I mean, we did an excursion from London to just Sissinghurst Garden, by train and pre-reserved taxi. But it was a lot of walking and effort, and cost about $100 per person, all in. I imagine a rollator or oxygen unit on gravel paths and cobblestones is not like on concrete. You may do better to conserve your energy and planning effort for multiple train excursions in England.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/sissinghurst-castle-garden

Here's a left field suggestion. It seems that your trip to France is primarily to visit the Champagne wine caves in Epernay. An admirable plan which seems to be looking practically challenging for you. How about replacing it with a visit to wineries in England? I don't know how much you know about wine but English sparkling wine is now at a very high level. In my view it's at least the equal of Champagne although it is very slightly different. The land in SE England is very much the same geologically as the Champagne region in France and climate change is making conditions more and more perfect for sparkling wine production.
It looks like you could visit wineries in England a lot easier than getting to Epernay. There would need to be some research to find some wineries easily accessible by train/taxi. I don't have any particular recommendations - despite having drunk quite a bit of it I have not visited any of them in the south east. Camel Valley in Cornwall is also outstanding but a long way to go unless you are going down there anyway. Hambledon is one winery winning numerous awards. It's actually close to Southampton and is also a 15 minute taxi ride from Petersfield station - I hour's train ride from London Waterloo. Chapel Down in - Kent is another also accessible by train and taxi from London.
PS - it is almost certainly not your fault that you spelt St Pancras wrongly. Auto correct probably changed it to Pancreas assuming you hadn't typed it before. We see it often!

Have you thought about storing some of this extra luggage at Gare du Nord in Paris or even better St. Pancreas in London? There's no need to drag all this cruise formal attire etc all over France etc..

Based on your long list of "disabilities" and "medical equipment" you need to consider paring down the luggage. Not to mention that traveling with more stuff than you can really manage makes you an easy mark for a theft. I'd consider finding a baggage storage even if you decide not to do Epernay so you aren't dragging stuff you need only on the cruise all over England

My brain is slow to add 2 + 2 and come up with 5.

I just returned from a driving trip with my wife who now uses a rollator along with her white cane. With me assisting it works.

The trip was a success except for French cobblestones. Bigger, and with more space between than others.

My wife's is a Dietz Taima GT so it doesn't have big off road wheels. She does great but French cobblestones slow her to a crawl and she gets exhausted. We were in Laon just trying to approach the cathedral from close in disabled parking and it was Tough with a capital T.

You may have a machine with much larger wheels. You may be much more experienced than she is - she only got it in December. And you may be lucky to get routes which avoid cobblestones.

But it is worth thinking about.

Good luck

I thank you all for your advice, suggestions and help. I may look into the G7 taxi you reserve in advance that was mentioned. That might work if we can get al the luggage etc there with no help. You said they park in front of Burger King which I assume is right in front of the train station.

A friend of mine knows some folks that live in Epernay and their mother was on the Eurostar and needed to get to the other train. My friend said they just arranged a "transfer" for their elderly mom between stations and it worked fine. I am not sure what a transfer is...... I may consider a Air B & B up in AY and take Uber or a taxi to Billicart and to Avenue De Champagne and we can walk and go in the ones we want or reserve ahead of time.

I am beginning to think I may be better off with out the rollator. It would be nice to have a place to sit down for a spell if I get tried and I do tire easily since using much energy really winds me.

I am going to think on all of this and I appreciate all of your help.

Jeannie

There is no Uber in Épernay, it is a small town!