London to Paris

Don't wait unless you are prepared to pay hundreds of pounds for each Eurostar ticket. Book now.

Are you considering going to Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath by car on the same day? If so, don't attempt to do so.

Walk up fare is about $209-- advance ticket ( 60 days ahead ) $61.

Yes, you can wait,but it is more costly. Your choice

Yeah the price sucks when buying a Eurostar ticket on same day.

I agree with Marco. Don't try to go to Windsor, Stonehenge and Bath in one day.

Windsor and Bath are accessible by train with numerous daily trains on the route. You don,t need a car for those locations. The main sights are within an easy walk from the train station.

Parking in Windsor (and Eton) is awful. Hard to find and expensive.

Windsor Castle isn't cheap, and you may as well get your money's worth. It is an easy half to all-dayer. Changing of the Guard, St George's Chapel, Queen Mary's Dollhouse, the walk through the castle in the State Rooms, the Semi-State Rooms, the Royal Apartments, and stopping to look at the world quality art on the walls, the Grand Reception Room, these all take time. These are all indoors, and there is a substantial amount of the castle outdoors. And most people don't even visit Windsor Great Park or anything outside the walls. When I was a member there we returned something like 8 or 9 days and didn't ever see it all.

Then a very long drive down to either Stonehenge or Bath? A long way to go.

The reason the coach trips can push it all together is they only give you glimpses. You can only squeeze so much in and of course on the coach tours most of your time is in the coach seat.

I don't know you, Lynne, and don't know the situation of your family. Many people are driven by cost, and if that is the case then you can save large piles of cash by getting your tickets well in advance - although for May, especially the end of May when the second Bank Holiday occurs, many of the best priced tickets will be gone because the tickets have been on sale for a while. Some other people are motivated by convenience and have the wherewithal to pay for that convenience. If that is you, then most Eurostar trains have some availability up to close to departure. Then again with the Late May Bank Holiday hoving into view availability will be tighter both before and after. But if money is no object there may be more room in Business Premier because the execs and politicos won't be travelling to and from work so much.

You have to check in ahead of departure - around an hour ahead although I advise more around a Bank Holiday - because you go through security then UK departure Border control, then French immigration Border control, and then over to the waiting room before being called to go up the travelator to the platform to board the train. Just 10 minutes (unless it has gone up recently) if you paid top whack.

If you only have 5 days in London and you want to see Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and Bath without taking one of those whirlwind bus tours that crams them all into one day, then three of your days will be devoted to these destinations.

As others have commented, Windsor Castle is very easy to do by train and you can choose how much of an in-depth vs. superficial visit you want -- full day or less.

Are you really set on Bath? It's the farthest from London, but OTOH a pretty easy train trip. Remember that train tickets for 6 people will add up.

Stonehenge by public transport can be done, but it's time consuming. If I were staying in London and wanted a day trip to Stonehenge, I'd sign up for a bus/van tour that would give at least 3 hours onsite at Stonehenge. There's plenty to see there: large visitor centre (indoors & out), choice of walking to the henge or partway or riding the free shuttle all the way, choice of walking to Woodhenge and Durrington Walls (but you have to walk all the way there and back if that is your choice). And a large gift shop and nice cafeteria. The excellent audio guide is included with price of entry, but if you're on a bus/van tour you'll probably have a human guide as well. Dress for the weather because the henge is out on an open plain, subject to wind and rain.

Your alternative is to rent a car, which could work out economically with 6 people. If going to both Stonehenge and Bath, I'd suggest spending the night in Bath. However, if you do that you'll need a big vehicle ("people carrier") to hold 6 people and all your luggage. The logistics of getting yourselves (& luggage, if overnight Bath) to the rental location (e.g., Heathrow), navigating to your chosen destinations, then returning the car etc. will take time and energy, so take that into consideration.

Thank you for the information!

Actually, the walk-up ticket price for Standard class does not stop at $209; it goes as high as $300, depending on date and time, or seats can possibly sell out.

You could do a day tour with the London Walks company. The guide meets you at the train station, your group takes the train to, say, Bath. The guide gives you a walking tour. Then you take the train back to London. No car rental needed.
www.walks.com
There is plenty to see in London. So if you only have 5 days there, you may wish to limit trips out of town; it will eat up a good portion of your time.
Given your limited time in London, Windsor is the shortest trip you've mentioned. I would do that by train and forget the others.

Are you flying in to Heathrow airport?
If so, you could take a taxi to Windsor (about 22 pounds) store your bags at the cloak room at Windsor Castle, tour the castle, retrieve bags, then do the short train ride into London.

Heathrow airport and Windsor Castle are very close to one another on the outskirts of London.

All this has been great information! We are thinking that we will only go to Windsor now.

Nigel -- The information about the Bank Holiday is invaluable -- so banks, post office and parliament are closed. Anything else closed? We will just prepare for holiday crowds and try to take advantage of skip the line advance tickets.

Note that there are plenty of London suburb excursions that aren't so time consuming, but give a taste of historic buildings outside the downtown. Some I've liked include Greenwich (by regular Tube train!; with nautical exhibits and the old Navy buildings (with art), as well as the famous Observatory), the Dulwich Picture Gallery (for art fanatics only), and a few mansions and grounds I can't recall right now. But they're famous enough (look up National Trust properties) to be easy to find.

On our first trip to Europe, we spent 7 days in London and 7 days in Paris. The only out-of-town thing we did either place was Versailles. We've been back to both cities (as part of longer trips) at least five times, and still haven't seen everything. Bath was on one of those later trips, part of which was by car, to include Stonehenge, Leacock Village, and similar attractions.

Anything else closed? We will just prepare for holiday crowds and try
to take advantage of skip the line advance tickets.

The easiest thing to do is go to the websites of the places that interest you to learn which days they will be closed.

You would be wise to pay attention to Nigel's final paragraph. Get to St-Pancras well in advance of your departure to Paris. Think airline security rather than the usual walk to the train platform. You can find maps of the station, and departure procedures, through Google. By the way, there is a Marks and Spencer store in the station that sells sandwiches and drinks to take on the train. That, at least, does not resemble the airport.

Thank you. I have purchased our train tickets and will get to the station early.