I will be staying in Lille for around 10 days in August.
I've been trying to use the Eurostar site to find my way to London, Paris, Bruges, Versailles (it may not go to this place...), from Lille, but am stymied.
I would like to enjoy day trips and am interested in learning how to book the Eurostar or maneuver thru their site.
Eurostar will get you to London and back. That is its job. Other railroads will get you to Paris, Versailles, Bruges.
For Paris, try https://en.oui.sncf/en/tgv
For Bruges, https://www.belgiantrain.be/en
Versailles is served by the Paris transit system. https://www.ratp.fr/en/itineraires
Eurostar timetable here: https://content-static.eurostar.com/documents/446099_Timetables%20Core%20destination_Issue%2082_UK%20EN.pdf
Trains from Lille to London (and vice versa) are listed on page 2.
Buy tickets on their site: https://www.eurostar.com
If you just want to look up train times (not buy tickets), and don't know which rail company you want, use the DB website: https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml
P.S., there are two stations in Lille, the new Lille Europe and the older Lille Flandres, about 10 minutes walk apart.
Lille Europe for Eurostar trains to London.
Lille Flandres for (most) trains to Paris and Brussels.
I wonder if you are confusing Eurostar and Eurorail. The latter is a third-party aggregator and reseller that is seldom recommended here. I buy French tickets on the SNCF website, which redirects to "oui". I print bar-coded tickets at home, usually. It sounds (since you mention Versailles, which is not a long-distance rail destination, but a local RER commuter stop from Paris) like you might benefit from our host's general rail advice (blue menu top left.) His website is free and does not require registration to read his Travel Tips.
Presumably you know there are two adjacent stations in Lille, and which one has Eurostar. That is a premium service that is hugely cheaper when bought well in advance, yielding non-refundable, non-changeable tickets. The walk-up price is very high. Note that there are immigration formalities in both directions, which require up to an hour early-arrival at the station. For daytrips, you may use regular rail services, many of which don't require seat reservations, or a ticket for a specific train. (I mean, as opposed to the "Eurostar" product.)
Thank you everyone for the good information and links.
Seems I have further investigation and need greater knowledge about various train options, operators, and methods of getting around from Lille to other cities.
Seems I have further investigation and need greater knowledge about various train options, operators, and methods of getting around from Lille to other cities.
Train travel newbies start here: https://www.seat61.com/Europe-train-travel.htm
Then read the rest of that site, lots of country-specific and route-specific information. Different rail companies have different ways of doing things (same as airlines do).
You could very simply go to the train station and buy a ticket to your destination without knowing any more about it. However, the reason to book ahead for destinations like London, Paris, and the faster trains to Brussels, is to lock in advance-purchase discounts. See also https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains/buying-tickets.
Shasha, please do not be intimidated by the need to get familiar with rail travel in Europe. Being in Lille, France is an EXCELLENT place to plan days or nights out from. And rail is a comfortable, and affordable way to do it, if you learn the basics. Do not waste the opportunity. You don't even have to worry about Brexit because you're traveling in August, 2019.
From Lille to Bruges the bus is a better transportation choice than the train. Their is no direct train to Bruges from Lille so you have to transfer trains, usually Ghent or Brussels. Cost and time are more than hopping on OuiBus or FlexBus right in front of Lille central train station. They both drop right in front of Bruges train station in about a 1 hour 15 minutes for around $5 each way with a 10 minute pit stop en route. The coaches are very nice with WiFi. Make sure to purchase your tickets online. The driver doesn’t sell them. Google Lille to Bruges bus. Make sure to carry your passport. Some drivers won’t let you board without it because of a law transporting passengers across countries. We did a day trip from Lille to Bruges last September and bought our tickets that day. They leave about every hour. Bruges was well worth a solid day. Lucky you!
I agree with that bus advice for Bruges, sorry not to have thought of it. (I don't bus very much myself, and am more likely to base in Antwerp than in Lille.) Bruges is a special case for visits from other than Flanders. (And Lille is particularly poorly connected to Brussels. I took three trains from Antwerp to Lille, once. Sometimes it's two, but it's really slow.) Note that in August, you might want to continue from Bruges to the beach in Osteende (45 minutes by local train), if you have an overnight and the money for nighttime beer and fun. Be ready for heat.
My intimidation has fled through everyone sharing so much relieving information and helpful links. It had felt overwhelming and now feels so doable. Thank you! Thank you!
