Train from Edinburgh to York to Paris

Posted by Jim (Slidell, LA) on 11/06/19 05:05 PM

Anyone done this route before? My wife is meeting me in Edinburgh after a golf trip to St. Andrews and we are looking at several itineraries. Since we were there four nights a few years ago Edinburgh is not included in this trip except the airport. We are considering driving the Highlands for a week, but the other choice is a little more complicated. After a quick trip by car back to St. Andrews for two nights she wants to take the train to York for two nights and then on to Paris on the Eurostar (do you have to change train stations in London?) We will spend six nights in France divided between Paris and Normandy. We have been to both in limited amounts but want to go back and see things we missed the first time. The big in Normandy was Mont Sr. Michel. and Caen Should I get point to point tickets or a rail pass. Rick's map says the 2nd class single tickets are $110, $110 and $140 respectively and would use two rail days on a rail pass. If we go to Normandy we need at least two additional rail days, and once there we would rent a car. Any help would be appreciated. We are both retired (or she will be by then) so we have no time restrictions. Thank you.

Jim

Posted by balso

Paris

11/06/19 05:25 PM

7291 posts

Hi,

It's a fairly fast-paced but feasible journey.
On the UK-to-France leg, here are my comments:
- Where would you drop the car? Edinburgh I guess? No train station in St Andrews.
- Don't use a train pass, doesn't work out for this trip.
- Edinburgh to York is no issue, buy direct on lner.co.uk (the train operator), up to 3 months in advance
- York to Paris requires a change of station in London... but they are thankfully side by side! You go from King's Cross to St Pancras in about 5-10 min walk.
- However, due to Eurostar check-in requirements, I would allow about one hour for the connection.
- And for additional protection and lower prices, I would use the UK VERSION of Eurostar.com to buy a ticket from York to Paris (https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en). That way, the connection in London is protected, you get put on the next available Eurostar if your train from York is late.
- Buy 3 months in advance for cheaper prices (sometimes, the booking window is shorter, just try every few days)

Within France:
- Caen is probably the best place to rent a car for Normandy touring, but beware, I'm not sure rental offices are open on Sundays (so no pick-ups that day - drop-offs would be OK)
- Train to Caen is best booked online (oui.sncf/en) in advance, up to 3 months ahead, for cheapest price. This is a fairly recent development: you might see some outdated advice that says advance booking is useless on that route. This said, that route does not sell out so if you'd rather stay flexible, you can.
- Still no railpass, they are a hassle in France.

Posted by Kim

Paris

11/06/19 05:28 PM

10106 posts

I came in just to provide the info about King’s Cross (where train from York arrives) and St Pancras (where train for Paris departs) being side by side, but Balso put together such a wonderful comprehensive message that I have nothing to add!!

I agree with all mentioned in that post.

Posted by Chris F

Basel, Switzerland

11/06/19 08:08 PM

8889 posts

York to Paris, yes, done this many times (I have family in Yorkshire)
Train 1 York to London Kings Cross
Train 2 (Eurostar) London St Pancras to Paris Gare Du Nord
Kings Cross and St Pancras are literally on opposites sides of the same road. click here for 360° photo, in front of you St Pancras, rotate the photo 180° and you see the exit from Kings Cross.

If you buy a ticket 2-3 months in advance, you can get reasonable fares.
https://raileurope.co.uk/ will sell you this as one purchase, incorporating the necessary time to go through passport control at St. Pancras.
For mid-January, mid week, they are currently selling tickets from £66 - a bargain.

Posted by acraven

Washington DC

11/06/19 09:34 PM

27908 posts

The big-ticket attraction in Caen is the Peace Museum. It can be a full-day affair, and I liked it. Some others do not. It is expensive, large and crowded. It covers the lead-up period to WW II, the war itself and the Cold War. Many visitors to Normandy are looking for a more-focused museum. Caen was nearly obliterated during the war, so it has little in the way of historic architecture. There are a couple of abbeys; I didn't see them so I cannot comment on them.

I don't know what you saw on your earlier trip to Normandy. If you didn't hit Bayeux, I would recommend it. There are many things to see there: Normandy Invasion museum, tapestry, cathedral, historic architecture. Since you'll have a car, I'd tend to choose a smaller town to stay in than Caen. The car will be very helpful if you want to go to the Peace Museum, however; it is well outside the center of town, and the bus trip takes a good while.