Sending 2 college students to London & Paris

Please don't pull your hair out. But I would urge you to leave these issues to the young adults involved. They're the ones who will have to find their way through London and Paris with many more transportation, lodging and destination issues. The questions you're asking are easy to research. In fact, they're the reason the Let's Go series was established. Again, don't pull your hair out. Put the kids in charge and let them figure all of this out.

Just read the tube to King's Cross(where you get the Eurostar) is about 45-50 minutes, so i'm thinking 3 hours is cutting it a little close, just in case the plane is late, it takes awhile to get thru customs etc. I like Morgan House B&B near Victoria Station for London, 2 blocks from Victoria Station from where you can get anywhere. Also just stayed at Lynton House which was nice. Better get going on hotel reservations tho!!! Booking.com is a great site for looking at hotels. Passes-the people going need to decide what they want to do in each city and price each place individually and decide if it's worth it to buy a pass. You have to do some heavy duty sightseeing (IMHO) to make a pass worthwhile. I agree with the other poster, the students need to be doing this and soon!

I agree with Doug. They're old enough to plan it all for themselves and it's good experience for them. My 20 yr old planned his trip to Europe all on his own, and a trip to the Cayman Islands with his girlfriend. It's a little late to find availability, but here's the website for a great hostel in Paris... http://www.mije.com/uk-accueil-individuels.asp

Thank you for the help, my fault for encouraging them at last minute!

Karen, I think you're a great mom for encouraging them to go! It will be a very life enriching and rewarding experience for them :) My son is graduating from UC Davis in 3 wks and traveling in Europe (many times) has definitely enriched his life and helped him as a college student (critical thinking, problem solving, logistics, experiencing other cultures, etc).

Karen, pick up the Rick Steves' tour books for London and Paris at the Barnes & Noble in Irvine Spectrum. Tons of info on metro passes, B&B's, etc. If you want to meet up, send me a personal message.

They should buy Oyster cards at LHR and load each of them with around 30 pay-as-you-go pounds. Use them to take the Tube from LHR to King's Cross/St Pancras, to get around in London when they return from Paris, and to get to LHR to fly home. They can learn all about Oyster cards and download a zoomable map of the Underground system on the Transport for London site. They should allow four hours between their scheduled arrival at LHR and their scheduled Eurostar departure. Take the Tube (Piccadilly Line) directly from LHR to King's Cross/St Pancras. There is a mandatory 30-minute check-in deadline for the Eurostar. Like Susan, I highly recommend any of the three MIJE hostels in the Marais. Both Rick Steves and Lonely Planet call them "the best budget accommodations in Paris." To get around in Paris the simplest thing to do is to buy ten-ticket carnets (€12.70) as needed and share the tickets. A ticket is good anywhere the Metro goes and on the RER in zone 1 (all of central Paris). A ticket allows for bus transfers up to 90 minutes after boarding the first bus, but a person cannot transfer between Metro/RER and bus on a single ticket. If their four days in Paris will include a Saturday and/or a Sunday, they can buy one-day zone 1-3 Ticket Jeunes passes for either or both days and not use tickets from a carnet on those days. The pass is for people under 26 and costs €3.55/day. They can download a zoomable map of the Metro & RER system here: http://tinyurl.com/6xmvms4. Any of the YHA hostels in London would be good places to stay.

You ask about 3 hours from nominal touchdown to Eurostar. I agree about letting the kids work it out - but while they do consider this basic arithmetic: Conventional wisdom for getting out of arrivals into the rest of Heathrow is 60- 90 minutes. That's without Diamond Jubilee, Olympics, and the long passport control queues that have been occurring this year because of short staffing. Figure quarter of an hour at least to find the Underground and get the Oyster cards. Just short of an hour on the Underground after waiting for it to arrive. 10 minutes to get upstairs and find Eurostar after arriving at Kings Cross St Pancras. Any queues waiting to check in at Eurostar? They MUST be checked in an absolute 30 minutes prior to Eurostar departure or they won't go on that train. That time is very strictly enforced. And this is jetlagged Euro-rookies(aren't they?). And if the plane is late? I can't see how it can be done in 3 hours. I'm sorry, but even Ed in his Speedos leaving wailing women and scattered children would have a tough time.

Yes, Karen, take a deep breath! The first time I went to France (5 years ago) I was a junior in college. (My GOD, where did the time go!?) I went to Paris and then to study in Tours. It was the best experience of my life, and the most liberating. After my European travels I felt like I was able to do anything on my own. I went completely solo. They're lucky that they're going together. They will be fine. Tell them to trust their instincts, be smart, and to live every day to the fullest. I promise you that when they get back they will be 2 different, more enlightened people.

Tim has given some great advise. Yes the kids can plan a lot, but there are many tricks that are picked up over time; Tim has alluded to some. Don't know if airline tickets have been purchased. If not and British Air is an option, check their air/hotel deals. We love the Rembrandt in the Knightsbridge/South Kensington area. It is more reasonable through British Air. They have a wonderful included breakfast buffet which I am certain a couple of college aged kids would love.

Are the plan tickets already bought? If not, fly into Paris and fly out of London. It will save time and money.
If they have already been bought I would suggest doing London first for 2 or 3 nights, then Paris, and then back to London for a night. After flying for that long of a time-period there will be serious jet lag.