We will be arriving in Dover via cruise on 22MAY09 and would like to go to Paris from there. We would like to take Eurostar or a combination of ferry to Calais/train to Paris, but are not sure what is best option.
Posted by
Freedonia
16036 posts
Go to the DB Bahn website and fill in your travel information. It will give you your rail options.
You could also take the ferry and the train but the entire trip would take about 2 hours longer than just the train. And probably cost more.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
From my reading of the Eurostar site, it looks like you can board in London and get off in Calais, but you can't board in Calais and go on to Paris.
Take a ferry to Calais. There is frequent train service all day long from Calais to Paris, either on direct TGVs or on regional trains from Calais to Lille and TGVs from there to Paris. (See the DB site given by Frank II.)
Posted by
OP
Ocala
3 posts
Thanks so much. I went to the DB Bahn website but could not see the prices. It looked like it could not be booked via internet.
Posted by
Freedonia
16036 posts
I can't believe I'm going to contradict Tim when it comes to trains...but...from Dover take the train to Ashford (Kent) and then board the Eurostar to Paris. Much faster than the ferry.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Frank is welcome to contradict me anytime! His suggestion of taking a train from Dover to Ashford and taking the Eurostar from there to Paris is a good one--if the limited Eurostar departures from Ashford fit well with your arrival time at Dover. On 22 May, Eurostar trains that stop at Ashford on their way to Paris leave Ashford at 07:25, 10:55, and 16:55. There are at least two trains/hour from Dover Priory to Ashford International. The trip takes around 30 minutes. The fare is £7.30. See the Journey Planner on the National Rail site.
Book Eurostar tickets on the Eurostar site. Be aware that there is a minimum 30-minute check-in deadline for the Eurostar.
To get timetables and fares for Calais-Paris and to book tickets, go to the tgv-europe site. To keep the site in English and to prevent being bumped to the Rail Europe site, choose Great Britain as both your country of residence and the country in which you will retrieve your tickets. You can pick up your tickets in Calais even though you originally chose Great Britain.
For ferry timetables and fares go to the Direct Ferries site.
Posted by
OP
Ocala
3 posts
Thanks so much for your help. In talking to NCL, they can't tell me when we are guaranteed to be off the ship. Is it advised/much more expensive to buy tickets at the time of travel? Currently, I am looking at the ferry/train combo. Also, it looks like the train is faster from Calais-Frethun to Paris than from Calais-Ville, but I can't tell how I would get from the Port at Calais to the train station. Any advice?
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
Travel time to Paris from either Calais station is dependent upon the kind of train(s) taken and whether or not you have to make a connection. It can be just as fast to depart from Calais-Ville if you don't have to change trains.
Booking in advance can get you discount fares for Calais-Paris, but the tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable. Since you don't know when you ship will dock, it would be best to buy your tickets when you get to Calais.
According to the Direct Ferries site, there is free shuttle bus service between the ferry port and the Calais-Ville station. The Calais-Frthun station isn't mentioned. I suppose you could take a taxi there.