Fly to Paris?

We are hoping to do the Baltic cruise next summer. It begins and ends in Dover.

Has anybody flown into Paris for a few days pre-cruise, then spent 2 days in London post-cruise? I am wondering about the train that could bring us to London from Paris on the day of the cruise. Is it dependable, or are they known to have many strikes like in Rome? Then would we take a taxi to Dover?

Just not sure if it is too complicated or a good use of time.

Advice please!!!

We spend 3 days pre-cruise in Paris before a Baltic cruise out of Dover. Then we took the Euro Star train (the "chunnel" train) from Paris to Ashford. You don't have to go all the way into London. Ashford is about a 30 minute taxi ride to Dover. Then after the cruise we rented a car in Dover and drove to a B&B near Gatwick.

 

It was all very easy. I can't comment on the dependability of the train but I've never heard of any problems.

That gives me a good idea about it going to Ashford! Now I am thinking to maybe fly into London for the cruise, and spend a few days in Paris after the cruise. Any opinions on which way would be more convenient?

I would fly into London and see that city before the cruise. That way I have options to get to the port (train or car service) that are pretty interchangeable. I like the least stressful choice. We stayed closer to Dover when we took our cruise because our friends did not have the time to spend in London before the cruise.

 

Have a great time in Paris. I did not know how much I would like the city. I hope to get back sometime soon.

 

Good luck with the luggage. That to me is one of the challenging things to deal with due to all the different regulations. That and how much we have to handle the luggage ourselves. When we cruise we take so much more 'dressy' clothes than if we do a land tour.

I am wondering about the train that could bring us to London from Paris on the day of the cruise. Is it dependable, or are they known to have many strikes like in Rome?

The Eurostar is generally pretty reliable, although there are never any guarantees.

Then we took the Euro Star train (the "chunnel" train) from Paris to Ashford. You don't have to go all the way into London. Ashford is about a 30 minute taxi ride to Dover.

Ashford is a very good way of getting from Paris to Dover. Unfortunately, I think that the station is closing in November 2007 when the new Eurostar timetable comes into force - or soon after. There will be a new station at Ebbsfleet, which is still in Kent but closer to London. Full details should be on the Eurostar site.

I'm not sure I would count on the Eurostar the day of the cruise (similar to the advice about not flying in on day of cruise). We were on it going from London to Paris last November. There was a breakdown of an earlier train and since there is only one track, we sat for over 2 hours and then never did get back up to top speed, arriving in Paris over 3 hours late. I'm not sure how they handle luggage since we were on a Tauck tour and that was done for us.

 

Both London and Paris are great cities - bring money though. They are on the expensive side ;).

I also was thinking that we should fly into London a few days early and see that area, then go to the cruise in Dover. AFyter the cruise, take the train to Paris and not be under pressure to miss the cruise . It also gives us something great to look forward to when we get off the cruise. So is there a train stop closer to Dover that we can catch the Eurostar heading to Paris?Or would we need to get all the way back to the airport area in London?

Again, thank you very much for any help.

London, then cruise, then Paris sounds good. I thought that the Eurostar went from London and made no stops until either Brussels or Paris. I know they are moving from Waterloo station to St Pancreas in November of this year.

So is there a train stop closer to Dover that we can catch the Eurostar heading to Paris?Or would we need to get all the way back to the airport area in London?

You certainly don't need to go back to the airport area - the big advantage of Eurostar is that it terminates in central London (and central Paris) which saves you the long trek in from any of those cities' airports.

 

Ashford is the station in Kent until November. Thereafter, I am not sure how long it's going to remain open for, if at all - but Ebbsfleet is its replacement in Kent. Details should be on the Eurostar site.

I thought that the Eurostar went from London and made no stops until either Brussels or Paris.

No, some trains make intermediate stops, on either side of the Channel. Ashford is the current stop on the UK side. On the French side, I think some trains stop at Calais, and rather more stop at Lille which is a great connecting point for trains to all parts of Europe.

Ashford is the station in Kent until November. Thereafter, I am not sure how long it's going to remain open for, if at all ...

Sorry, I've just checked myself.

 

Ashford will remain open at least until July 2008. See this document (PDF) for details of the timetable from November 2007 onwards. It looks like three Paris trains a day will stop at Ashford.

Whatever you do, my recommendation would be to start with a pre cruise in London. The reason I say that is if you do Paris first you said you would then travel the day of the cruise and I always think that is risky. Whereas with London you would be doing a pre cruise. So, I would start in London and end in Paris. And, then work out the mechanics of the transporation.

 

Keith

Since we have never been to this part of the world, you have all been so helpful! Thank you very much for taking the time to research and respond!

I need to book the flights next week, so I am happy to get your input now!

I have not read too much about people flying into London for a cruise , taking the cruise, and then taking the train to Paris for just 2 or 3 days pre-cruise. It sounds like a great way to see it while we are so close... but is it reasonable or too exhausting?

Let's say it's a great idea ( I hope so!).

Then if the train does still stop in Ashford til the end of July, would that make it much easier for us coming out of Dover? How would we do that? Take a taxi for a half hour ride to the Eurostar station? Would it be wise to pre-arrange a private car?

I so appreciate your input! Thanks again!

Then if the train does still stop in Ashford til the end of July, would that make it much easier for us coming out of Dover? How would we do that? Take a taxi for a half hour ride to the Eurostar station? Would it be wise to pre-arrange a private car?

I agree with Keith1010's advice about doing London pre-cruise and Paris post-cruise. His reasoning is impeccable (if I may respectfully say so!).

 

If you go to Paris for two or three days, that is a much better idea than some people's hare-brained insistence on staying in London but doing a day trip to Paris. Now that is close to my idea of travel hell.

 

I wouldn't have thought that a taxi from Dover to Ashford would cost more than £30-40. Last year, I took down the indicative taxi fares on a poster at the port at Dover - see this post. Ashford is about 5 miles further from Dover than is Canterbury (and in a different direction), so that gives you an idea of the likely cost.

Thanks again. So it sounds like the 3 days pre cruise in London, cruise, then 3 days post cruise on Paris is a good idea all the way around?

Lucky we can get the flights into London and out of Paris for the same price as a round trip to either. Just add the train fare and it's a package!

Would you have any recommendations about where to stay in Paris that would be easy to get to from the train station?

Why do you think there aren't more posters inquiring about this? Would we be able to get a good overview of each place in 3 full days?

Why do you think there aren't more posters inquiring about this? Would we be able to get a good overview of each place in 3 full days?

You'll have just about scratched the surface of each city in 3 full days. Each deserves four to six weeks to see properly. That gives you an idea of how soon you have to come back!

 

I think that there are fairly regular discussions about pre- and post-cruise stays in both London and Paris. But you'd be more likely to find them on the British Isles/Western Europe forum, not this one which doesn't actually cover either place. (Not sure why the mods haven't moved this thread, actually.)