I had never been to Switzerland but always wanted to go, especially since my June trip to Austria. I loved the views from the window on my train journey from Salzburg to Innsbruck. That train was going to Zurich, and I wished I had been able to extend the trip.

Once I got home, I started planning a trip to Switzerland. Having already spent time in Paris recently, I planned to travel to Zurich and spend extra time there rather than spending the day in Paris.

The Early Morning Eurostar from London St Pancras to Gare Du Nord

The day before, I had travelled from Cornwall to Paddington, then to Kings Cross. I stayed a 3-minute walk from St Pancras Station, which shortened my journey time.

After arriving late and with an early start, I just needed a bed for the night, so I opted for the Apollo Hotel Kings Cross.

There are plenty of other options nearby, including the St Pancras Renaissance hotel, recommended by Michele.

I booked the 7:55 am train, which arrived in Paris at 11:27 (2 hours, 35 minutes).

Arriving at St Pancras, I was pleased I had opted for an early train. It took around 10 minutes to queue and get through security.

Once I entered the waiting area, I headed to Pret. However, it seems most people also had the same idea! There were also no seats available in the entire waiting area. After walking around a bit, I joined the long queue.

Boarding was announced on time. It took longer than usual because one of the escalators is in maintenance. Once on board, I had a seat next-door to me free.

You can read more about my past experiences travelling on The Eurostar below:

Standard Vs Standard Premier: Is it worth the upgrade?

A Day Trip from London to Paris on The Eurostar

Travelling from Paris Gare du Nord to Gare Lyon

One of the issues I encountered during the planning process was that Eurostar arrives at Gare du Nord Station, but most other trains leave from another station in Paris. However, from my previous trip to Paris, I knew the transfer would be straightforward.

However, when I arrived, lots of building work was going on, and the taxi rank position had changed. People outside the station offered me quick rides to Gare de Lyon to take me through the traffic via motorbike. I declined and opted for a taxi.
The queue was 10 minutes at maximum, but it was a lot longer by the time I got to the front. I had booked the 12:19 train, which arrived in Zurich at 16:26.

The strikes in Paris had caused the roads to be even more congested than usual. Unfortunately, the journey took so long that I MISSED my pre-booked train from Paris to Zurich.

This is the moment I realised it would have been easier to fly and get trains around Switzerland once I was there! The taxi pulled up at Gare du Nord the minute my train was due to depart. When I arrived at the departure hall, there were no trains there.

Maybe I made the wrong decision leaving 1 hour to transfer, or perhaps it was just unlucky with the Paris strikes – which also went on to cause a 4-hour delay to my flight home from Geneva to Bristol.

Booking a New Ticket at Gare de Lyon Station

It was easy to book a ticket at the station, and though I could not get a direct train, I purchased one with a 7-minute change in Basel. Because I had booked an advance single via Rail Europe, I lost that ticket and had to buy a new one. The original ticket was £70, and the new one was £142 to leave 2 hours later.

If you choose to travel from the UK and transfer from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, make sure you book a flexible ticket!

Lunch in Paris Waiting for the New Train

One of the benefits of missing my train was having the chance to eat lunch in Paris. I ate at Bistrot De La Gare, which was a good choice! You can find Bistrot De La Gare at 1 rue de Lyon — 75012 Paris. You can view the menu here.

Boarding the New train from Paris to Zurich

The new train departed from arrival hall 2. 

The platform was suddenly announced, so there was a long queue to get through the ticket barriers and onto the train.

The Train from Paris to Zurich

The train was configured with a top and bottom floor. I found a good seat on the top deck. A large tray table was big enough to fit a full laptop (unlike some standard-class carriages in the UK).

The train had a trolley service, and I opted for a delicious Cappucino for around £3.50. This was a lot nicer than the filter coffee on some UK trains.

The journey from Paris to Basel was 3 hours and went very fast. 

If you are planning a train trip from London to France or Switzerland, the train also stops at Dijob, Mullhouse and Bellfort.

Changing Trains in Basel

Arriving in Basel, there were just 7 minutes to change. I was nervous about this after missing a train earlier in the day. However, it was straightforward. Most passengers were also doing the same change. It involved going up and down the escalators to another platform, and there was plenty of time on the train before it left.

The train was not as modern as the Lyria train I had just been on. It still had a top and bottom deck, but it was jam-packed, and much of the top deck was reserved for first-class passengers. I ended up sitting on the stairs, so it may be a good idea to upgrade to first class for this part of the journey or book a direct train from Paris.

Arriving into Zurich

I was very impressed when I arrived in Zurich. The station was easy to navigate and had many shops, cafes and restaurants. The walk to my hotel took me across some beautiful bridges with amazing views of Zurich at night.

Knowing this was a long journey, I booked a circuit at the Hürlimannbad & Spa Zürich, which has a rooftop pool with panoramic views of the Zurich cityscape. This was the perfect introduction to Zurich. Even though I arrived much later than I had imagined, there was still time to visit before it closed. 

I booked my ticket through Get Your Guide. The spa also has packages which include a Roman-Irish spa ritual, packages with dining included, and many bookable treatments too. If you stay at the B2 hotel Zurich, it also includes access to the spa.

The Cost of Travelling by Train from London to Zurich

The cost of the journey ended up being more than the average economy-class flight. 

Eurostar – I bought my Eurostar ticket in September for £56.

Taxi from Gare du Nord to Gare Lyon – £19.35

Lyria Train Paris to Zurich – £76 (£142 extra paid after missing it!)

Total: £217.35 (this would have been £151.35 without missing the train)

Flights from London to Zurich

Flights from London to Zurich are around 1 hour 43 minutes. Multiple airlines make this journey meaning there are up to 301 flights from London to Zurich every week.

BA  and SWISS are the major carriers operating this journey from London. EasyJet also flies this route often, as well as many other airlines!

You can read TLFL reviews on travelling to Switzerland below:

• Swiss A220 business class review Geneva to Heathrow and how to upgrade an economy flight with Swiss
• Swiss A220 economy Heathrow T2 to Geneva review and how I pimped it up for lounge access & fast track
• Swiss A220 (Bombardier C Series) business class review – London to Zurich

Train Travel in Switzerland

Although this particular journey did not go so well, I had a fantastic experience with other train journeys in Switzerland, including Zurich to Lucerne and Lucerne to Geneva. I also spent a day travelling from Lucerne to Grindelwald via Interlaken on the part of the Golden Pass line, and the views were stunning.

My Thoughts

Travelling by train from London to Zurich was a one-off – a bucket list experience I had always wanted to do. After this experience, I now think it is better to fly to Switzerland, especially if you are like me and do not live near London.

With the multiple train changes, traffic, security and missed trains, flying would be much easier. It is important to remember that the issues encountered were due to the strikes in Paris. My plane from Geneva to Bristol on the way home was 4 hours delayed due to the Paris strikes, so maybe the issues are only temporary.

However, I highly recommend travelling by train once you are in Switzerland. Whether you opt for a normal train journey or a special journey like the Bernina Express or Glacier Express, the views are always stunning.

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I recently spent some time in London for work, and I thought it would be good to start and finish with something fun. With the week ending with the TLFL event, I decided to attempt a day trip from London to Paris on the first day. Although I love flying, the idea of going through airport security twice a day didn’t sound appealing, so I booked a return train trip with Eurostar instead.

My reasons behind the trip were to tick Paris off my bucket list and see as much of the city as possible in a day – with the hope of returning someday to see the sights I missed. So, is a day trip from London to Paris worth it? Here’s everything you need to know.

Travelling to London

I started my journey right at the bottom of Cornwall in St Ives and boarded the 9:55 pm Night Riviera Sleeper Train from St Erth. You can read my review of one of my past trips on the Night Riviera here. 

The train was due to arrive in London at 5:30 am, but when I woke up at 5:45, we were stuck 10 minutes out of Paddington with an engine issue. 

Luckily it was fixed in time, and minus a shower, I dropped my luggage off at The Chilworth Hotel (review coming soon) and boarded the London Underground to London St Pancras. I wasn’t too worried about being late because I now know how Eurostar check-in works from a previous trip to Brussels in September. You can read my full review here, comparing Standard and Standard Premier classes.

 I got through security in 5 minutes and had 1 hour to spare. I highly recommend booking an EARLY Eurostar ticket to avoid the huge queues I encountered mid-afternoon on my previous trip!

 I had a ticket for the 8:01 am train, which travels directly to Paris at 11:20 am (10:20 am UK time). The total journey time from London to Paris is 2 hours and 19 minutes. I booked a ticket in Standard due to the relatively late booking 11 days before departure.

One Day in Paris

I booked the Tootbus hop-on, hop-off bus tour. Arriving at Gare De Nord station, there weren’t any stops nearby, so I got a taxi to the stop directly outside the Eiffel Tower. Because this was my first time in Paris, the goal was to see all the major sights, visit some shops and try some French cuisine.

You would also have time to book the River Cruise add-on for one day in Paris, but I wanted to leave some time free in case I found something spontaneously on the day.

 This enabled me to see all the major sights and even get off for a look around the Arc de Triomphe Area. I ended up trying food at a local bakery and going to Subway. However, if you wanted to eat at a restaurant, you would still have time. I saw lots of the touristy areas in Paris and the landmarks, but I know that having one day to explore Paris, I missed out on some hidden gems.

 To get back to Gare De Nord, I took the tube. It was a longer route with two changes, but it still got me to Gare De Nord on time. It’s recommended that you get to the Eurostar terminal 90 minutes before your train’s scheduled departure (or 45-60 minutes for Business Premier).

The Train Home – Eurostar from Paris to London

The train back to London was 19:13-20:36. security took a bit longer in Paris than in London, but it was still much faster than when I travelled to Brussels in the summer. There were some lovely cafes, duty-free shops, and a convenient waiting room with plugs upstairs. I even managed to do a work meeting between going through security and getting on the train!

The Eurostar journey ran smoothly and on time, and I was soon back at The Chilworth Hotel before 21:15.

Working Remotely on the Eurostar

I was also expected to do a full day of work during this trip, with the idea of working in the waiting rooms and Eurostar each way. I thought this was completely feasible due to the large amount of travel time. I also planned to arrive at Gare De Nord early for my work meeting before going through security. I ended up working out the time difference wrong and doing the meeting after security.

The  WIFI and signal on the Eurostar were much worse than on other trains. I’ve travelled on, especially when you add in the signal break when travelling through the channel tunnel. If you plan to work on the Eurostar, I recommend doing something offline or downloading what you need before your journey. You could even open the tabs you need while there’s a good signal so you can carry on working in the tunnel.

The Cost of a Day Trip from London to Paris

– Ticket from London to Paris – Tickets range from £39-£240 depending on how far in advance you book. The average cost is around £79.

– Ticket from Paris to London – ‘Same as above’.

– Toot Toot Bus Paris – £34.85

– Food and Drink – £10+

– Transport in Paris – Metro 2.40 + Taxi £18

– The London Underground – £6

How to Plan a Day Trip to Paris on the Eurostar

• Book Your Tickets in Advance – There’s a huge price range on Eurostar tickets, and one of the main factors that affect this is how far in advance you buy your ticket.

• Book Cancellable Tours with Get Your Guide – I always use the Get Your Guide app to add the attractions/tours I like to my wishlist. When the trip comes closer, I book my favourite ones and read the cancellation policy.

• Look at the weather before you travel – The week I travelled, it was a rainy week in London. Luckily, the day I booked Paris, the weather looked much better. If you’re going on a day trip, the last thing you need is extra packing, such as coats you don’t end up wearing.

• Bring a European Adapter – This one catches lots of people out. Although most seats on the Eurostar have both plug sockets available, this doesn’t apply in the city, and if you haven’t printed off your tickets, you’ll need a good phone battery to get through the ticket barriers!

• Read up on the sights you want to see before you travel – If you have one day in Paris, I highly recommend writing a list of what you want to know so you can plan your day accordingly. If you want to be more spontaneous about the day, book a hop-on hop-off bus ticket and get off at your best spots.

• Look ahead to how to travel to St Pancras from your starting destination – If you’re familiar with London, this one won’t apply, but if you’re like me (who always gets on the tube the wrong way etc.), it’s good to leave extra time and have a plan of exactly how to get from A to B. I usually use Google maps for this.

Other Ways to Travel from London to Paris on a Day Trip

There are always plenty of cheap flights from London to Paris. With London having four airports and Paris 2, I’m sure you would be able to find a good deal on your travel day!

If your companion voucher is due to run out or you’ve accumulated a high Avios balance, I highly recommend a day trip from London to Paris. Going through security twice in one day would be easier in first class or Club class, where you can use the lounges and fast-track through security. Having travelled both ways on the Eurostar, it might have been good to mix things up a bit and fly one way. However, you should keep in mind that the airports in Paris are much further away from the city centre than Gare de Nord.

However, it’s not possible to drive to Paris from London for a day trip. The journey duration is around 5 hours and 47 minutes, which would not work for a day trip! The same applies to bus travel (8 hours, 47 minutes!).

Final Words – Is a Day Trip from London to Paris Worth it?

It’s definitely possible to travel to Paris and back to London in a day while still having plenty of time to see Paris. Considering the time needed to get through security on the way back to London, you should have around 6 hours in Paris.

However, if you caught the first and last Eurostar, you would have 11 hours to enjoy Paris, and you could see the Eiffel tower at night!

It’s not typically cheaper to do a same-day return journey on the Eurostar (unless there’s a special offer). I recommend staying one night in Paris, so you can enjoy an evening and have two days to explore the city.

If I’d had more time and didn’t have to be back in London early the next day, I would have preferred to spend 1-4 nights in Paris. For a first-time visitor, this is enough time to see all the major sights in Paris, have a nice Lunch and maybe even visit an attraction. It may even be a good idea to mix it up a bit and fly to Paris and get the Eurostar home again. 

Have you ever been on a day trip from London to Paris? Let me know in the comments below.

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While you may not think of train travel as being particularly luxurious, the sleeper train always evokes a certain feeling of glamour when you think of sleeping on trains like the Orient Express. I travelled on the Night Riviera Sleeper Train (GWR) from Penzance to London Paddington in early September. This was not my first time travelling on the sleeper service which has been operating since 1983.

Living in Cornwall, London, is around 6 hours by train (from Penzance). My nearest airport is Bristol which is still a 30-minute + 4-hour train journey and a 30-minute bus away from where I live in St Ives. I often find the easier option to be the sleeper service to London than a short journey on the Heathrow Express.

This time, I was travelling to Brussels after a night stop in London for an appointment.

Booking Tickets for the Night Riviera Sleeper Train

Tickets for the Night Riviera are slightly more difficult to book than general train tickets. They have to be booked directly with Great Western Railway. If you choose the sleeper service, you pay for a standard class ticket separately, then add a cabin for an extra cost.

It’s also possible to travel on the sleeper service without a cabin. The seats have much more legroom and features to help you sleep.

I travelled in a single cabin and paid £104 for a single cabin.

Facilities of a Single Cabin on the Night Riviera

The Bed: The bed is very thin and hard to get used to, but there are very comfortable duvets and pillows that make up for it. If you’re travelling in a twin cabin, another bed folds town, turning it into a bunk bed.

Sink: The bedside table lifts up, revealing a sink with hot running water. A lovely soap is also provided, which will leave you smelling fresh.

Wardrobe: A small wardrobe is provided with coat hangers. It’s great for storing extra stuff and perfect for hanging up your suit if needed.

Complimentary Items: 2 bottles of water are provided in the wardrobe, so make sure you remember to take them! There’s also a room service bell where you can ring for snacks and drinks throughout the journey. I don’t usually find this very useful because the journey is so late at night.

The Food and Drink

If you book a cabin, you’re in first class. You can get complimentary drinks and snacks from the buffet cart, and you’re served breakfast in the morning. When you board the train, you’re asked what time you’d like breakfast. The train arrives in London Paddington around 5:30 am, and you have to be off the train at 6:45 am at the latest.

You can have a hot bacon roll before 5:45 am, but I always opt for the cold option, served until 6:30 am. Breakfast consists of tea, coffee or a bottle of water with a pan au Chocolat or raspberry pastry. There’s also a packet of biscuits included.

My Experience

I boarded the train at 9:35 pm from Penzance for a 9:45 pm departure. Boarding went smoothly, and my breakfast order had been taken by the time the train departed. Getting on at the start of the line means you get extra time in the cabin. Usually, I catch the *:04 train from St Ives and have a 5-minute turnaround time to get on the night train – perfect for people looking to have a weekend away in St Ives, Cornwall. However, this time, I wanted to check out the first class lounge at Penzance station.

Sleeping on a moving train takes some practice. The first couple of times, it took me around 2-hours to fall asleep with multiple wakeups during the night. Considering the early arrival time, this made me very tired in the late afternoon. However, this time, I was asleep within 30-minutes with just one wakeup. It’s amazing to wake up and already be at Paddington Station.

If you’d like a shower, you can book one with the cabin manager when you board the train. Slots are usually before 7:30 am and a maximum of 15-minutes. Showers are located in the first class lounge at Paddington Station adjacent to the train. Complimentary towels are also given. Night Riviera cabin ticket holders can also use the facilities of the first-class lounge.

The First Class Lounge at London Paddington Station by GWR

The first class lounge is the best first-class train lounge in the UK and has been operating since XX. The lounge is located on platform 1 and features complimentary snacks (usually pan au Chocolat, biscuits and pastries). Many complimentary drinks are available, including proper machine coffee in X cups, orange and tropical juice, bottled water and many canned soft drinks. At certain times of the day, wine is also available. 

I don’t think there’s a limit on how long you can spend there. I usually spend from 7:00 am – 11:00 am working. The WIFI is existing but not great and hard to connect to, so I recommend using a mobile hotspot.

In the lounge, there are different seating areas available. The main section has a work area with plug sockets and platform views and a more comfortable seating area next to the food. There are also side rooms with comfy sofas and chairs, ambient lighting, and a fireplace.

There’s a departure board in the main room so you can see if your train is running on time and head to the correct platform once the train arrives.

If you have a first-class train ticket to or from Paddington Station, I highly recommend you look at the first-class lounge.

The First Class Lounges in Cornwall – Penzance and Truro Train Station

GWR has recently built two additional first-class lounges, one in Penzance, the first stop on the sleeper service. The Penzance lounge is small but features comfy chairs, a coffee machine and a small selection of soft drinks and juices. There’s also one shower and a disabled toilet available. 

If you’re thinking of travelling in first class from Penzance, I would definitely recommend using the lounge, but it’s nothing you should arrive extra early for! However, if you arrive in Penzance on the sleeper service from London, it’s good you can now shower and use the lounge for a bit before leaving the station.

The first class lounge in Truro is widely used. Many people in Cornwall, especially those who live in Truro, go to London at least once a month for work. Howeve,. I have not yet had the chance to use this lounge.

The GWR Night Riviera Sleeper from London Paddington to Penzance

The sleeper service also runs in the opposite direction. The train departs every day but at 23:45, but you can board the train from 22:30 and use the First class lounge beforehand. 

The advantage of this service is the later arrival time, so you don’t have to get up so early. If you’re travelling anywhere in Cornwall, I highly recommend this service.

Onward Journeys

Flights: From London Paddington station, Heathrow Airport can be reached in just 15-minutes. Tickets start at £5.50 for a fixed time single bought in advance. You can view more about the costs here. Gatwick Airport can be reached in just under an hour by travelling on the Victoria Line and Thameslink or the Circle Line and catching the Gatwick Express. Stanstead, London City and Luton airport are slightly harder to reach, and the journey takes 1 hour, 11 minutes.

Train Journeys: London Paddington is one of the main stations in London, with onward trains running all over the UK.

The Eurostar: London St Pancras can be reached in 20 minutes from Paddington by boarding the Circle or Hammersmith and City line. The Night Riviera arrives in Paddington at 5:04, leaving just enough time for the 7:01 train to Paris or the 8:16 train to Amsterdam and possibly even the 6:16 if you’re lucky or travelling in Business Premier. After leaving Cornwall at 9:55 pm, you could be in Paris by 10:17 am and Amsterdam by 13:14! If you can afford it, travelling in Business Premier means it takes MUCH less time to get through security and passport control.

Final Thoughts

I highly recommend travelling on the Night Riviera to and from Cornwall. I always have an excellent experience, and I’m sure TLFL readers will too!

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