To want to get Eurostar instead of flying to Paris

[Vernatts123]

DW and I are in a heated argument over this.

August Bank holiday break away in Paris Friday morning to Monday evening. 4 adults, one under 3.

Both agree we need to drive down to London from Birmingham as more economical than the train for this many people. (Birmingham flights too expensive) .
Eurostar works out £260 each, maximises time spent in Paris on Friday and Monday. We can park at family in London and get the tube to St Pancras.

Flights that cost 350 each to maximise time, hand luggage only so likely more than this once luggage included. £80 minimum parking fee at Heathrow.

DW is being pushed by other adults to fly because that’s what they are used to doing. I really don’t like flying, and working in the environment sector I appreciate the impact of short haul flights for carbon emissions.

its got now to the point where DW is calling me aggressive for pointing out basic financial difference and timings.

Eurostar - easier, less stressful, no need to go to CDG.

We never fly to France any more.

The only time I’ve flown to Paris was for a funeral and the train was a lot more expensive at last minute. It was à stressful painful experience. Never again. Train every time. It’s a pain getting to lhr and more of a pain getting from cdg into Paris.

I think I would fly from Birmingham if that is an option.

I went to Paris a couple of times in the last 18 months, once on Eurostar and the other time flying. I definitely preferred Eurostar but normally it is much more expensive than flying which is why we flew the other trip. I didn’t find getting into Paris hard from the airport.

Such a no brained to get the Eurostar.

Quicker, cheaper, a more pleasant experience, more convenient, and better for the environment.

Why ever wouldn’t you?Meet them there if you can’t agree

You sort out yours and DH's travel. The other party can do their own.

I live in NI and am annoyed Eurostar isn’t really an option for us, it seems so convienient. Plus have you ever actually flown in or out of CDG? Absolute ball ache, never got a flight home from there that was on time, always takes ages for buggies and luggage to appear once you land. Stick to your guns on this!

Omg. Eurostar every time!!

Exactly.

Birmingham New Street to London Euston and walk to St.Pancreas.

Definitely Eurostar. Flying is a daft choice.

If you’re at all interested in reducing your environmental impact, cutting unnecessary flights is probably the single most impactful thing you can do, it dwarfs almost any other lifestyle change you can make.

In this case it’s frankly completely irresponsible to take the flights!

update

half an hour spent on the phone with DW, her crying her eyes out screaming because “she’s planned it as flying” and I’m ruining the holiday.

This is all to do with her friends preferring flying because she’s turned round and said that “of course what I want to do is the rational choice” and that “next year we will get the train”.

Im married to someone who is in this case irrational who cares more about her friends view of her than rationality.

I find it very hard to imagine what bizarre relationship she has with her friends that she can’t just turn round and say “hey I know we’d planned to fly but I’ve looked into and the Eurostar is lots cheaper and the timing works out much better too, so I suggest we do that”.

Have the friends got airmiles or some other vested interest in flying otherwise it all sounds absolutely absurd.

No air miles it’s just absurd

WTAF. Honestly I don’t think I would go. If she’d rationally said ‘Bill and Jen are dead set on flying and I know the Eurostar makes the most sense but wouldn’t it be fun to all travel out together as it’s all part of the holiday’ then that would be one thing. But screaming and crying? No thanks. Imagine how choosing a restaurant for dinner will go if this is the drama over travel.

Flying to and from Heathrow on a bank holiday weekend? So the Borders Agency will be inadequately staffed, BA's systems will fail which will affect everyone at the airport regardless of who you are flying with, there will be roadworks nearby (well coned off roads, no work done because of the secret oath all those who work on roads do that bans any work after 4pm on Fridays), and possibly there will be some limitations at CDG or Orly Airport.

Or you could use Eurostar.

If you’ve booked with British Airways then you’re going to have to catch Eurostar anyway when your flights are cancelled. Save yourself the hassle and book your train tickets now.

Eurostar is free for 4 and unders too. So cheaper again if you have a 2 or 3 year old. You'd have to pay for a seat on a flight, but not on the train.

Part of a much bigger issue that doesn’t need to be discussed here, but I reckon this must be related to DWs diagnosed anxiety.

I lived in Paris. I never flew when visiting family in England.

I only had a handful of holidays outside of France while there. All but one involved a stressful dash to the airport because metro lines or the RER had a delay. At least with the Eurostar it's easy to find a quick taxi to the train station at short notice.

Er.... why do you think it's not relevant to this discussion?

It does sound like her anxiety is driving this so you're not going to get anywhere just by making rational arguments, and if you keep pressuring her on this it will feel like bullying to her.

See if you can get her to agree to not decide either way for a couple days, give yourselves some time to think about it, then maybe when she's calmed down in a couple days she will be more open to the idea of a train.

Just because we all agree with you doesn't mean there should be any screaming or crying, just leave it alone for a bit.

I flew to Paris from Glasgow purely because of the avoidance of UK travel faff. No way would I fly from anywhere south of Manchester. Flying Heathrow to CdG i as insane, might consider City at a push as at least UK end is quick. You also have to walk several miles at both ends just to leave the airport, there are a tonne of major engineering works on the RER B so theres a replacement bus to Stade de France then RER D so more faff and walking!

flying is ridiculous when you can take the train! especially being dropped right in the city

Honestly, the best thing I ever did when it came to holidays with friends was stop trying to find an exact plan that works for everyone. It never happens. Now, we coordinate on destination and dates, but if it’s easier for one or more of us to fly from a different airport or at a different time of day (or even a day earlier or later than the others), we do it and meet out there.

So your wife’s friends want to fly. Nothing to stop them. That doesn’t mean you can’t go on the Eurostar. If flights from Birmingham were a goer it would be a different matter, but as you’d be having to travel to a London airport only, what benefit is there to flying?

I flew to Paris this year and it was so annoying it ended up taking HOURS for a short break. I left my house at 3am and didn’t check into my hotel till 2pm! Eurostar

Wow - I can’t believe they would even consider flying just because they are more used to it! I assumed it would be cheaper. That’s the only argument to fly instead. The train is generally a much more pleasant experience and in this case is cheaper and better timings too. If they do insist on flying tell them you’ll meet them there.