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.

Let your wife fly with her friends and see her there where you will be far more relaxed having had a much nicer journey.

My friend does a huge amount of travelling and Paris Charles De Gaulle is the only airport she will actively avoid travelling into or through so, even if the Eurostar had nothing else going for it (which it does) it’s not CDG.

EuroStar is now a bit of a nightmare since Brexit. We had to check in 90 mins at least earlier in the year. Previously we’d just walked onto the train with no waiting. So not quite the black and white decision. But going into the centre is a bonus.

Why do you have to fly from London at all?

Have you looked at flying from Manchester? I've just looked for those dates. Hand luggage only about £200 - £240 per adult with EasyJet to CDG depending on what time you fly. About £60 parking (that's at the official airport carparks).

It's just as quick to drive to Manchester as it is to drive to London anyway.

Eurostar is a no-brainer. None of that horrendous hanging about for what feels like an eternity in a hot, noisy airport, and the train is much more comfortable and civilised than flying.

I especially love the bit where you look down on the motorway, and you're going so much faster than the cars.

The only thing I don't like about it is that living near the south coast you have to go all the way into London to get it. When you could get on at Ashford it was better for me.

There are no two opinions to be had on this, Roissy is a terrible airport, with rubbish links to Paris, you should avoid it like the plague. Arriving at the gare du nord is about a million times better, no comparison at all. It's just awful. I have done both, lots, and I would never take a flight from Paris when there was another option. Do not do it. It's a dreadful idea.

Also if you are prepared to split provider/airport I think you can do it for a lot less.

easyJet from Manchester to cgd
Back via bva to Manchester with Ryanair

Think that'd save you a fair amount.

Well try the utter nightmare that is the two hour wait I had to get back into France from the UK arriving by plane. 90 minutes sounds like an absolute dream, rather than two hours then naturally a wait for an airport bus and a visit of the terminal.

And you don't drive to London, you get a train. Read that man in seat 61, because there are through fares which cost less and which if they are late at all, mean that eurostar has to put you on another train.

You will waste time, money and energy flying. So stressful compared to the train: other flights passing through customs and immigration, airports out of central locations, always a crush for taxis/ubers. Just, a nightmare. Always a far greater scope for delays, and serious ones at that.

If my spouse were behaving this ridiculously, I would actually call off my participation because it's too much stress this far in advance. It's supposed to be a holiday, fun. This sounds bloody awful. Sorry.

Another eurostar vote, I love arriving eight there in the middle. The metro was fab and easy and there is a lovely vibe, no airport security etc

Even if the cost was flipped and flying was cheaper, I would still go Eurostar.
It puts you right bang in the centre of Paris. It's a no brainer I can't see a single reason why anyone would want to fly into CDG for a weekend in Paris . Flying is a terrible idea.
These people telling your wife to fly are bonkers.

Eurostar. No luggage faff, no taxi faff, you get into the middle of the city with loads of onward travel options, the kids haven't got to sit down for lengthy periods in airport terminals, it's quicker and much less stress.

I've gone by rail to Bruges and Amsterdam via the Eurostar because it's so easy.

Get a family railcard so you can get the train to London. You get 60% off children's tickets and 30% off adult ticket and it works out cheaper even if you wouldn't normally have to buy a ticket for your child (which you wouldn't). You can use it on advance fares too, and on the CIV fares to London International.

Yes - that’s a great point! There are some “secret” fares which are only available to Eurostar but you have to find a ticket office to ask

But then they'll have to get from CDG to central Paris, which takes forever. I flew Manchester to Paris because to get to St Pancreas I'd have to take an expensive, unreliable 3 hour train journey, although I am interested in the add on rail package, but I wouldn't be driving from Birmingham to Manchester to fly from there when they can just get the train to London in around an hour.

A schlep up the M6 to fly from Manchester to Paris, two of the most unpleasant airports in Europe vs the Eurostar is no contest IMHO, especially as it's also cheaper and probably quicker or at least not significantly slower.

Eurostar! Arrive in the City centre, good Metro connections, no plastic clear bags for liquids in security, you can keep your bag with you no matter what, and you can stretch your legs on the train. Nothing is fool proof when it comes to delays the chances of a Eurostar delay are less.

I like flying but I'd take the ES. Your holiday starts the minute your bum hits the seat

The logical answer is of course Eurostar, but it sounds like for your DW is more concerned about fitting in with her friends and not rocking the boat.
If you really want to go, I'd stick with flying just to keep your DW happy, ridiculous as it is.

Are they not your friends too - why not speak to them, they may not really care either way.

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. There is one reason and one only to fly from London to Paris, and that is that you have a connecting flight to somewhere else.

If you are actually going to stay in Paris, it's Eurostar all the way.

Your wife needs therapy.

Go to an actual ticket office with actual people and ask for a CIV ticket from Birmingham. The connection is guaranteed and might be cheaper. Definitely do not fly!!

It sounds like you are in a minority of 1 of 4 adults who strongly prefers to go by train, so continuing to argue with DW isn't going to get you anywhere because even if DW agrees it's better, that countered by the other 2 adults preferring to fly. Presumably you aren't close enough to the other couple that you could talk to them directly and convince them to go by train, as you'd have just done that if you could.

So I think you need to make peace with the fact that you're the only one who wants to go by train. If you dislike air travel to the extent that the experience of the shared journey would be of no redeeming value, then you might as well say you'll meet them in Paris (go the whole way by train), or just duck out altogether I suppose.

If you’re going from london it’s an easy decision. So much less hassle.

we are in Manchester and I’d happily get the train via London but the planes are far cheaper overall which makes it a tough choice.

Yes you need to ask about this. Basically cheap connections in conjunction with a Eurostar ticket.