Eurostar Questions

[Mud]

Does anyone know

Is it worth upgrading to first class if travelling with pre-school children?

Can you go on any train?

Ta

As regards trains, where do you want to go and which station do you want to travel from?. I ask this as some trains depart from Ashford. All the Eurostar trains have first/business class carriages.

When my son was of preschool age we went first class on the Eurostar and was glad that we did so. From memory it wasn't much more expensive either.

Would strongly suggest that you try and take as little luggage as possible as there is not much room on those carriages for bulky suitcases.

We boarded the train for Paris at Waterloo; was actually at Waterloo the other day and noticed the lines for the economy check ins were enormous compared to the business class line.

You have to book a particular train - you get your ticket with seat number etc. So you will have a time to checkin etc.

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I remember the food wasn't up to much either on the journey either but relatively speaking it doesn't exactly cost an arm and a leg to go first either. No-one got annoyed with my son being in first class - infact don't think anyone noticed he was there!!. If you avoid the earliest train the later trains are likely to be full of holidaymakers rather than business people. Also we travelled on the weekend.

Those check in queues for the "economy" seats at the check in at Waterloo are certainly offputting to those travelling with small children and there is not much room in that part of that terminal either.

just come back from paris (just me and 2y dd)bought 2 seats even though she could travel free on my lap and I would not upgrade if using it again. a very helpful man when I booked over the phone selected good seats for us,the two near the entrance, and put us in carriage where they also place other families so you are not the only one with the screaming kids and everyone is more understanding. i think there is enough space althugh i espected more room for buggies etc. . a bit tricky if you are on your own with baggy as there are steps/gap to go on the train and the buggy needs to be folded before you go on and placed above your seat (need stranger to help)I think they should have more staff at hand to help with lone parents travelling. brought my own food, the choice was really limited and no good for young children

fotgot to say, i was travelling during the easter period and the checking was quite quick even though the queue looked long

Go first class if you want. I wouldn't be put off by other peoples children in a first class carraige. If you've paid for your ticket like everyone else, who has the right to be miffed.

definitely worth upgrading. We did it when to went on Eurostar to Avignon via Lille. The Eurostar leg was really worth the first class upgrade, the TGV leg was not! Was good as we spent the whole journey eating our meal, which meant the kids were amused. We travelled at the weekend so people were not bothered by our children as they were all off on hols too.

I've travelled first class before, and it's ok, but I'd stick to the kid's carriage. But then again, my DS1 is really really social, so much happier with other kids. The kids in the kid's carriage all run as a pack, in my experience, and that makes him very happy and easy to manage.

I think the kid's carriage is the first one. The people on the phone can sort it, I don't think the net bookings deal with this.