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International Rail Services

Eurostar, Motorail and the Eurotunnel

There are direct trains to France from most major European cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Basle, Berlin, Brussels, Cologne, Florence, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, London, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Rome, Rotterdam, Venice, Vienna and Zurich.

Some international services run at night only and daytime journeys may involve a change of train. The high-speed Thalys service links Paris with Brussels and Amsterdam. Some non-TGV international trains such as Trans-Europ-Express (TEE) and Trans-Europ-Nuit (TEN) are first class only.

Eurostar

The Channel Tunnel (the world’s most expensive hole in the ground) joins France with England by rail and runs from Sangatte (near Calais) in France to Folkestone. The London-Paris passenger service currently takes 2h35m but this should be reduced by up to 20 minutes in December 2007, when St Pancras will replace Waterloo as the London terminus. Trains are operated exclusively by Eurostar and, despite competition from ferry operators and airlines, prices are generally high: a ‘flexible’ return fare costs over €400, although a ‘fixed’ return trip including a weekend booked at least three weeks in advance can be had for just €70 and return tickets for under €100 can be had from London to other French cities via Paris.

The ‘hub’ of the Eurostar network is Lille, Paris being the ‘end of the line’ for most trains, although a direct London to Avignon route, taking six hours, is available during the summer.

You can obtain train information in English on 08 92 35 35 39 or call UK 0870-830 6030 for a brochure or UK 0870-241 5415 to book. Note that a £5 booking fee is made for telephone bookings. Alternatively, visit the Eurostar website (http://www.eurostar.com ). For car-train services through the Channel Tunnel.

Motorail

Motorail is a European network of special trains (known as auto-trains), generally running overnight, carrying passengers and their cars or motorbikes over distances of up to 1,500km (900mi). Caravans cannot be taken on Motorail trains. The SNCF provides an extensive motorail network of some 130 routes linking most regions of France. The principal Motorail services from the UK operate from Calais and Dieppe to Avignon, Biarritz, Bordeaux, Brive-la-Gaillarde, Narbonne, Nice and Toulouse. Trains don’t run every day and on most routes operate during peak months only.

Motorail journeys are expensive (e.g. a minimum of £230 for a family to travel from London to Brive-la-Gaillarde one way) and it’s cheaper for most people to drive, although it’s usually slower and not as relaxing (trains are now equipped with a ‘bar car’!). The main advantage of Motorail is that you travel overnight and (with luck) arrive feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep. Note that there’s a big difference between fares during off-peak and peak periods.

A comprehensive timetable (Guide Trains Autos et Motos accompagnées) is published for bookings made through a railway station or travel agent in France, containing routes, tariffs, general information and access maps for motorail stations. Passengers in the UK can obtain a brochure, Motorail for Motorists - the Expressway into Europe. Further information can be found on the French Motorail website
(http://www.raileurope.co.uk/frenchmotorail ) or by calling 0870-241 5415 in the UK.

Eurotunnel

Eurotunnel (formerly Le Shuttle) operates a shuttle car train service between Coquelles (near Calais) and Folkestone via the Channel Tunnel. There are three trains per hour during peak periods, and the crossing takes just 35 minutes. Each train can carry around 180 cars. Fares are generally higher than those offered by the ferry operators, e.g. a peak (summer) club class return costs around €600 and an off-peak (January to March) return around €280 for a vehicle and all passengers. It’s wise to book in advance, and you shouldn’t expect to get a place in summer on a ‘turn up and go’ basis, particularly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Trains carry all types of vehicle, including cycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, caravans and motor-homes, although you pay more for vehicles over 1.85m (6ft 1in) high. Note also that caravans and motor-homes must have their gas supplies disconnected and gas bottles must be shut off (gas bottles are routinely inspected, so make sure they’re accessible).

Eurotunnel is constantly changing its incentives for regular users. It currently offers Frequent Traveller Fares, which allow you to book ten single crossings (at certain times) for £39/€55 each over the course of a year. For general information 0870-535 3535 or 0800-096 9992 in the UK or 03 21 00 61 00 in France.

Note that Eurotunnel is bankrupt and likely to go into receivership at any time, so you should check its legal status before booking.