TRAVEL FROM LONDON TO PARIS

We are headed from London to Paris on Wednesday, June 10th. 

How are we going to get there — you ask? 

We’re taking the Eurostar!!!

Eurostar is a high-speed train connecting Great Britain to Continental Europe. The Eurostar travels via the Channel Tunnel that runs 31 miles along the English Channel. This unique train will take you from London to Paris in ~ 2 hours.

The train from London to Paris is operated by Eurostar. Eurostar trains are undersea trains, linking Paris and Brussels with London.  

The London-Paris train leaves from St Pancras International - the London Eurostar terminus. St Pancras has great shopping, Europe's longest champagne bar, a farmers' market and top restaurants and bars. The train station in Paris is called Gare du Nord.

The best way to travel between the heart of London and Paris, Eurostar trains carry more travelers between its destinations than all airlines traveling these routes combined. 

Upon arrival at Gare du Nord terminal, you can find:
Cafés
A bureau de change (where one can exchange foreign money)
Newsagents and a gift shop
ATM machines
Ticket office open Mondays to Fridays from 06:05 to 21:05, Saturdays from 06:10 to 20:05 and Sundays from 07:15 to 21:05
e-ticket collection machines 
A registered baggage service
Toilets with baby-changing facilities

MORE FUN FACTS:

The St Pancras station has been included in many Harry Potter scenes.

The Gare du Nord has served as a backdrop in numerous French films. In US movies, both the exterior and the interior of the Gare du Nord are seen in the 2002 film The Bourne Identity with Matt Damon and again in the trilogy's finale, The Bourne Ultimatum. It was also seen in Ocean's Twelve. Scenes of Gossip Girl '​s episode "Double Identity" were shot inside the Gare du Nord. It is also mentioned in "Polaris" by Jimmy Eat World off their album Futures. In addition, the station was featured in the video for the song "Home" by Blake Shelton.

Eurostar trains travel over 186 mph

From the Eurostar website:

Eurostar is the high-speed passenger train from London to Paris & Brussels via the Channel Tunnel, taking as little as 2 hours 15 minutes for the (307 miles) to Paris. Eurostar trains leaves London St Pancras station almost every hour for the Gare du Nord in central Paris. Eurostar trains are run by Eurostar International Limited, a company owned 55% by SNCF French Railways, 5% by SNCB Belgian Railways & 40% by London & Continental Railways, a company owned by the UK government. Eurostar carries passengers, not cars, so don't confuse Eurostar with Eurotunnel, the company which owns the Channel Tunnel whose car-carrying trains shuttle road vehicles across the Channel. Eurostar first started running in 1994. Buy tickets direct from Eurostar at www.eurostar.com & print your own ticket.

You must check in for Eurostar 30 minutes before departure...

Unlike other British and European trains, Eurostar operates a check-in system. You must check in for your Eurostar train to Paris at least 30 minutes before departure.

The check-in gates at St Pancras are in a passageway just off the lower concourse, one level down from the Eurostar trains themselves.

Check-in normally opens 1-2 hours before each train departure (it varies depending how busy they expect to be), and you check in by putting your ticket into the automatic ticket gates at the entrance to the departure lounge, or (if you've a print-at-home ticket) placing the ticket barcode against the small scanner screen on the ticket gate. Alternatively, there are staffed check-in kiosks. If for any reason you want to change your allocated seat (for example, to make sure you're facing forward), ask at one of these kiosks on check-in. Make sure all your bags are labeled with your name.

Immediately after passing through the check-in gates there is an airline-style security check with X-ray and metal detectors, but this is both quicker and easier than airport security. 

 
Facilities inside the Eurostar terminal...

Once inside the Eurostar departure lounge, there is a café, bar, small shop, toilets, and a Eurostar information desk. The Eurostar information desk can provide you with Eurostar information, a free map of Paris, a 'carnet' (book) of 10 Paris metro tickets or Paris visitor metro passes.

The six Eurostar platforms at St Pancras (platforms 5-10) are directly above the departure lounge, and an announcement will be made when your train is ready for boarding, usually about 15 minutes before departure. There are two gently-sloping moving walkways up to each platform, plus a lift. If your reservation is in cars 1-5, you use one walkway, if your reservation is in cars 6-18 you use the other.

Inside Eurostar...

Eurostar trains are completely non-smoking. All Eurostar trains were completely refurbished with a new interior by designer Philippe Starck between autumn 2004 and autumn 2005, you can see a virtual tour inside a Eurostar train at www.eurostar.com.