More Brits use high-speed rail to reach luxury villa holidays

More and more Brits are opting for high-speed rail travel as their chosen transport for summer holidays.

Ideal for villa holidays in France, high-speed rail now has the highest number of UK passengers since the 1920s, according to the Association of Train Operator Companies (ATOC).

ATOC member Eurostar has seen passenger numbers double over the last 30 years.

Last year, the travel company had 9.5 million passengers, travelling to a range of European destinations including Lille, Paris and Nice.

Brits planning luxury villa holidays in France this year can travel to a range of French cities with Eurostar.

Recent research by the rail company revealed that 97 per cent of respondents believe Eurostar's services have brought the UK closer to France and Belgium in terms of social and cultural exchanges.

Travellers currently have the opportunity to win free rail tickets as part of a new social media campaign launched by the company.

To enter, passengers have to upload a video of themselves explaining why they want to visit a Eurostar destination, before asking people to vote online for their entries.

Traveling by Train in Europe

European Train Travel
There's no need to fly from the UK to anywhere in Europe.  It's surprisingly easy, quick and comfortable to travel overland by train from London to just about anywhere:  Spain, Italy, Greece, Prague, Helsinki, Moscow...

Kick start with Eurostar

Eurostar is the excellent high-speed passenger train from London's St Pancras station to Paris & Brussels through the Channel Tunnel.  Most journeys to Europe now start with a trip on Eurostar to Paris or Brussels.  All 1st class fares include complimentary drinks and a meal, and all passengers have access to a bar car serving drinks and snacks.

Remember that you need to check-in for Eurostar trains at least 30 minutes before departure (10 minutes for passengers with certain types of premium 1st class ticket, 60 minutes for Eurostars to Avignon or the French Alps) to allow for an airline-style security check.  Eurostar does not run on Christmas Day.
Changing trains in Paris: 

Train journeys from the UK into Europe often involve a change of train and station in Paris.  Eurostar arrives at the Gare du Nord, which is a short walk from the Gare de l'Est but a metro or taxi ride from the other Paris stations.  The Paris metro website is www.ratp.fr.

If you want to spend some time in Paris, by all means take an earlier Eurostar on the outward journey or a later one on your return.  There are left luggage lockers at several Paris rail stations if you need to leave your luggage somewhere. You can avoid the hassle of crossing Paris when travelling to many French destinations, by changing at Lille.

Changing trains in Brussels:

Eurostar arrives at the main Brussels station, Bruxelles Midi in French, Brussel Zuid in Flemish, Brussels South Stn in English, it's all the same place.  After stepping off the Eurostar, you walk past the front of the train off the end of the platforms and down the escalators, exiting the Eurostar terminal onto the main station concourse. All long-distance trains use Brussels Midi station, including trains to Amsterdam, Cologne, Paris and all other destinations in Belgium, so changing trains is easy and only takes a few minutes.