Re: Eurostar in cash crisis !!
Originally Posted by
Cinderella
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Eurostar cannot compete with low cost airlines.
That rather depends on what you factor in. For example I would need to schlep down the A12 to Stansted then park and get a bus to the terminal. There's a couple of hours gone for a start. (Hope the flights not been scratched or running late).
Check in, security, border control wait in departure lounge and board the plane. Another couple of hours gone.
Flight time to Brussels typically an hour and a bit. Formalities Brussels an hour (if you're lucky) then the train into town - only 20 min but waiting time - say another hour. Hotel - a few half decent ones within a ten min walk (avoid the Schaerbeek district at ALL costs!) and then settle down - eventually - and arrange to rent a car. Don't rent from the airport - it costs an arm and a leg. Much less expensive from most hotels.
So you've got to your hotel after typically about 7 to 8 hours at best. So the cost of that low cost flight suddenly isn't so cheap!
OR
Drive from home to the Chunnel terminal. Usually no need to book, just check in. (Cheaper if you DO book, same with flying though). About 4 hours tops. Cost? About 70 quid each way for car and I think up to 5 passengers included. Time Sangatte to Brussels - around two hours. Time under the sea and formalities - add another hour.
So adding the time cost and the lunatics cost of airport car park and flight cost travel by tunnel makes a great deal of sense, certainly for us. Much more comfortable too and no luggage restrictions.