But what about the train-ferry combination, the one many may recall fondly from their childhoods? It is still feasible, but these days it is not a streamlined option. You’ll need to purchase train and ferry tickets separately and finesse train station-port transportation on your own. The journey will also take 10 hours, so it’s best to leave that option to your memories. Instead, here are some more affordable ways to get from London to Paris and back again.

Related: 

• 50 Ways to save in Paris
• 21 Simple tips to save in London

Affordable Travel From London To Paris

Here are the most viable and cheapest ways to get between these two European centers.

Air: Fast but not so efficient

Though flying between London and Paris is by no means our recommended mode of transportation — the distance is simply too short to warrant the hassle, not to mention the carbon expenditure — there are a few ways to get between these two dynamic capital cities by air. These days the Paris-London route is used disproportionately for passengers connecting on to a long-haul destination, with the exception of business travelers flying in and out of London City Airport. That said, we did find one-way fares starting at $38 searching a few months in advance, but of course that doesn’t include all of the rail or taxi fares in between the airports and the city center.

• easyJet flies from London Gatwick to Paris-Charles de Gaulle.

• From London Luton, easyJet flies to Paris-Charles de Gaulle. You can find one-way fares three months in advance for as low as £30 (about $38).

• From London Heathrow, Air France flies to Paris-Charles de Gaulle with fares as low at £77 ($99), while British Airways flies to both Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly for as low as £47 ($60).

Rail: Comfortable and quick

The only direct train linkage from London to Paris these days is the Eurostar, which travels between London’s St. Pancras International and the Gare du Nord in Paris 15-17 times per weekday. The trip usually takes 2 hours and 15 minutes, with maximum speeds of up to 186 mph. However, Eurostar started rolling out brand new trains in late 2015 that can make the journey in only 2 hours at speeds of up to 200 mph.

The experience feels a bit like air travel, with its security checks and passport control in both directions. Because the UK is not part of the Schengen Area, passengers go through passport control prior to boarding their trains. Traveling from Paris to London, passengers first exit France through French passport control and then enter the UK via British passport control. In London, passengers will officially enter France in the station, submitting passports to French passport control before boarding their train to Paris.

From London, return Eurostar London to Paris fares begin at a very reasonable £41 round trip ($52) (between midday and midnight on a Monday; anytime on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday; and between midday and midnight on a Saturday). Booking nonrefundable tickets as far as possible in advance (up to 120 days) is your best bet for finding this low-cost fare. The cheapest tickets sell out first, so the earlier you book, the more you save.

Bus: Long but super cheap

The bus is usually the least expensive way to travel between Paris and London. It also takes much longer than a flight or the train. BlaBlaCar Bus and FlixBus are two major bus lines traveling between the two capitals. French BlaBlaCar Bus takes between 7.5 and 9 hours. The FlixBus journey takes between 9 and 10 hours. Both lines advertise free Wi-Fi and electrical outlets.

One-way FlixBus (formerly Eurolines) fares begin at £25 ($32). The FlixBus terminal in London is Victoria Coach Station; the Paris terminal is Bercy Seine.

BlaBlaCar Bus (formerly OUIBUS, and before that, iDBUS), a subsidiary of French train company SNCF, is a more comfortable option, with good legroom. Fares begin at around £25 for a one-way journey — promotional one-way fares and overnight trips can dip even lower. The BlaBlaCar Bus terminal in London is Victoria Coach Station; the BlaBlaCar Bus Paris terminal is Paris-Bercy.

What’s your preference?

How do you prefer to travel from London to Paris? Have any tips on ways to save on any of the transport options listed above? Share your tips with us in the comments section!

The post The cheapest way from London to Paris: Planes, trains & buses from £25 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Related: 7 Ways to save now on next year’s trip to Europe

For most of us traveling from North America, the flight to Europe is our biggest budget obstacle. While it can be easy to find great bargains on hotels, it takes a bit of effort and research to uncover cheap flights across the Atlantic.

There are airfare flash sales that come and go, but those are hard to nab if you don’t act quickly. However, before you give up hope on finding a good price for your next flight, try some of the tips below. Before long, you’ll be “humble bragging” on Facebook about the incredibly low airfare you just scored for your European vacation. Good luck!

Note: Looking for a little budget travel guidance? Check out the current EuroCheapo package deals for great discounts for US travelers heading to Europe. We book your airfare, hotel, and rental car all at once, and pass along the savings.

Example flight

For the tips that follow, we’ll use a sample itinerary. We’ll say that we’re based in Chicago and want to visit London, Amsterdam, and Paris. We’re looking for a flight from Chicago to London. After spending a few days in London, we plan to take the train to Amsterdam (via Lille) and wind up in Paris. Then we’ll head back to London to fly home to Chicago.

So how can we save on this flight?

Set up alerts so you can get the latest prices on your route.

1. Set up an airfare alert.

If you know the exact route that you want to fly, you should set up airfare alerts to be notified of flight deals immediately. Websites like Kayak.com and Airfarewatchdog.com will email you when they notice a deal on the route that you’re planning to fly.

In this example, we can go to these websites and create a flight alert for Chicago to London. But wait…

2. Don’t forget about “open jaw” flights.

Pardon us if this is too basic, but many travelers don’t realize that flights into one city and home from another are often just about the same price as flights into and out of the same city. Furthermore, you can save lots of money on transportation (trains, buses, ferries, etc), as you won’t need to circle back to your city of arrival. This tip can not only save you money but allows you to save time, so you can see more of Europe.

In our example, instead of a round-trip to London, fly into London and home from Paris. It’s a good idea to also research the round-trip fares from London (after all, you might snag a cheap deal), but we would certainly focus on flights from Chicago -> London, and then Paris -> Chicago.

Even if that flight turned out to be a bit more expensive, chances are it would be less expensive than paying for a trip on the Eurostar (or a flight!) back from Paris to London (and probably an extra overnight in London, too).

Paris in May can be just as beautiful (and a lot less crowded) than the summer. Photo: Loïc Lagarde

3. Be flexible with your dates.

Flexibility is a budget traveler’s best friend (in so, so many ways!). In terms of snagging a good deal on flights, if you can bump your travel dates around a bit, you may end up saving a lot on airfare.

If you have the possibility, try pushing the trip back a week or up a week to see if you can find a deal on airfare. You might be surprised—there might be something happening (a big convention, sporting event, Madonna concert…) in one of your cities that is throwing off the airfare.

Related: When is the best time to visit Paris and Amsterdam.

In our example, say that we find that our flight seems strangely expensive. In fact, the hotel prices also seem quite high—but only for Paris for our dates. This could indicate that Paris is booked up with some special event (such as a giant conference or the annual Fashion Weeks). If you have some flexibility, push your trip dates around and see if airfare drops. Hunt for a deal–you might just find it.

4. Avoid weekends if possible.

Flights tend to be more popular and more expensive for weekend travelers. If you’re able to travel midweek, chances are you’ll be able to snag a better deal. Play around with your dates — you’ll probably see cheaper airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Related: Planning a trip to Europe? Avoid these 10 costly mistakes

Heathrow is a major airport in London, but did you know there are several others? Photo: Stefan Kellner

5. Be flexible with your destinations or itinerary.

Conversely, you can play around with your destinations. Is there another airport nearby that you haven’t included in your search? Could you add another leg to your trip that includes a less expensive airport to fly into? Can you juggle your itinerary a bit to avoid a momentarily expensive city?

Back to our example, if Paris is booked up (and flights expensive) because of the fashion show, perhaps we could invert the trip, landing in Paris (the week before the fashion show), visiting Amsterdam and then departing from London. This would allow us to avoid not only more expensive flight costs, but higher hotel rates, as well.

You should also double-check and make sure that you’re including all area airports in your search. In our example, don’t just search for Heathrow (LHR) and Charles de Gaulle (CDG). Make sure to search for the city code, “LON” and “PAR”, to see all area airports. A lot of European cities, even smaller ones, have secondary airports that might be new to you.

A final option is to “hub it.” For example, say you find an incredible flight deal from Chicago to Dublin on Aer Lingus. It might be worth booking the flight to Dublin and then searching Europe’s budget airlines (like Ryanair and easyJet) to get a fare from Dublin to London.

Don’t overlook nearby airports. Kayak has a function to let you easily search for them.

6. If at all possible, avoid the peak travel season.

We know, for many travelers, the timing of the trip has been established long in advance (often dictated by academic schedules, holidays, or growling bosses). However, if you do have a bit more flexibility and are looking for ways to save, consider pushing your trip away from peak summer months and global holidays, and into “shoulder season” or even low season.

For spring travel, instead of June, try early May or late April. Looking for a fall visit to Europe? Push your plans back from September to October to save a bit more. If you’re able to travel to Europe in the early spring or late fall, you will almost certainly be rewarded with lower airfares, shorter lines at top attractions, and lower hotel rates.

7. Know when to snag international airfare deals.

According to a study by the airline experts at Kayak.com, booking 34 days prior to departure is approximately 4% cheaper than booking six months in advance. That said, if you see a great deal many months out, don’t hesitate to book it!

WOW Air is just one of a handful of budget airlines offering super cheap flights to Europe. Photo: Alec Wilson

8. Don’t forget about “budget” international airlines.

In the past few years, a number of new budget-conscious airlines have started flying between North America and Europe. These airlines have made it possible to snag a one-way ticket for jaw-dropping prices, and their fare calendars make it easy to browse prices over the course of a few months.

WOW Airlines, which trumpets $99 one-way flights to mainland Europe (with a connection in Iceland) is certainly worth a search. Note, however, that this price is hard to find and doesn’t include extras such as checked baggage (which can add up fast, see our chart), seat assignments, or anything to nibble on. (Read our article on Wow Air to get more details.)

In 2016, it might be easier to fly WOW as they’ve recently announced a new route from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Europe, and that they’ll be expanding their schedule from Boston, Baltimore/Washington DC, Montreal, and Toronto. Hopefully, they’ll fly out New York in the near future as well!

Norwegian is another budget option that has been offering super cheap fares from North American to Europe. They fly non-stop from New York to London, and we’ve found some excellent deals on Norwegian in the past. Read our guide to making your trip on Norwegian more comfortable.

And the newest player to enter the transatlantic discount flight market is Primera Air. They are kicking off service to Paris and London in the spring of 2018.

Will you score a $99 one-way flight to Europe? Probably not, but it’s still worth it for budget travelers to look for deals on Wow! Airlines, Norwegian Air, and Westjet (from Canada).

Search now!

Ready to look for flights? Do a search with EuroCheapo’s flight search!

Your tips

How do you keep it cheap when searching for airfare to and around Europe? Share with us in the comments section below!

The post 8 Tips for finding cheap flights to Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

That’s super cheapo, and not even unusual for Europe’s budget airlines, which have been known to offer tickets for as low as £1… or even free. How is this possible? And how can you score one of these tickets?

Know where to search

From the US, airfare on carriers such as easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Germanwings and others are not always easy to find, as they’re often not included (or at least highlighted) in the search results of the big airfare websites.

To find fares, go directly to the airline’s own websites. We do include them on our flights search on EuroCheapo, and we compare them to legacy carriers (such as Lufthansa and Air France) which sometimes offer tickets at comparable prices to the budget carriers.

Pay attention to the airport

To keep ticket prices low, budget airlines often use less-central airports that can take more time (and money) to get to. For example, in my London to Berlin example, easyJet’s flight takes off from London Southend Airport, which is 40 miles from London (farther than Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Luton). Ryanair’s flight, meanwhile, departs from Stansted. So in this case, you might want to spent a few euros more for the Ryanair flight.

For another example, consider many of Ryanair’s flights from London to Barcelona. They actually arrive into Girona-Costa Brava airport, 57 miles away from Barcelona. Although regular bus service between the airport and Barcelona is offered according to arriving and departing flights, mishaps (and unintended overnights) do happen.

Watch those baggage policies…

Many budget carriers try to recoup losses on very low ticket prices through sky-high charges for checked and carry-on luggage. Take special note of the baggage policies when booking, and consider your options. And be aware that some carriers charge less if you pre-pay for your checked bags.

Ryanair, for example, charges between €15-45 for checking luggage (up to 20 kg) when the bags are paid for in advance. If you forget and pay at the airport, you’ll be charged an outrageous €60-140 for the first bag and €105-160 for the second bag! There’s nothing sadder than watching last-minute luggage catastrophes at the Ryanair bag-drop.

…and those hidden fees

As my colleague Hilary Bown wrote last week on the blog, budget carriers famously tack on additional fees, including administrative fees, check-in charges, and credit card surcharges.

For example, Ryanair charges a €7 “administrative fee” per flight, while easyJet charges €12.50 per order (regardless of number of tickets). And they both add a surcharge for tickets purchases by credit card (Ryanair charges 2%; easyJet 2.5%).

Don’t forget to compare trains as an option

Europe’s high-speed trains often offer a compelling alternative to flying, especially shorter distances. For these routes (such as London to Paris, Paris to Brussels and Amsterdam, Barcelona to Madrid) the train might actually be faster once you add the time that it takes to get to the airports, checked in and through security.

And once you consider baggage fees and extra charges, a high-speed train could easily be cheaper, too.

Book in advance and snag a great deal

All caveats and hidden fees aside, Europe’s budget airlines can offer some incredibly good deals. If you book in advance, limit your luggage and follow the rules, very cheap flights are possible.

To read more about Europe’s budget carriers, visit EuroCheapo’s new budget flights search, which includes ticket prices on low-cost carriers like Ryanair and easyJet, and compares them to high-speed trains when they offer an attractive alternative.

The post Tips for finding cheap flights around Europe appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

The metrebus ticket and the one-day pass

The “metrebus” (metro-train-bus) €1.50 ticket permits you to ride on the bus, tram, or local train for any distance. (The ticket is also good for one trip on the metro underground line.) The journey is only limited by time: the ticket expires after 75 minutes.

Upgrading to a €4 ticket allows you to enjoy unlimited rides until midnight. Routes are clearly marked, so get a public transport map from one of the many newspaper kiosks, study the routes, get your elbows ready, and hop on board to see where you end up…

The Metro

There are two metro lines, Linea A (the well-kept “tourist” red line) and Linea B (the commuter line which is a little rough around the edges). The city is trying to open a third line, but progress is slow, as workers keep unearthing archaeological treasures.

Linea A highlights include the Spanish Steps (Spagna), the Trevi Fountain (Barberini), the Teatro del Opera (Repubblica) and the Vatican (Ottiviano). Linea B takes you to Circus Massimus (Circo Massimo) and the Colosseum (Colosseo).

For stops a little off the tourist map, exit at EUR Palasport and emerge near a park with a boating lake where you can spend a nice afternoon relaxing away from the city center chaos. View a metro map here.

The Bus

An endless stream of buses travels through the city center, with the main connection points being Termini Station, Largo Argentina, Piazza Venezia, and Piazza Cavour. The bus system also offers regular service to the main sights, such as the Vatican and the Colosseum.

The stops are clearly posted and signs give detailed information about each service. Regular buses stop around midnight, but a night service runs until around 5-6 AM.

Try exploring beyond the center. For example, the 118 from Piramide will take you out to Appia Antica, providing a Cheapo alternative to the expensive tourist bus service that runs there.

The Train

The “metrebus” ticket also includes the use of the local train services. Head to Piramide and catch the connecting Lido train to enjoy a day at the beach in Ostia (30 minutes away) or to explore the ancient ruins at Ostia Antica (25 minutes).

If you’re catching a flight at Ciampino, you can also travel from Termini to the airport on your €1.50 ticket, a journey of 15 minutes, and then just pay another €1.50 to take the airport shuttle bus. The express service to Fiumicino Airport is not covered by the “metrebus” ticket.

Buying a ticket

You can buy “metrebus” tickets from newspaper kiosks, ticket kiosks, and at machines found in the metro stations. You can sometimes buy them on the bus from a machine, though not always.

You must always stamp the ticket at one of the yellow machines to validate your ticket and begin the 75-minute time limit (on the bus, on the tram, or close to the platform for trains) unless you use the metro, in which case it is done automatically when you go through the barrier. Make sure you do this, because if the inspectors catch you with an unstamped ticket, you will be fined—even if you are a tourist and claim ignorance.

Tips for using the system—safely

Avoid using the metro between 7:30-9 AM and 5-6:30 PM, as it is very packed with commuters and you may find yourself far closer to the locals than you ever expected. If you travel around rush hour, keep an eye out, as crowded metro and bus stations are havens for pickpockets and beggars.

Carry €1 coins with you, especially if catching the metro at night, as the change machines do not work and the kiosks will be closed.

To find routes online, visit the official Rome transportation site.

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