If a journey has a connection, it means that you have to change onto another train at some point.
Watch our guide to making a connection in Paris.
When travelling from the UK, you first take a Eurostar train to Paris, Brussels or Lille. If you wish to continue your journey beyond these cities, you need to connect with another train that departs at a convenient time.
Your connecting train may leave from the station that you arrive at. Then you simply head to another platform. This applies to some connections in Lille, for example.
In some cases, the train you need may depart from another station in the same city. If it’s not within walking distance, it’s usually a short ride away on public transport or in a taxi. Eurostar connections in Paris, for example, often depart from one of the city’s other major stations.
Just to be safe, we suggest that when transferring between trains you should allow:
- 30-45 minutes – to change trains within the same station.
- 60-90 minutes – to change trains between two stations.
On Eurostar journeys, you need to check in at least 30 minutes before departure. So bear this in mind when you work out connection times.
If your complete journey involves a change of trains, you can book each section separately.
In this way, you can choose to spend more (or less) time somewhere en route to your ultimate destination.
You may also find lower fares or more ticket options when booking in stages. This is because some tickets may have sold out on a particular connecting train.
