I get a lot of questions around the cost of the Eurostar. Most people tell me they find the Eurostar really expensive, and that flying is always the cheaper option. But is that really true? In this article, we’ll look at whether the Eurostar is cheaper than flying, and the pros and cons of each.
TLDR: The simple answer is this: if you live in one of the cities where the Eurostar departs, you’re taking a suitcase, travel with notice or are flexible with when you travel, there’s a good chance that the Eurostar will actually be cheaper than flying.
If you’re traveling last-minute without a suitcase, flying is almost always cheaper – although it’s worth checking on Eurostar Snap (more on that later).
Now let’s go into a bit more detail.
Eurostar vs. flying: base fares
Let’s look at the popular route of London-Paris for comparison.
Eurostar: London to Paris
Like flying, Eurostar fares are based on demand. The very cheapest fare from London to Paris is £39, but there’s a caveat: while that’s how much one way costs, it’s not really a one-way fare, as it has to be part of a return to be that low. Without a return leg, a £39 one-way fare goes up to £51.
You can very occasionally get it for cheaper than this if you sign up to SNCF‘s or Eurostar’ss newsletters. They occasionally email about flash sales, where the price drops down to 35 or even 30 euros, for example to celebrate Eurostar’s 30th anniversary. The other option is to pay with Eurostar points, or try Eurostar snap if you have flexibility (more on that below).
The £39 fare is not always available on weekends (unless you’re looking at a very early/late train), and needs to be booked with notice. I’m writing this on November 1st, 2023, and the first £39 fare I can find from London to Paris is on January 9th, 2024 – so around two months away, but this varies. February currently has loads available, including some weekends.
I usually spend more like £60-100 one way with Eurostar to travel at good times.
**Eurostar Snap relaunches in 2024**
Eurostar Snap is a discounted ticket service first launched in 2016, discontinued in 2019 with the pandemic, and relaunched in late 2024. Snap offers reduced fares (often 20-30% cheaper than standard tickets) for travelers with flexible schedules.
How it works: you select your travel dates and preferred time of day (morning or afternoon), but the exact train time isn’t revealed until 48 hours before departure. This allows Eurostar to fill empty seats on less popular trains while giving budget travelers access to their international routes. Importantly, bookings must be made between 3 and 14 days before departure – not more, not less.
While this is an excellent addition – and one last-minute travellers should definitely consider – it does take some monitoring. Travelers are studying when Eurostar release batches of tickets in order to know when to check for the best fares, and you need some luck for it to work out in your favour. Therefore I haven’t included too much on Eurostar Snap here – although I’m working on another article all about it. I’ll link it here when it’s ready. It’s worth noting that Eurostar Snap tickets don’t earn Eurostar points in the same way normal tickets do.
Flying: London to Paris
When flying, the lowest base fare I can find from London to Paris is around £30 (although there are cheaper fares from other UK destinations). The £30 fare I’m referencing is with EasyJet, flying from London Gatwick to Paris Charles de Gaulle. Again, you’ll rarely find this fare when booking short notice on a weekend. Importantly, this does not include a suitcase (or even a large carry on – but more on that later).
When it comes to flying last minute, the base fares alone are usually cheaper on flights. For a random example, if I were to fly this coming weekend (in four days’ time):
- I could fly for a £175 return with EasyJet (leaving first thing Friday morning and returning Sunday evening, LGW-CDG)
- I could take a £300 Eurostar return (leaving first thing Friday and returning Sunday evening)
If I were doing this journey on a weekend in February (three months away from now), the picture changes:
- I could fly for a £130 return with EasyJet (leaving first thing Friday morning and returning Sunday evening, LGW-CDG)
- I could take a £128 Eurostar return (leaving first thing Friday morning and returning Sunday evening)
Any comparison should come with a disclaimer: this isn’t really a like-for-like comparison, as you’re comparing the cost of a premium service to a budget airline. That means the seats are less comfortable, and as mentioned: a flying fare only includes a bag that you can fit under the seat in front of you.
Keep in mind that budget airlines charge a lot for taking bags these days: a moderately sized cabin bag on a budget airline these days costs anywhere from ~£25-30 (EasyJet) to ~£40+ (RyanAir and Vueling) one way for anything that doesn’t fit under the seat in front of you. For hold luggage or suitcases more than 10kg, the cost goes up. That means it will add a good £50-100 onto the return fare.
Mercifully, British Airways (and some other non budget airlines) do allow you to take a bigger cabin bag, but they usually have higher base fares.
Eurostar vs. flying: what does the base fare include?
But as you know, it’s not just about the fare, but what that includes. Let’s take a look at what’s included in a Eurostar base fare:
📌 getting from the centre of one city to another in 2.5 hours
💼 an allowance of 2 relatively big suitcases and hand luggage
🛂 shorter passport control/security (unless you have some sort of priority pass at the airport)
💺 spacious seats (with no middle – it’s only window and aisle)
🫗 no 100ml limit on liquids (you can even bring wine)
🛜 WiFi for some of the journey (this is usually not reliable though)
🔄 flexibility to change tickets for free up to seven days before departure – you only need to pay the difference in fare, if there is one
Travel time: 2 hours 20
By contrast, flying usually costs between £30 and 100 one way. That covers getting you from Airport A to Airport B in around 1.5 hours with a backpack, but that’s it.
That means you may face other costs:
🚘 getting to and potentially parking at the airport
💼 the cost of a large cabin bag (unless you fly with a non budget airline) or suitcase
🗺️ getting from the airport to the centre on both sides of the trip, which usually ranges from £5 to £15 with public transport and takes time, although depending on where you live, you may face a similar journey getting to St. Pancras for an outgoing Eurostar
Travel time: 1 hour 20 + getting to/from airport + airport security
Should you take the Eurostar or fly?
Of course whether you fly or take the Eurostar is down to your personal preferences and what’s important to you. But overall, aside from cost, here are the main things to consider, and how each stacks up against the other.
⏰ Journey time: 2 hours 20 on the Eurostar (London to Paris) vs. 1 hour 20 flying. That said, most people will get to the airport earlier for a flight than a train. Note that for Eurostar, it’s key that you’re through the departure gates at least 30 minutes before the departure time, or they won’t let you in.
🛂 Security and controls: quite hit and miss with both. They used to be shorter on Eurostar, but lately I’ve whizzed past in airports. Of course you can queue jump at both, with a priority pass at airports or a higher status with Eurostar. You do save a bit of time with Eurostar when you arrive, as you won’t need to wait for your suitcases.
💺 Comfort: larger seats, proper leg room, a cafe and some nice views make the Eurostar much more comfortable than a flight, in my opinion.
✈️ Waiting lounges: definitely better at the airport. There’s not much to do in London after Eurostar security, and the waiting area is uncomfortable and unglamorous (not enough seats, just a couple of places to get food, and they always have lines). The situation in Paris is much better, but it’s still not great.
💚 Carbon footprint: you save a lot in CO₂ emissions when you train over flying. The Eurostar London to Paris journey emits 2.4 kg of CO₂ versus 66 kg on a flight, making the train 96% lower in emissions.
💧 Liquids: flights have a 100ml limit on liquids, the Eurostar does not, so you can bring things like toiletries or wine more comfortably.
📌 Flexibility: This is actually a biggie. With any Eurostar fare, you can change your tickets for free up to seven days before departure. You only need to pay the difference in fare, if there is one.
My personal opinion
I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know that for me, the Eurostar always wins. But one of the reasons is because I will almost always choose trains over flights and avoid flying when I can. Plus, there’s something super satisfying about whizzing under the English Channel and popping up in another country without ever setting foot in an airport.
But I also do totally get that a lot of travellers are really frustrated with the cost, and wish it was less. I would still say to these people that if you’re paying for a suitcase and flying out of London – do check the Eurostar fare. The moment you buy a suitcase or on-board cabin bag, there’s a very real chance your ticket will cost less with Eurostar.
In summary
So, is the Eurostar cheaper than flying? Well, it depends on your travel habits. If you’re someone who doesn’t want to fly short haul, plans ahead, travels with luggage, and values comfort and convenience, the Eurostar often comes out on top—not just in price but in overall experience. The generous baggage allowance, the ease of boarding, and arriving right in the heart of the city make it a strong and environmentally friendly contender.
On the flip side, if you’re a last-minute traveler with just a backpack and you stumble upon a budget airline deal, flying will be the cheaper option. Families with kids that don’t need a lot of luggage will also probably pay less flying. Just remember to factor in all those sneaky extras: getting to and from the airport, the time spend waiting there, and baggage fees.
In the end, whether you choose to fly or take the train, it’s all about what suits your needs best. But if you’re not taking the train due to cost, do have a look at the fares here and there – you might be surprised at what you find.
Want more information on the Eurostar London to Paris route? Here’s everything you need to know about the journey, including frequently asked questions.
Or, discover the other places the Eurostar can take you.
In France already and want advice for getting around? Check out my ultimate guide to French trains.
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