Eurostar - You are a star (Eurostar)

Member Name: angelheart

Product:	Eurostar
Date:	25/09/01 (3717 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cheap, fast

Disadvantages: toilets were not that clean

As you must have noticed that I have not been rating you Dooyooers’ ops. This is all because I had been away for one whole week.

Where did I go? Well I went to Disneyland Paris with my son and my hubby.

I had pre booked the tickets through Disney Land’s UK Website. People would think of ticking no for any newsletters, junkmail or offer sent by the company whilst registering. Fortunately I decided to tick yes as the junk mail is electronic mail and easy to get rid of. After a few months of registering, I received e-mail with the offer to Disneyland in Paris. Return ticket by Eurostar with Bed and Breakfast and unlimited access to the theme Park for 2 days. Also the Hotel that we were booked ‘SANTA FE’ (Mexican Type) was based very near Disneyland.

Anyway, we were on our way to the Waterloo station. Took us 45 minutes from Harrow on the Hill Station. Check in was as easy as 123. Once checked in, we had to pick up our tickets to the theme park and also pick up a labelled tag for our luggage to be dispatched straight to the hotel. Let me just explain this first. What we had to do was pick up the label, which had 3 parts to it. You keep the first part to your self until you go to pick up the luggage from the hotel. The advisers at the helpdesk were very helpful and clear about everything we needed to know.

We were all excited about going through the channel tunnel. But to our surprise it only takes 20 minutes to go through and the rest is normal until it enters Paris. I guess it is an experience going in a train that goes so fast.

Here is some information that I gathered from various places.

Some facts of Eurostar Trains
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These high tech, modern trains travel up to 186 MPH during the French portion of the trip. The Eurostar generally consists of 18 cars; 6 first class cars carrying up to 210 passengers, 10 standard class
cars carrying up to 584 passengers, and 2 bar cars that tend to be very popular with all 794 passengers that start out in the first or standard class cars.

Each train has up to 15 attendants, easily recognised by their Balmain designed uniforms. All speak fluent English and French. Trains depart from new Eurostar terminals which offer dedicated staff and automated check-in facilities. It has 15 departure from each side.

Check-in

Eurostar passengers should arrive at check-in at least 20 minutes prior to scheduled departure. If your ticket has a magnetic stripe on the back, check in at one of the automated check-in gates. Non- magnetic tickets (most tourist tickets) must be presented at a manned check-in booth.

You will then go through security and passport control (similar to airport procedures) before being able to enter the boarding area. You must be in possession of a valid passport or national identity card (and visa if required. Passport checks normally take place in the Eurostar station before boarding. They may however, take place on board the train or upon exiting at London - Waterloo.

After a multilingual announcement, you will be allowed to board the train and proceed to your designated car and seat.

First Premium Class

This is only offered only between London and Paris, passengers are offered a superior level of comfort and convenience. This includes use of Executive Lounges, complimentary taxi transfer (reserve prior to departure from the Eurostar lounge), Fast Lane check-in, gourmet three course meal with a choice of entree and wine, and complimentary beverages and newspapers.

First Class

First class passengers are pampered in wide, reclining seats comparable to airline business class seating. Complimentary daily newspapers are provided as well as a meal served at your seat.

Standard Class

Standard class seating is similar to coach seating on aero
planes, with a bit more legroom than offered on most airlines. The only difference I found is that you do no get any free drinks or food. A food service cart will provide with some confectionery including hot and cold drinks. Special areas are designated for children to play.

Bar Car

The two bar cars offer a larger variety of snacks and beverages, as well as several telephones. If you don't mind the occasional crowd, this is a place to meet fellow travellers. They do provide you with menu listing all the items they sell. Hardly any vegetarian food though.

Luggage

Trolleys are provided at Eurostar terminals to assist you with your luggage. Two pieces of luggage plus small carry on items are allowed per person. Just like hand luggage you can take this small carry on items inside the cabin and stowed in overhead storage bins or below seats. At the end of each car special racks are provided for larger luggage. Please be warned that if do not complete a Eurostar luggage tag then the police will remove your luggage prior to entering the tunnel.

Toilets

Amazingly there is only one toilet in each car. And that too not very clean. I was not very fussed but hygenically, its not good at all.

A magazine is provided free to every passenger. To be honest with you I found it boring.

Within no time we were in Paris. And there it was the big mad rush. Everybody was trying to find the counter where they can leave their luggage to be ported to their hotel. We found it in no time. You can imagine the big queue. Atlast cam our turn. We didn’t have many luggage. Handed it off and we were free to go to the Disneyland. I was amazed that there was no ticket or passport checking at the exit of the station.

Fine by me. We already had our Disneyland tickets. Just slot those tickets through the ticket machine. And there we were The Magic Kingdom.

Summary: