Hi,

I will be returning from a holiday in France with my French girlfriend
in a few days' time. My girlfriend has booked my journey, where the
last connection is the Eurostar from Paris to Calais-Frethun, where I
will have to disembark and make my way to the port to catch the boat.

The stupid thing is, I'm going to Canterbury - not too far from
Ashford! The domestic journey on Eurostar is €85, compared with at
least €250 if I were to stay on the Eurostar for an international
journey to Ashford.

Obviously this is very frustrating - getting off Eurostar 30 minutes
too soon, so to speak, is a real pain. I know technically it's stealing
or fraud or something, but what are my chances of falling asleep or
getting stuck in the toilet and 'accidentally-on-purpose' ending up in
Ashford? Do Eurostar make a point of ensuring that the domestic French
passengers really do get off the train?

Also, it highlights the rediculous policy of not letting British
customers catch the train from Ashford to London. What's the excuse for
not allowing people to travel between London and Ashford again?

Eurostar are losing out here - I'm 99% certain that my seat will be
empty between Calais and Ashford, but I would quite happily pay an
extra fare to get to Ashford, but not the extra €170 that Eurostar
would want.

Cheers

Rich

On 4 Aug 2005 10:52:01 -0700, richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:


>Hi,
>
>I will be returning from a holiday in France with my French girlfriend
>in a few days' time. My girlfriend has booked my journey, where the
>last connection is the Eurostar from Paris to Calais-Frethun, where I
>will have to disembark and make my way to the port to catch the boat.
>
>The stupid thing is, I'm going to Canterbury - not too far from
>Ashford! The domestic journey on Eurostar is 85, compared with at
>least 250 if I were to stay on the Eurostar for an international
>journey to Ashford.
>
>Obviously this is very frustrating - getting off Eurostar 30 minutes
>too soon, so to speak, is a real pain. I know technically it's stealing
>or fraud or something, but what are my chances of falling asleep or
>getting stuck in the toilet and 'accidentally-on-purpose' ending up in
>Ashford? Do Eurostar make a point of ensuring that the domestic French
>passengers really do get off the train?
>
>Also, it highlights the rediculous policy of not letting British
>customers catch the train from Ashford to London. What's the excuse for
>not allowing people to travel between London and Ashford again?
>
>Eurostar are losing out here - I'm 99% certain that my seat will be
>empty between Calais and Ashford, but I would quite happily pay an
>extra fare to get to Ashford, but not the extra 170 that Eurostar
>would want.
>
>Cheers
>
>Rich

Tell them that she made an error and you should have been on the
through Paris-London last train and ask if they can alter it for you
and see what they say !

richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I will be returning from a holiday in France with my French girlfriend
> in a few days' time. My girlfriend has booked my journey, where the
> last connection is the Eurostar from Paris to Calais-Frethun, where I
> will have to disembark and make my way to the port to catch the boat.
> 
> The stupid thing is, I'm going to Canterbury - not too far from
> Ashford! The domestic journey on Eurostar is 85, compared with at
> least 250 if I were to stay on the Eurostar for an international
> journey to Ashford.
> 
> Obviously this is very frustrating - getting off Eurostar 30 minutes
> too soon, so to speak, is a real pain. I know technically it's stealing
> or fraud or something, but what are my chances of falling asleep or
> getting stuck in the toilet and 'accidentally-on-purpose' ending up in
> Ashford? Do Eurostar make a point of ensuring that the domestic French
> passengers really do get off the train?
> 
> Also, it highlights the rediculous policy of not letting British
> customers catch the train from Ashford to London. What's the excuse for
> not allowing people to travel between London and Ashford again?
> 
> Eurostar are losing out here - I'm 99% certain that my seat will be
> empty between Calais and Ashford, but I would quite happily pay an
> extra fare to get to Ashford, but not the extra 170 that Eurostar
> would want.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Rich
> 


Passengers from Paris to Calais have to pass through security. The same
would apply for passengers travelling between London and Ashford. This
may be part of the reason.

Henry Law

On 4 Aug 2005 10:52:01 -0700, richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:


> I will be returning from a holiday in France with my French girlfriend
> in a few days' time.
>
> The domestic journey on Eurostar is 85, compared with at least 250
> if I were to stay on the Eurostar for an international journey to
> Ashford. 
> 
> Obviously this is very frustrating. I know technically it's
> stealing or fraud or something, but what are my chances


Rather slimmer, now that you have advertised your name, travelling plans
and intentions for all the world to see.
-- 
http://gallery120232.fotopic.net/p13309747.html
(47 196 at Clapham Junction, 19 Jul 1981)

Yet another first class, jam spangled, ocean going plonker!

"The stupid thing is, I'm going to Canterbury - not too far from
Ashford! The domestic journey on Eurostar is €85, compared with at
least €250 if I were to stay on the Eurostar for an international
journey to Ashford"

Probably something to do with it being more expensive to bore a rail
line under the sea bed, than build one across the French countryside.
I'm sure there are many who wish journeys through the tunnel were
cheaper, but current thinking is 'user pays.'

If you don't want to pay, perhaps better to use the ferry.


L.

Chris Tolley wrote:

> On 4 Aug 2005 10:52:01 -0700, richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:
>
> > I will be returning from a holiday in France with my French girlfriend
> > in a few days' time.
> >
> > The domestic journey on Eurostar is £85, compared with at least £250
> > if I were to stay on the Eurostar for an international journey to
> > Ashford.
> >
> > Obviously this is very frustrating. I know technically it's
> > stealing or fraud or something, but what are my chances
>
> Rather slimmer, now that you have advertised your name, travelling plans
> and intentions for all the world to see.
> --


Yeah, well, I'm not the stealing type - I'm more interested in the
reasoning behind it.

Besides, my ticket, seeing as it's been bought in France, won't have my
name on it and I've not specified the date.

Fair enough customs in Paris will look at my passport, but they tend
not to swipe it through a machine (I travel between France and the UK a
lot) and even if they did, I don't know how likely it is that
Eurostar's systems receive some kind of feed from the Customs systems.

rugbystreet@totalise.co.uk wrote:

> "The stupid thing is, I'm going to Canterbury - not too far from
> Ashford! The domestic journey on Eurostar is €85, compared with at
> least €250 if I were to stay on the Eurostar for an international
> journey to Ashford"
>
> Probably something to do with it being more expensive to bore a rail
> line under the sea bed, than build one across the French countryside.
> I'm sure there are many who wish journeys through the tunnel were
> cheaper, but current thinking is 'user pays.'
>
> If you don't want to pay, perhaps better to use the ferry.
>

I'm quite happy paying - I'm just a bit surprised at the massive
difference in price between the non-tunnel and the tunnel prices. If I
wasn't happy paying I'd be doing my damnedest to get all the way to
Calais.

Henry Law wrote:

> richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:
>
> > Also, it highlights the rediculous policy of not letting British
> > customers catch the train from Ashford to London. What's the excuse for
> > not allowing people to travel between London and Ashford again?
>
>
> Passengers from Paris to Calais have to pass through security. The same
> would apply for passengers travelling between London and Ashford. This
> may be part of the reason.
>
> Henry Law


But why should that stop them providing the service - if you have a
passport then you're allowed to use Eurostar from Ashford to London, if
you don't, you can't. My guess is that a French national without an ID
card or passport (neither is compulsory) would not be able to take
Eurostar from Paris to Calais as they would have to go through UK
customs in Gare du Nord.

1501 wrote:

> Yet another first class, jam spangled, ocean going plonker!


Don't call me a plonker - I'm not actually planning on doing this - the
frustration of either adding 3 hours to my journey or €175 to my
ticket got me thinking, that's all.

Also, while my passport has my name on it, buying a Eurostar ticket in
France from a provincial station means it doesn't have my name on it.

wrote


>The stupid thing is, I'm going to Canterbury - not too far from
>Ashford! The domestic journey on Eurostar is ?85, compared with at
>least ?250 if I were to stay on the Eurostar for an international
>journey to Ashford.


There are much cheaper fares available on E*, especially for book ahead
return fares, down to GBP59 for Waterloo/Ashford - Paris.

Your problem is not dissimilar to the passenger who'd booked a VV14 on the
1015 Manchester to Euston, and then found he'd need to travel on the 0705.

Peter

On 5 Aug 2005 01:48:43 -0700 someone who may be
richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote this:-


>if you have a
>passport then you're allowed to use Eurostar from Ashford to London,


"Allowed"? Which idiot tries to prevent people using a train between
Ashford and London just because it happens to have started in Paris?


-- 
 David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
 I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
 prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005 09:08:04 +0000 (UTC), "Peter Masson"
 wrote:


>There are much cheaper fares available on E*, especially for book ahead
>return fares, down to GBP59 for Waterloo/Ashford - Paris.


The cheapest single is, for the UK market, quite a bit more.
Nonsensically, this does not apply on the continent.

E* would do well to abandon this stupidity and follow the low-cost
airline model of pricing, though how to handle first class could be
difficult.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

In message , at 18:50:54 on 
Fri, 5 Aug 2005, David Hansen  
remarked:

>Which idiot tries to prevent people using a train between
>Ashford and London just because it happens to have started in Paris?


Probably the ones who realise that one you are in the Eurostar departure 
lounge you could also get on a train bound for France. And then, how do 
you sort out the domestic and International arrivees at Waterloo?
-- 
Roland Perry

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005 19:25:25 +0100 someone who may be Roland Perry
 wrote this:-


>>Which idiot tries to prevent people using a train between
>>Ashford and London just because it happens to have started in Paris?
>
>Probably the ones who realise that one you are in the Eurostar departure 
>lounge you could also get on a train bound for France.


So what? For those who have not noticed we joined the EU in the
early 1970s and since then have been committed to an ever closer
union.


>And then, how do 
>you sort out the domestic and International arrivees at Waterloo?


Why would I want to "sort out" these arivees? No matter they
happened to have got on the train it was in the EU. Only Little
Englanders would be interested in where people got on the train.

This is not a dig at you, but it is a dig at people who appear to
think that the mainland is a dangerous place full of dangerous
people.


-- 
 David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
 I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
 prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

David Hansen wrote:


> This is not a dig at you, but it is a dig at people who appear to
> think that the mainland is a dangerous place full of dangerous
> people.


However a fair number of illegal immigrants enter their way into the UK via
E*, hence tightened checks at the terminals.

Assuming these illegal immigrants are also illegal in other EU countries,
perhaps we ought to be questioning the reliability of entry checks our
neighbours make and how they manage to get into the EU in the first place. 

-- 
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Neil Williams wrote:


> E* would do well to abandon this stupidity and follow the low-cost
> airline model of pricing, 


Agree. E* seem to think (wrongly) that everyone wants to make a round trip.


> though how to handle first class could be difficult.


Should be no different especially as from 1st September E* are "dividing"
up 1st class into two separate categories:

1. Business Premium for those travelling with fully flexible type fares
2. Leisure Select for those travelling on the leisure type fares

The latter are currently quota controlled with a fares structure that
mirrors that in Std Class and I see no reason why quota controlled single
fares can't exist in 1st class too.

-- 
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:


> Also, it highlights the rediculous policy of not letting British
> customers catch the train from Ashford to London. What's the excuse for
> not allowing people to travel between London and Ashford again?


1. Immigration/security checks as already discussed.

2. Whilst the French are quite used to the procedure of pre-booking a
ticket for a specific train for TGV services, I somehow doubt that the idea
will work that well in this country especially when there is a regular turn
up and go service already in existence. 

3. Whilst E* do take domestic French passengers, AFAIK the quotas are
limited and the seats used are ones by journeys from the UK vacated at
Calais. If ever E* did take UK domestic passengers I could only see it
working a similar way, i.e. once a seat has been booked beyond Ashford
through to the other side of the tunnel then it is available for sale for a
London to Ashford journey. Start booking too many seats from London to
Ashford which aren't filled for the rest of the journey and you'll be
loosing (more valuable) business for which E* was designed for.

-- 
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:


> I'm quite happy paying - I'm just a bit surprised at the massive
> difference in price between the non-tunnel and the tunnel prices.


E* fares through the tunnel are market priced, whether or not you think
they are too expensive or nor is your own opinion. Loading figures esp.
London to Paris are on the increase (and set to increase with CTR2) so I
guess the pricing structure must be working.

E* Fares from Calais to Paris (& Lille to Brussels) effectively match those
on other TGV services on the same route. Consequently they are much lower
though not as low as the differencees between London to Lille/Calais and
London to Paris/Brussels are very much smaller.

-- 
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:


> Besides, my ticket, seeing as it's been bought in France, won't have my
> name on it and I've not specified the date.


I'd go back and look at the ticket again! I think you'll see it will have a
departure date and time as well as a seat allocation. You wouldn't have got
through the check-in gates with an invalid ticket.

Open tickets (valid for two months) can be bought for travel between Paris
and Calais. However they are only valid on the much slower Corail and TER
services.

-- 
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

"Phil Richards"  wrote in message 
news:h83zzo61f7i.xl9y61djr6ka$.dlg@40tude.net...

> richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:
>
>> Besides, my ticket, seeing as it's been bought in France, won't have my
>> name on it and I've not specified the date.
>
> I'd go back and look at the ticket again! I think you'll see it will have 
> a
> departure date and time as well as a seat allocation. You wouldn't have 
> got
> through the check-in gates with an invalid ticket.
>
> Open tickets (valid for two months) can be bought for travel between Paris
> and Calais. However they are only valid on the much slower Corail and TER
> services.
>
> -- 
> Phil Richards
> London, UK
> Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

And when you ask for one of these tickets, the SNCF ticket clerks look 
askance at you because you don't want to travel by TGV, as I found out when 
I wanted to kill some time when heading to Paris. I confess that I began to 
see the point after the first hour on a RIO push-pull set...
Brian

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005 21:19:06 +0100, Phil Richards
 wrote:


>Loading figures esp.
>London to Paris are on the increase (and set to increase with CTR2) so I
>guess the pricing structure must be working.


The last few Eurostars I've been on have been pretty full. Maybe
they've realised that making it easy to buy tickets and charging
realistic prices might encourage people to travel. They even seem to
be slowly learning that the rails don't stop at Paris and Brussels.

Passengers also seem to be learning to take their own food and drink.
Does anyone know of an off licence anywhere near Paris Nord where you
can stock on reasonable beer? Buying portable beer in Brussels isn't a
problem!   
-- 
Arthur Figgis                Surrey, UK

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005 20:59:01 +0100, Phil Richards
 wrote:



>
>Should be no different especially as from 1st September E* are "dividing"
>up 1st class into two separate categories:
>
>1. Business Premium for those travelling with fully flexible type fares
>2. Leisure Select for those travelling on the leisure type fares


Just out of interest, Phil, where do FIP fares fit in there, please?


-- 
 
Regards

Mike

mikedotroebuckatgmxdotnet

Arthur Figgis wrote:

> 
> Passengers also seem to be learning to take their own food and drink.
> Does anyone know of an off licence anywhere near Paris Nord where you
> can stock on reasonable beer? Buying portable beer in Brussels isn't a
> problem!


There's a Franprix in the rue des Petits Hotels, and another minimarket
(I can't remember its name) on the corner of Boulevard de Magenta/rue La
Fayette. Both of these are 3/4 minutes walk from Gare du Nord.

-- 
John Ray, London UK.

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005 22:17:05 +0100, Phil Richards wrote:


> richard_thomas@bigfoot.com wrote:
> 
>> Besides, my ticket, seeing as it's been bought in France, won't have my
>> name on it and I've not specified the date.
> 
> I'd go back and look at the ticket again! I think you'll see it will have a
> departure date and time as well as a seat allocation. You wouldn't have got
> through the check-in gates with an invalid ticket.


I believe he meant he didn't tell us when exactly he was planning to
travel.
-- 
http://gallery120232.fotopic.net/ps15040234.html
(European Stations and depots etc.)

In message <18kr175qwd10f.1sdsy92c0i33w$.dlg@40tude.net>, at 20:59:01 on 
Fri, 5 Aug 2005, Phil Richards  
remarked:

>> though how to handle first class could be difficult.
>
>Should be no different especially as from 1st September E* are "dividing"
>up 1st class into two separate categories:
>
>1. Business Premium for those travelling with fully flexible type fares
>2. Leisure Select for those travelling on the leisure type fares
>
>The latter are currently quota controlled with a fares structure that
>mirrors that in Std Class and I see no reason why quota controlled single
>fares can't exist in 1st class too.


E* has had two "First" classes for many years. They originally 
advertised several benefits of First Class (such as a lounge, free 
parking at Ashford etc) but soon watered down the offering to only those 
paying for the more expensive kind of First class ticket.

I'm not complaining, but merely pointing out that there has been a 
two-tier system for a long time. (And I've travelled discount-1st a few 
times cheaper than I could have done on the same train in Std).
-- 
Roland Perry

In message <1bymp3x7fzb7p$.v6yu0k35qq7a.dlg@40tude.net>, at 21:10:55 on 
Fri, 5 Aug 2005, Phil Richards  
remarked:

>Whilst E* do take domestic French passengers, AFAIK the quotas are
>limited and the seats used are ones by journeys from the UK vacated at
>Calais. If ever E* did take UK domestic passengers I could only see it
>working a similar way, i.e. once a seat has been booked beyond Ashford
>through to the other side of the tunnel then it is available for sale for a
>London to Ashford journey. Start booking too many seats from London to
>Ashford which aren't filled for the rest of the journey and you'll be
>loosing (more valuable) business for which E* was designed for.


On the Brussels trains I've rarely seen people get on at Calais (perhaps 
because I would travel that way in the evening before my early morning 
meetings), but the following evening on the way back I've seen 
significant numbers of commuter-looking folks going the other way. They 
seemed to congregate in the bar, and stand all the way; although I 
suppose they must have had a seat reservation as well.
-- 
Roland Perry

On Fri, 05 Aug 2005 22:55:12 +0100 someone who may be Arthur Figgis
 wrote this:-


>They even seem to
>be slowly learning that the rails don't stop at Paris and Brussels.


Will they ever realise that the rails don't stop at London though?


-- 
 David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
 I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
 prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

On Sat, 6 Aug 2005 06:58:24 +0100, Roland Perry 
wrote:


>E* has had two "First" classes for many years. They originally 
>advertised several benefits of First Class (such as a lounge, free 
>parking at Ashford etc) but soon watered down the offering to only those 
>paying for the more expensive kind of First class ticket.
>
>I'm not complaining, but merely pointing out that there has been a 
>two-tier system for a long time. (And I've travelled discount-1st a few 
>times cheaper than I could have done on the same train in Std).


Me too. 

Presumably they noticed that in the Olden Times, backpackers on cheap
1st class tickets were going into their posh lounges and drinking the
"complimentary" booze like particularly thirsty fishes. Not that I'd
do such a thing, of course.
-- 
Arthur Figgis                Surrey, UK

In message , at 11:27:51 on 
Sat, 6 Aug 2005, Arthur Figgis  remarked:

>Presumably they noticed that in the Olden Times, backpackers on cheap
>1st class tickets were going into their posh lounges and drinking the
>"complimentary" booze like particularly thirsty fishes. Not that I'd
>do such a thing, of course.


I'm not even sure why they have a lounge at Brussels. They never let 
people through security and into the departure area until a few minutes 
before the trains is scheduled to leave. The shop and bar there really 
ought to be relocated land-side, too.
-- 
Roland Perry

Mike Roebuck wrote:


>>1. Business Premium for those travelling with fully flexible type fares
>>2. Leisure Select for those travelling on the leisure type fares
> 
> Just out of interest, Phil, where do FIP fares fit in there, please?


From one of the "Leisure Select" quotas.

-- 
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Roland Perry wrote:


> E* has had two "First" classes for many years. They originally 
> advertised several benefits of First Class (such as a lounge, free 
> parking at Ashford etc) but soon watered down the offering to only those 
> paying for the more expensive kind of First class ticket.


The new arrangements as I understand are to distinguish the two a bit more
clearer. For example for Business Select passengers have access to the
lounges, for those that don't like to hang around too long, an express (10
minute) check-in.

What also disappears from 1st September is Premium First which has only
ever been available on the London to Paris run. One of the new Business
Select fares still offers the complimentary taxi pick up at each end of the
journey. 

-- 
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Roland Perry wrote:


> On the Brussels trains I've rarely seen people get on at Calais (perhaps 
> because I would travel that way in the evening before my early morning 
> meetings), but the following evening on the way back I've seen 
> significant numbers of commuter-looking folks going the other way. They 
> seemed to congregate in the bar, and stand all the way; although I 
> suppose they must have had a seat reservation as well.


I think you'll find only the Paris services stop at Calais whilst most of
those through to Brussels stop at Lille. The latter works quite well as
there is quite a bit of traffic UK to Lille and vv thus releasing seats for
those joining there going to Brussels.

However every time I've been on a E* to or from Paris very few seem to get
on or off at Calais Frthun which is basically a cabbage field Park and
Ride station with pretty dismal rail connections to other places.

-- 
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

In message <bhb3rafbgquq$.i2rheeai0z6q.dlg@40tude.net>, at 17:51:35 on 
Sat, 6 Aug 2005, Phil Richards  
remarked:

>I think you'll find only the Paris services stop at Calais whilst most of
>those through to Brussels stop at Lille.


Yes, Lille. Now you come to mention it I've never noticed the [Brussels] 
train stopping at Calais!
-- 
Roland Perry

"Phil Richards"  wrote in message 
news:bhb3rafbgquq$.i2rheeai0z6q.dlg@40tude.net...

> Roland Perry wrote:
>
>> On the Brussels trains I've rarely seen people get on at Calais (perhaps
>> because I would travel that way in the evening before my early morning
>> meetings), but the following evening on the way back I've seen
>> significant numbers of commuter-looking folks going the other way. They
>> seemed to congregate in the bar, and stand all the way; although I
>> suppose they must have had a seat reservation as well.
>
> I think you'll find only the Paris services stop at Calais whilst most of
> those through to Brussels stop at Lille. The latter works quite well as
> there is quite a bit of traffic UK to Lille and vv thus releasing seats 
> for
> those joining there going to Brussels.
>
> However every time I've been on a E* to or from Paris very few seem to get
> on or off at Calais Frthun which is basically a cabbage field Park and
> Ride station with pretty dismal rail connections to other places.
>
> -- 
> Phil Richards
> London, UK
> Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

I think it depends which train you're on, Phil. I use it quite often, and it 
can be difficult to find anywhere to park. On the ones that I've been on 
that stop there (notably on Mondays and Fridays), there have often been in 
excess of 50 people waiting to board- a large number of whom seem to be 
students.
Brian

On Sat, 6 Aug 2005 17:37:14 +0100, Phil Richards
 wrote:


>Mike Roebuck wrote:
>
>>>1. Business Premium for those travelling with fully flexible type fares
>>>2. Leisure Select for those travelling on the leisure type fares
>> 
>> Just out of interest, Phil, where do FIP fares fit in there, please?
>
>From one of the "Leisure Select" quotas.


So - is the catering difference the same as currently between the two
types of 1st class which are already available on the Paris runs, or
is it downgraded further for the leisure category?

This *will* affect my future travel arrangements to and from the
Continent, so I'm interested.


-- 
 
Regards

Mike

mikedotroebuckatgmxdotnet

Mike Roebuck wrote:


> So - is the catering difference the same as currently between the two
> types of 1st class which are already available on the Paris runs, or
> is it downgraded further for the leisure category?


Catering remains the same in both categories. The only difference is that
for Business Select an option of "Express Breakfast" will be available. The
only difference being that the breakfast is brought up together on one tray
so as to avoid being disturbed during the journey. 


> This *will* affect my future travel arrangements to and from the
> Continent, so I'm interested.


Catering will still be a major selling point for all types of first class
tickets.

-- 
Phil Richards
London, UK
Home Page: http://www.philrichards1.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

On Sun, 7 Aug 2005 23:01:09 +0100, Phil Richards
 wrote:


>Mike Roebuck wrote:
>
>> So - is the catering difference the same as currently between the two
>> types of 1st class which are already available on the Paris runs, or
>> is it downgraded further for the leisure category?
>
>Catering remains the same in both categories. The only difference is that
>for Business Select an option of "Express Breakfast" will be available. The
>only difference being that the breakfast is brought up together on one tray
>so as to avoid being disturbed during the journey. 
>
>> This *will* affect my future travel arrangements to and from the
>> Continent, so I'm interested.
>
>Catering will still be a major selling point for all types of first class
>tickets.


Many thanks, Phil.

I usually fly from northern airports when I'm off to the Continent
these days, but I do like dining on Eurostar from time to time, even
though the FIP fare is often higher than the cost of a flight (I've
done Manchester - Cologne and back for 50 more than once, taxes
included).

-- 
 
Regards

Mike

mikedotroebuckatgmxdotnet

In message <1k6rj1q1248y8$.l8hekc0go215$.dlg@40tude.net>, at 23:01:09 on 
Sun, 7 Aug 2005, Phil Richards  
remarked:

>Catering will still be a major selling point for all types of first class
>tickets.


Let's hope they remind the staff that people boarding at Ashford also 
require meals. Provision (or lack thereof) has been a major weakness in 
the past.
-- 
Roland Perry

On Fri, 5 Aug 2005 22:36:21 +0100, BH Williams wrote:

>"Phil Richards"  wrote in message 
>>Open tickets (valid for two months) can be bought for travel between Paris
>>and Calais. However they are only valid on the much slower Corail and TER
>>services.
>
>And when you ask for one of these tickets, the SNCF ticket clerks look 
>askance at you because you don't want to travel by TGV, as I found out when 
>I wanted to kill some time when heading to Paris. I confess that I began to 
>see the point after the first hour on a RIO push-pull set...


Those push-pull sets aren't really great indeed.
Corail stock, however, I find much more comfortable than a TGV. Some
regions even have TER services with this stock.

Regards,

          Rian

-- 
Rian van der Borgt, Leuven, Belgium.
e-mail: rvdborgt+@xs4all.be  www: http://www.xs4all.be/~rvdborgt/
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