London: Getting there and away

The best thing about a visit to London is that you can immerse yourself completely in the eclectic culture of the capital, but at the same time it's always an option to go further afield and come back to this cosmopolitan city refreshed, revived, and ready to discover more about the history and happenings in London. Everyone knows that cheap flights are an option to travel to and from London, but in this age of growing awareness about climate change, it's not the greatest way to reduce our individual carbon footprints.

Enter the train. For decades, train transportation has had somewhat mythic connotations of exploring the great unknown - and taking a lot of time to do it. Not any more. With the high-speed Eurostar train, you can travel from England to France in a mere matter of hours, making the Continent all the more appealing and accessible. Why? Well simply because virtually any traveller can combine a trip to London with a trip to Paris, or even Lille or Brussels, allowing them to sample all the delights that north-western Europe offers.

Operated by the national railway companies of France and Belgium (SNCF and SNCB) and by a subsidiary of London and Continental Railways, the Eurostar presents an unbeatable opportunity to voyage in comfort and class, with an effective and reliable high-speed service running several times daily between the various destinations. Tickets are easily booked either online or at a Eurostar or SNCF office, and the Eurostar website furthermore offers customers the chance to pre-book their London hotels or Paris hotels at a reduced rate, making it a more economical way to organise a weekend or a few days away. Multi-lingual city guides are also available online, helping you to get acquainted with the new city sooner.

Did you know? The Channel Tunnel used by Eurostar services holds the record for having the longest undersea section anywhere in the world, as well as being the second longest tunnel in the world. So a trip on the Eurostar ensures that you'll experience a record-breaking feat of engineering!