How to get cheap Eurostar tickets

The Eurostar rail service offers a fast, convenient and direct way to travel from the UK to major European cities. Departing from London, you can be in Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam in a matter of hours.

For many journeys, the Eurostar is competitive on price compared to flying - especially when you factor in extra flight-related costs like luggage. But there are a few tips and tricks to know about in order to bag the lowest prices for Eurostar journeys.

In this guide, we’ll run through everything you need to know about getting cheap Eurostar tickets. This includes booking in plenty of time, and timing your journey to coincide with the cheapest ticket prices.

And if you’re looking for a cheap way to spend during your European trip, make sure to check out the Wise international debit card. This clever contactless card automatically converts your pounds to euros at the mid-market exchange rate whenever you spend. Even better, it works in 175 countries (including the UK) so you can use it every time you travel¹.

But more on that later. Let’s get back to finding cheaper Eurostar tickets for you.

How much do Eurostar tickets cost?

Before we look at tips for saving money on Eurostar tickets, it’s useful to know how much they cost to start with.

Below are the lowest prices per person (outside of any seasonal sales or special offers) for one way and return journeys to popular European destinations²:

However, these are only the lowest prices you can get. Eurostar fares can be very expensive if you book at the wrong time, or travel on certain dates. We’ll show you how to secure these lower prices next.

Book in advance

As a general rule, Eurostar tickets are cheaper the further in advance you book. Prices tend to increase as the departure date arrives. This is partly because the cheaper seats have sold out. If you have to travel at short notice, you’ll find that Eurostar tickets can be very expensive.

For most Eurostar routes, bookings open up to 6 months in advance³. So, it could be worth starting to plan your trip then, or setting a calendar reminder to check prices as soon as bookings open for your preferred travel dates.

Use the Eurostar cheap fare finder tool

An easy way to find the cheapest seats around your preferred dates of travel (if you can be a little flexible) is the Eurostar cheap fare finder tool. Head here to see the cheapest prices for London to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Rotterdam by month. You can filter by one way and return tickets.

Sign up to the Eurostar newsletter

Occasionally, Eurostar runs seasonal sales, discounts and special offers on its popular routes.

These will be advertised on the Eurostar website and elsewhere, but you can hear about them first by signing up to the Eurostar email newsletter. This could help you snap up cheap tickets before they sell out, especially if there’s a really good deal on.

Avoid weekends and bank holidays

In addition to booking early, you can also get cheaper Eurostar tickets by travelling on certain days of the week.

Eurostar tends to be very expensive at weekends and bank holidays. This is because it uses a dynamic pricing model, where prices rise and fall in relation to demand. This is why prices rise on weekends, as these are popular times for people to travel. After all, Eurostar is regularly used for weekend breaks.

The cheapest days and times to travel with Eurostar are between midday Monday and midnight on Thursday². You may also find it costs less to travel on less popular services, such as those that run very early in the morning or late at night.

So, if you can be flexible and travel during weekdays, you could save money.

Buy a return ticket, rather than two one-way tickets

You’ll notice that in the table of Eurostar prices at the top of this guide, return tickets are usually better value than buying two one-way tickets.

For example, two separate one-way tickets between London to Paris at £52 each will cost £104 in total. Buy a return instead and it’s just £78, saving you £26 on the journey.

You might only need a one-way ticket. For example, you might be flying home or heading somewhere else as part of your trip. But if you will be returning via the same route, it definitely makes good financial sense to buy a return Eurostar ticket.

Spend in Europe for less with the Wise international debit card

Got a great deal on Eurostar tickets? Now that you’ve got your transport sorted, it’s time to start thinking about the rest of your trip. This includes holiday spending, and we’ve got a brilliant way you can save money there too.

Get a Wise international debit card and you can spend in EUR all over Europe at the real, mid-market exchange rate. This is a fair rate, as there’s no mark-up added on top.

What’s more, your pounds are automatically converted whenever you spend, for just a tiny conversion fee¹. If you already have the currency in your Wise account, it’s free.

Your Wise debit card can be used everywhere from shops and restaurants to hotels and transport hubs. You can even use it to withdraw up to £200 a day for free from European ATMs. Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

With the Wise card in your wallet, you can spend like a local in 175 countries without ever needing to visit a currency exchange outlet. There’s no need to carry cash around with you, and you’ll have the peace of mind that you’re always getting the best exchange rates.

Open your free Wise multi-currency account online, and order your Wise debit card for a one-time fee of just £5.

Join Wise today

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