Buying Paris metro tickets from Eurostar before/during the journey?
Whenever a Eurostar gets into Brussels, and especially when one gets into Paris, there is always a mad scramble for the metro ticket machines, and if you weren't in the first coach then a very long queue...
A couple of years ago I did manage to buy Paris metro tickets from the Eurostar information desk in London before I left, as described here. (It was at the information desk on the far right after security and passport checks). I seem to recall they even sold me the tickets in sterling at the day's exchange rate!
I've subsequently recommended this to a friend, who wasn't able to buy the tickets from the information desk, and instead had the long queue at the metro ticket machines on arrival.
Does anyone know if Eurostar are still normally selling metro tickets from the information counter? And/or does the buffet on board sell them? (I think I've once heard an announcement about that)
Best Answer
You can buy a single ticket or a carnet of 10 tickets from the buffet.
In 2013 there was a markup of around 10-20% and they only had carnets available.
As of September 2015, the markup was around 50% (£15 @ 1.37EUR/pound, compared to €14.10 in Paris). They were also selling single tickets at about a 20% markup (£1.60 each - €1.80 in Paris).
They sometimes mention the availability of the tickets in the PA announcements on the train.
Sources: my own experience (March/April 2011, September 2015), discussion in the comments, this webpage
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Can you buy Eurostar tickets on the day?
You can buy tickets at St Pancras International, even on the day of travel - however last-minute tickets are much more expensive than those booked well ahead of time. Eurostar fares go on sale 120 days before travel and work like air fares - the cheapest tickets sell out first.Do Eurostar tickets get cheaper closer to departure?
Eurostar tickets are released 120 days before departure, and the cheapest tickets are sold first. They will not go down before departure date, so book as soon as you can.How does Paris metro ticket work?
Paris Metro tickets have no expiry; You can use them at any time in the future. Tickets can be purchased from ticket windows inside stations or through automated ticket vending machines accepting Euro coins and smart chip credit cards. The single ticket price as of Nov. 1, 2019 is 1.90\u20ac.Do you have to pre book Eurostar?
No, but it might be helpful if you think you'll book with us again. It's free, only takes a minute to set up and you can save all your details to speed up your next booking....5 steps to travel on the Eurostar 🚄 London to Paris
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Samson Katt, Samson Katt, Ono Kosuki, Andrea Piacquadio