Variability of Eurostar ticket prices - ?
Do Eurostar ticket prices stay fairly steady or do they jump around like airfares do? I'm not traveling till next May, so don't necessarily feel the need to buy my ticket (London to Brussels) right now. However, when I search prices today, a standard class, non-flex ticket is $63. Is that a good price that I should jump on? Or am I just as likely to find that price again in, say, March?
Thanks.
Teresa
Seattle 11/14/12
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Eurostar prices start low and increase in price as tickets are sold. The closer you get to your departure date, the more likely that you will pay more.
Supposedly, tickets go on sale 120 days out and the lowest prices are available then. Some people have reported being able to buy further in advance from the U.S. site.
Teresa, in March I can absolutely guarantee you the prices for last minute tickets will be shockingly high compared to what the same ticket will cost you 120 days in advance. Don't even think about waiting till then .
Prices always go up, but I wasn't aware you could purchase this far in advance, you must be looking at some pther ticketing site ( not the Eurostar site itself). I think they add fees for ticket delivery and postage don't they, I just order online and pick up tickets at station ..
Pat, would a March purchase really be considered "last minute" for a May journey? I have to admit that I haven't gone all the way through the purchasing process on Eurostar's website, but it sure looks like I'll be able to. Maybe not. I'll give it a go later tonight. I think the last time I traveled on Eurostar I was able to print out my ticket when I purchased it, but I don't remember if there were any fees involved.
Teresa,
You might find it very helpful to have a look at THIS excellent website. It explains everything you'll need to know regarding the EuroStar.
As the others have mentioned, you'll be able to buy tickets about 120 days prior to departure. Those will be the cheapest AFAIK. A few other things to note are that you MUST check-in at least 30-minutes prior to departure time. I'd suggest 45-60 minutes, as you'll need time to go through airport-style security and clear Immigration in London.
Where will you be going in Brussels? As I recall, the EuroStar arrives at Brussels Midi/Zuid. If you need to get to Brussels Central, you'll have to use the Metro. I took that trip last year, and it took me a few minutes to "get my bearings" and get the Metro sorted after arrival in Brussels.
Happy travels!
$63 is a good price - or rather, its the best price you will get. They are still selling them for about that price (£39) for travel in February, so its possible if you wait that the price will not be any higher. But I think it is certain that the price will not come down if you wait, so the only reason to wait is if you need to save up some money for Christmans or are not sure about dates.
Thanks, all. I did end up buying the ticket last night for travel May 1, 2013 (which is definitely more than 120 days out). I printed the ticket at home, and there were no extra fees or anything.
Ken, yes, the train goes to Brussels Midi. Unfortunately, I don't yet know where I'm going once I get to Brussels as I won't get the hotel list for the RS Belgium & Holland tour till sometime in the spring.
Thanks again, everybody.
Eurostar prices do increase suddenly for a given date (and especially for a given specific train) like airline tickets to. However, contrary to airlines, Eurostar prices rarely go downward for a specific train on a specific date. So you can usually be sure you will be locking in the lowest possible fare on that time and date and route if you buy as early as possible.
Only rarely do they launch last-minute fire sales and similar promotions.
I don't think that you need to use the Metro to get from Midi/Zuid to Centrale/Centraal. I believe that your Eurostar ticket to Brussels entitles you to go on by train from Midi to any of the other central Brussels stations.
@Philip,
Although I could have travelled by train to Brussels Central, I felt that the Metro would be the quickest and easiest option.
@Teresa,
I took that tour last year, and it's possible that you'll be staying at THIS Hotel in Brussels (of course, no guarantees). It's an easy walk from Brussels Central station and very close to Grand Place.