The Magic of Eurostar

These two aerodynamic looking machines have a very cool purpose. You’ll discover it if you take a several-day, multi-city tour of Europe (which we highly recommend, because as I’ve been pointing out a lot lately, international tours are the most exciting student travel of all).

These gleaming rectangles of power are collectively known as Eurostar, and they can carry you from London to Paris in about two hours. Their path? The English Channel. Or rather, their path is beneath the Channel in a tunnel affectionately known as the Chunnel.

The lowdown: Okay, truthfully, you’ll only be in the Chunnel about 20 minutes. And, no, you can’t see sea water and marine life out your windows. It’s pretty much a standard tunnel as far as you’ll know from the seats. Still, it’s pretty cool. Most of the ride, though, actually takes place through the countryside of England and then France. On the France side you’ll see a lot of flat countryside, several villages, and an amazing variety of church spires around which the villages were built.

The Eurostar is mostly fascinating for what it makes possible. By traveling so quickly from England to France, you can experience two of the most popular cities in the world in one several-day tour. Most of the sample itineraries I’ve seen begin in London. You get an overview of the city en route from the airport to your hotel. Your driver can point out the highlights, like Ben Ben, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, etc. For at least one half day or so, you’ll want to enlist in a guided tour. They’ll help you make the most of your experience.

Thanks to Eurostar, you can be in Paris the same day you wake up in London. This allows for guided tours in both cities, plus plenty of free time. Your first day in Paris should begin with a guided tour of the highlights as well. It’s a good idea to get an overview of the popular attractions so you can figure out exactly what you’ll want to explore further.

Eurostar cuts down travel time, so that almost every moment of your time in Europe is filled with amazing sites and attractions.