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100 days earlier than the beginning of the Paris Olympics 2024, Eurostar is predicting its busiest-ever summer time peak.
The Video games within the French capital run 26 July to 11 August, coinciding with the conventional highest demand for the worldwide rail agency, with many British households heading to continental Europe.
When the primary tickets for trains between the 2 cities in the course of the Olympics went on sale, they have been booked at triple the conventional charge.
Gwendoline Cazenave, chief government of Eurostar, instructed The Unbiased: “After we opened gross sales in final November between London and Paris, we offered 3 times extra tickets than we promote within the regular gross sales opening.
“We’ve already offered greater than 400,000 tickets. So, sure, it’s gonna be a busy interval. The trains are getting full actually shortly. However we nonetheless have locations.”
The most affordable return ticket from London St Pancras Worldwide to Paris Gare du Nord, travelling out the day earlier than the opening ceremony and again on the ultimate day of the Video games, is £318 in commonplace class.
However that may be halved for shorter journeys in the course of the Olympics – akin to £158 return between 29 July and 1 August.
Ms Cazenave mentioned that passengers may effectively be travelling similtaneously rivals.
“We’ve 140 trains to Paris on which we’ll have athletes, so our prospects will be capable to meet athletes,” she mentioned.
“The opening ceremony earlier than the official opening ceremony in Paris shall be on Eurostar.
“Returning dwelling, these trains shall be heavier as a result of they are going to have medals on board: bronze, silver and gold.”
Flights between London and Paris are considerably cheaper than trains; flying out on 25 July, again on 11 August, the fare on Vueling from Gatwick to Orly airport, south of the French capital, is £204 return.
In the course of the Video games, Air France is providing a Heathrow-Paris CDG fare of £123 return from 29 July to 1 August.
These costs don’t embrace the price of journey to and from the capitals, nor something greater than modest cabin baggage.
Ms Cazenave mentioned: “While you examine to airways, you realize that Eurostar is from metropolis centre to metropolis centre, with no added fees, no tax, no bag or seat [charges], no underground or taxis.
“It’s all included, and there’s no dangerous shock.”
Tourism bosses in Paris expect a stoop within the numbers of tourists staying in a single day in the course of the Olympics.
The Unbiased has been instructed that predicted resort occupancy shall be 60–70 per cent all through the Video games, in contrast with 91 per cent in July 2023.
All fares checked direct with operators on Wednesday 17 April
