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Travel - International
AIR: The principal national airline is British Airways (BA).
Approximate flight times: From Birmingham to Amsterdam is 1 hour 15 minutes; to Dublin is 1 hour 5 minutes; to Düsseldorf is 1 hour 20 minutes; to Frankfurt/M is 1 hour 40 minutes; and to Paris is 1 hour 10 minutes.
From Glasgow to Paris is 2 hours 50 minutes via Birmingham.
From Manchester to Amsterdam is 1 hour 25 minutes; to Brussels is 1 hour 35 minutes; to Dublin is 1 hour; to Düsseldorf is 1 hour 25 minutes; to Frankfurt/M is 1 hour 50 minutes; to Milan is 2 hours 25 minutes; to Nice is 2 hours 20 minutes; to Paris is 1 hour 30 minutes; and to Rome is 2 hours 55 minutes.
For approximate durations of international flights from London, see the Travel – International section of the destination country.
International airports: See Travel – International in the relevant country sections for information on UK airports.
Departure tax: None.
SEA: There are many ports offering ferry connections between the UK and mainland Europe, Ireland, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Wight, the Scilly Isles and the Isle of Man.
UK ferry operators include: Stena Line (tel: (08705) 707 070; website: www7.stenaline.com); P&O Ferries (tel: (08705) 202 020; website: www.poferries.com); P&O European Ferries (tel: (0870) 242 4999; website: www.poportsmouth.com); Hoverspeed (tel: (0870) 240 8070; website: www.hoverspeed.co.uk); Norse Irish Ferries (tel: (01232) 779 090; website: www.norsemerchant.com); Condor Ferries (tel: (0845) 345 2000; website: www.condorferries.co.uk); Brittany Ferries (tel: (08703) 665 333; website: www.brittany-ferries.com); Isles of Scilly Travel (tel: (08457) 105 555; website: www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk); Red Funnel (tel: (0870) 444 8898; website: www.redfunnel.co.uk); DFDS Seaways (tel: (08705) 333 000; website: www.dfdsseaways.co.uk); P&O North Sea Ferries (tel: (08701) 296 002; website: www.ponsf.com); Fjord Line (tel: (0191) 296 1313; website: www.fjordline.com); P&O Scottish Ferries (website: www.poscottishferries.co.uk); Swansea–Cork Ferries (tel: (01792) 456 116); Isle of Man Steam Packet Co (tel: (01624) 661 661; website: www.steam-packet.com); Irish Ferries (tel: (08705) 171 717; website: www.irishferries.ie); Caledonian Macbrayne (tel: (01475) 650 100; website: www.calmac.co.uk); and Wightlink (tel: (08705) 827 744; website: www.wightlink.co.uk).
RAIL: Trains meet connecting ferries at Dover, Newhaven, Portsmouth, Weymouth and Folkestone, sailing for France, Spain, Germany and Belgium (board at Victoria Station in London); and at Harwich, sailing for The Netherlands, Germany and Scandinavia (board at Liverpool Street). See also the sections on the Channel Tunnel below.
Eurotunnel or the Channel Tunnel: All road vehicles are carried through the tunnel in Eurotunnel shuttles running between the two terminals, one near Folkestone in Kent, with direct road access from the M20, and one just outside Calais, with links to the A16/A26 motorway (Exit 13). Each shuttle is made up of 12 single- and 12 double-deck carriages, and vehicles are directed to single-deck or double-deck carriages depending on their height. There are facilities for cars and motorcycles, coaches, minibuses, caravans, campervans and other vehicles over 1.85m (6.07ft). Bicycles are provided for. Passengers generally travel with their vehicles. Heavy goods vehicles are carried on special shuttles and drivers travel in a separate carriage. Terminals and shuttles are well equipped for disabled passengers, and Passenger Terminal buildings contain a variety of shops, restaurants, bureaux de change and other amenities. The journey takes about 35 minutes from platform to platform and about one hour from motorway to motorway. Services run every day of the year, and there are between two and five an hour, depending on the time of day. There is a reservation system and a turn-up-and-go service. Motorists pass through customs and immigration before they board the shuttle without further checks on arrival. Fares vary according to length of stay, time of day and time of year and whether you have a reservation or not. The price applies to the car, regardless of the number of passengers or size of the car. The fare may be paid in cash, by cheque or by credit card. There is a reduction of £2 when booking online. For further information, contact Eurotunnel Customer Services UK (tel: (08705) 353 535; fax: (01303) 288 786; e-mail: callcentre@eurotunnel.com; website: www.eurotunnel.com).
The Eurostar: The direct Eurostar train link through the Channel Tunnel between London and Lille, Brussels or Paris started operating on 14 November 1994. Eurostar is a service provided by the railways of Belgium, the United Kingdom and France, operating direct high-speed trains from London (Waterloo International) to Paris (Gare du Nord) and to Brussels (Midi/Zuid). It currently takes three hours from London to Paris and 2 hours 40 minutes from London to Brussels. Trains depart up to 18 times a day from Waterloo to Paris, and up to 8 times a day from Waterloo to Brussels.
Work has now started on the UK section of the high-speed rail line which is being built in two stages. When the first stage from the Channel Tunnel through Kent to the outskirts of London is completed in September 2003 travel time between London and Paris will be reduced to 2 hours 35 minutes. The second stage, to be completed in January 2007, will take the route to a new terminal at St Pancras. When it is completed, the transit times between London St Pancras and Brussels will be just 2 hours and between London St Pancras and Paris just 2 hours 15 minutes.
The Eurostar trains are equipped with standard-class and first-class seating, buffet, bar and are staffed by multi-lingual, highly trained personnel. Pricing is competitive with the airlines, and there is a large range of different tickets and prices. Children aged between four and 11 years benefit from a special fare in first class as well as in standard class. Children under four years old travel free but cannot be guaranteed a seat. Wheelchair users and blind passengers together with one companion get a special fare.
For further information and reservations, contact Eurostar (tel: (0870) 6000 792 (travel agents) or (08705) 186 186 (public; within the UK) or + 44 (1233) 617 575 (public; outside the UK only); website: www.eurostar.com) or Rail Europe (tel: (08705) 848 848). Travel agents can obtain refunds for unused tickets from Eurostar Trade Refunds, Second Floor, Kent House, 81 Station Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1PD. Complaints and comments may be sent to Eurostar Customer Relations, Eurostar House, Waterloo Station, London SE1 8SE (tel: (020) 7928 5163). General enquiries and information requests must be made by telephone. Enquiries in France should be made to Eurostar in Paris (tel: (8) 3635 3539; only available from within France). Information about package deals, inclusive of accommodation and travel on Eurostar can be obtained from Eurostar Holidays Direct (tel: (0870) 167 6767; fax: (0870) 010 0284).
ROAD: Few formalities are encountered when driving between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Eurolines, departing from Victoria Coach Station in London, serves destinations in the United Kingdom. For further information, contact Eurolines (4 Cardiff Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, L41 1PP; tel: (08705) 143 219; fax: (01582) 400 694; website: www.eurolines.com or www.gobycoach.com).
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
Terms and Conditions apply.
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