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London to Avignon by train
How take a rail journey from London to Avignon
There are currently three* options for making the journey by high speed trains from London to Antibes:
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Travelling via Paris can be a cheaper option, but you will need to make the transfer across the French capital between the Gare Du Nord, which is where the Eurostar will arrive, and the Gare De Lyon, the departure station of the train on to Avignon Centre station.
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Or take a train on from the Gare De Lyon to Avignon TGV station.
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Or if you make the connection in Lille, you can make the transfer within Lille Europe station and avoid the cross Paris transfer, but you will be arriving at Avignon TGV station
*When the direct London to Avignon train resumes operating in the summer of 2022, it becomes the obvious best option.
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Routes
Option 1: Arrive at Avignon Centre station
Journey Summary
7hr 15min - 7hr 45min
Daily
Travel Information
The big plus of taking this option is that you will arrive at Avignon Centre station.
all of the other journey options:
(1) via Lille
(2) the alternative options via Paris
(3) the direct train, on the dates when it is operating
all arrive at Avignon TGV station.
Avignon Centre lives up to its name with a location adjacent to the city centre, but Avignon TGV is located on the edge of town.
Though Avignon TGV is now linked to Avignon Centre by local (TER) trains, as well as buses.
These connections to Avignon Centre all allow more than 1hr 15mins to make the transfer across Paris from the Gare Du Nord to the Gare De Lyon.
On the dates when the direct train isn't operating, other journeys will get you to Avignon faster, but on this journey option, you're sacrificing speed, in order to arrive at a likely more convenient location in Avignon.
Mon-Friday:
2 x options, departing London at 07:01 (the fastest end-to-end journey) or at 12:31
Sat/Sun
1 x option, departing London at 12:31
Tickets
Book Early And Save: Yes
Online bookings open: 90 days ahead
When booking this journey on Eurostar take care to select 'Avignon Centre' as the destination.
This routing tends to be more expensive than the alternative connections to Avignon TGV via Paris and Lille.
On its days of operation, the direct train to Avignon TGV is also usually cheaper.
If you take that direct train and then on arrival at Avignon TGV opt to buy a train ticket for the short journey on to Avignon Centre, it's likely that the total cost will still be a saving!
The price below is for a one way fare if you're booking a return ticket, you may be offered a cheaper price in each direction.
A plus of booking the Eurostar with Eurostar.com is that you can access a 'Manage Your Booking' facility - which enables you to change the seat on the Eurostar, that you will have been automatically assigned when making a booking.
Click on the Eurostar 'train guides’ for more information on how to do this.
The ticketing terms:
If you book Standard or Standard Premier tickets, you can exchange them if need be, to an alternative departure on your booked route; but if you want to transfer your ticket to a new departure less than 7 days before your travel date, you will need to pay an admin fee of £30 for Standard Class tickets, £40 for Standard Premier tickets PLUS the price difference with the new ticket you will be booking.
What's new, in response to the pandemic, is that these £30/40 charges aren't applied if you want to transfer to an alternative departure more than seven days before your travel date.
Business Premier tickets are less restrictive, in response to the pandemic they can now be refunded and they can be exchanged to alternative departures without paying the admin fee, or the price difference.
Eurostar's full ticket terms and conditions are here
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Eurostar | from £78 |
Train 1
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
As a consequence of the Covid-19 crisis Eurostar will be operating a particularly limited timetable for the time being - further information is available on Eurostar.com
Note that London is in a different time zone to mainland Europe, it is one hour behind - so when looking at a timetable the journey will look as though it's an hour longer.
When the usual timetable is operating:
The majority of trains have a journey time of 2hr 16mins and these trains are non-stop between London and Paris.
All departures from London after 14:30 are non-stop to Paris.
Depart from London before 14:30 some trains will call at either Ebbsfleet or Ashford International stations.
However as the trains only call at these stations to pick up passengers - these station calls are not included on the departure boards at St Pancras International or usually announced on the train.
At St Pancras:
Eurostar requests that holders of Standard Class And Standard Premier tickets check-in a minimum of 30mins BEFORE departure, though this increased to 45mins on weekends and holidays.
If you have a Business Premier ticket, Eurostar recommends that you only have to check-in 10 mins before departure.
The guide to taking a Eurostar from London is here.
It's not a scenic journey, but it is a journey with SIX distinct phases and highlights:
1: For most of the first 8 mins of the journey the trains use tunnels to exit London (Stratford International station is located between the tunnels).
2: Then from the right of the train, there are views of the River Thames marshes and of the Queen Elizabeth II road bridge.
3: The third tunnel that the train will pass through is the tunnel under the River Thames.
4: Shortly after Ebbsfleet International station (can only be seen from the right of the train) is the scenic highlight of the journey - the crossing of the River Medway.
5: The train will slow down as it approaches The Channel Tunnel.
Announcements are no longer made that the train is about to enter the tunnel.
The journey through the tunnel will take around 22 mins.
6: There is little of note to be seen from the high speed lines in France.
Train 2
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Mirimas or Avignon
All trains also call at: Orange, Montellimar
Some trains also call at: Arles (the trains going on to Mirimas)
Avignon has two stations:
(1) Avignon TGV, which is on the edge of the city.
(2) Avignon Centre, which is adjacent to the city centre.
These are the direct trains between Paris and Avignon Centre station.
These trains are (much) slower than the trains to Avignon TGV, because they leave the Paris to Marseille line north of Valence, o spend around an hour on the conventional tracks.
The trains on this route spend around 2hr 20 mins travelling at more than 270 km/h on the high speed line, but they leave it just to the north of Valence, so the final 1hr 10 mins of the journey on to Avignon is on conventional railway tracks.
Option 2: to Avignon TGV station via Lille
Journey Summary
6hr 10 min - 7hr (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
Making the connection between the Eurostar from London and the TGV to Avignon in Lille Europe station has the major advantage of avoiding the need to transfer between stations in Paris.
This guide explains how to make the connection in Lille.
The transfer times between trains in Lille will be 35 mins, so it's pretty much ideal an allows for some contingency for a delay to the Eurostar.
The alternative daily option
Oui.SNCF and Trainline offer the opportunity to save money by taking a combination of Eurostar +Ouigo train, the low cost, but more basic alternative to the standard TGV trains.
The schedule is;
- Depart St Pancras International at 08:55 and arrive in Lille Europe station at 11:27.
- Transfer to Lille-Flandres station.
- Take the Ouigo which departs Lille-Flandres at 13:01 and arrives in Avignon TGV at 17:10
Mon - Friday: 2 x options per day
Saturday: 1 x option
Sunday: 2 x options
Changing trains in: Lille
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 90 days ahead - usually
The very cheapest tickets tend to sell out particularly quickly on this route, they're more likely to be available if you can travel on a Tuesday - Thursday,
The price below is for a one way fare, if you're booking a return ticket, you may be offered a cheaper price in each direction.
The ticket agents listed below will not charge a booking fee when buying tickets for this journey.
Looking up a journey to Avignon TGV
The search results for the London to Avignon journeys on these ticket agents, combine this journey via Lille with the alternative connections via Paris
The journeys which offer the connection in Lille is the departure from London at 11:04 (daily).
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Eurostar | from £78 | |
| Trainline | from £78 | |
| Oui.SNCF | * | |
| Trainline | * |
Train 1
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
As a consequence of the Covid-19 crisis Eurostar will be operating a particularly limited timetable for the time being - further information is available on Eurostar.com
Final Destination: Bruxelles-Mid or Amsterdam or Marne La Vallée
Some trains also call at: Ebbsfleet International (07:04 on Mon-Fri; 09:12 and 13:15 daily) or Ashford International (07:28 on Mon-Sat and 18:28 on Sunday) these station calls have been suspended until further notice
Note that London is in a different time zone to mainland Europe, it is one hour behind - so when looking at a timetable the journey will look as though it's an hour longer.
Virtually all of the departures between London and Lille will be by the e320trains.
At St Pancras International
Eurostar REQUESTS that holders of Standard Class And Standard Premier tickets check-in a minimum of 30mins before departure, and 45mins before departure on weekends and holidays.
If you have a Business Premier ticket, Eurostar recommends that you only have to check-in 10 mins before departure.
The guide to taking a Eurostar from London is here.
The trains only call at Ebbsfleet or Ashford International stations to pick up passengers, so these station calls are not included on the departure boards at St Pancras International or announced on the train.
It's not a scenic journey, but it is a journey with six distinct phases and highlights:
1: For most of the first 8 mins of the journey the trains use tunnels to exit London (Stratford International station is located between the tunnels).
2: Then from the right of the train, there are views of the River Thames marshes and of the Queen Elizabeth II road bridge.
3: The third tunnel that the train will pass through is the tunnel under the River Thames.
4: Shortly after Ebbsfleet International station (can only be seen from the right of the train) is the scenic highlight of the journey - the crossing of the River Medway.
5: The train will slow down as it approaches The Channel Tunnel.
Announcements are no longer made that the train is about to enter the tunnel.
The journey through the tunnel will take around 22 mins.
6: There is little of note to be seen from the high speed line in France.
Train 2
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Marseille
These trains also call at: Lyon and all but the final train of the day also calls at Valence-TGV station.
Avignon TGV station is 6km from the city centre.
It now linked to Avignon Centre station by up to 2 x TER trains per hour, but if you have to wait more than 30 mins for one of these trains - it's worth checking out the times of the buses from Avignon TGV
If you do opt to take the train you will need to purchase a ticket for it on arrival at Avignon TGV.
Or look up Lille Europe to Avignon Centre journeys by train and book in one transaction, but check the connecting time between trains at Avignon TGV before you commit to a booking.
Aside from the 30 min detour to serve Lyon station, these trains spend the entire journey on a high speed line, but it is primarily the speed that gives this journey its wow factor.
It's not a particularly scenic train ride, so having something to watch or read with you is recommended.
Option 3: to Avignon TGV station via Paris
Journey Summary
5hr 55min - 6hr 50min (approx)
Daily
Travel Information
The Eurostar will arrive in Paris at the Gare Du Nord, but the TGV train on to Avignon will depart from the Gare De Lyon.
This guide explains how to make the transfer between the two stations by RER train.
The London to Avignon TGV tickets do not include the transfer across Paris.
When making a booking, check the connection time between the arrival at Gare Du Nord and the departure from Gare De Lyon.
Look up the journey on the Eurostar website and for journeys on Monday to Friday it will offer for sale a connection which involves departing from London at 12:24 and making the transfer in only 50 mins in order to take the 16:37 departure from Paris.
This allows only a limited amount of contingency time in the event of a a delay, though if the Eurostar arrives late into Paris tickets can be transferred to another departure.
Though you can avoid having to cross Paris if you take one of the alternative journey options:
(1) via Lille
(2) the direct train (if it's an option on your travel date).
Current timetable:
Mon -Thurs = 3 x connections per day
Friday =4 x connections
Saturday = 2 x connections
Sunday =4 x connections
The usual timetable (pre-pandemic)
Mon -Thurs = 6 x connections per day
Friday = 9 x connections
Sat/Sun = 7 x connections per day
Tickets
Book Early And Save: Yes
Online bookings open: 90 days ahead
The very cheapest tickets tend to sell out particularly quickly on this route - they're more likely to be available if you can travel on a Tuesday - Thursday, or are happy to set off from London early in the morning.
(But on its days of operation, the direct train which departs London at 07:19 is usually cheaper).
Using Rail Passes on Eurostar:
Rail pass users can now pay reservation fees to travel on Eurostar trains, in a similar manner to other international European high-speed trains.
The new rail pass reservation fees are similar to the cheapest single journey ticket prices, but as those cheapest tickets can sell out quickly, it's likely that the rail pass reservation fees will save money.
You can purchase these online with no booking fees via B-Europe - or they ARE now available on the Eurostar website.
Booking in advance is recommended as it's not unknown for rail pass reservations on Eurostar services to sell out days or weeks in advance, there is evidently limited availability per departure.
You can obtain a rail pass reservations without paying a booking fee at Eurostar stations.
However, if you want to do this on the day of travel be prepared to be flexible re: the train you will take.
If you are a UK resident, your rail pass + reservation is only valid if you take a train from the UK on the first day that your pass is valid for and return to the UK on the final day that you will be using a pass.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Eurostar | from £68 |
Train 1
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
As a consequence of the Covid-19 crisis Eurostar will be operating a particularly limited timetable for the time being - further information is available on Eurostar.com
Note that London is in a different time zone to mainland Europe, it is one hour behind - so when looking at a timetable the journey will look as though it's an hour longer.
When the usual timetable is operating;
The majority of trains have a journey time of 2hr 16mins and these trains are non-stop between London and Paris.
All departures from London after 14:30 are non-stop to Paris.
Depart from London before 14:30 some trains will call at either Ebbsfleet or Ashford International stations.
However as the trains only call at these stations to pick up passengers - these station calls are not included on the departure boards at St Pancras International or usually announced on the train.
At St Pancras International:
Eurostar requests that holders of Standard Class And Standard Premier tickets check-in a minimum of 30mins BEFORE departure, though this increased to 45mins on weekends and holidays.
If you have a Business Premier ticket, Eurostar recommends that you only have to check-in 10 mins before departure.
Our guide to taking a Eurostar from London is here.
It's not a scenic journey, but it is a journey with SIX distinct phases and highlights:
1: For most of the first 8 mins of the journey the trains use tunnels to exit London (Stratford International station is located between the tunnels).
2: Then from the right of the train, there are views of the River Thames marshes and of the Queen Elizabeth II road bridge.
3: The third tunnel that the train will pass through is the tunnel under the River Thames.
4: Shortly after Ebbsfleet International station (can only be seen from the right of the train) is the scenic highlight of the journey - the crossing of the River Medway.
5: The train will slow down as it approaches The Channel Tunnel.
Announcements are no longer made that the train is about to enter the tunnel.
The journey through the tunnel will take around 22 mins.
6: There is little of note to be seen from the high speed lines in France.
Train 2
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Note that these trains depart from the Gare De Lyon in Paris.
Final Destination: Marseille, Nice, Toulon or Menton
Arriving in Avignon:
These are the trains to Avignon TGV station, which is 6km from the city centre.
It now linked to Avignon Centre station by up to 2 x TER trains per hour, but if you have to wait more than 30 mins for one of these trains, it's worth checking out the times of the buses.
If you do subsequently opt to take the train between Avignon TGV and Avignon Centre stations, you will need to purchase a ticket for it on arrival at Avignon TGV.
There is little of note to see on the journey, but what gives the journey it's sense of wonder, is that you'll be spending most of the trip travelling at more than 275 km/h on Europe's first ever high speed line.
The train heads on to the high speed line as soon as it reaches the edge of Paris, around 12 mins into the journey, and remains on it, travelling at more than 275 km/h all the way to Avignon.
Option 4: the direct train (currently not available)
Journey Summary
5hr 49min
Not Every Day
Travel Information
On up to four days per week between the first Monday in Monday and mid September, Eurostar typically operates a direct train from London to Avignon, but it was suspended during the summers of 2020 and 2021, but hopefully it will return in 2022.
(currently not available)
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 190 days ahead of the travel date.
Bookings will re-open for this train once the departure dates in 2022 have been confirmed.
When the discounted tickets are still available, this direct Eurostar is usually the cheapest option when booking a London to Avignon journey by train.
Eurostar's full ticket terms and conditions are here
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Eurostar | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
It's not an particularly scenic journey, but it is a journey with distinct phases and highlights:
1: For most of the first 8 mins of the journey the trains use tunnels to exit London (Stratford International station is located between the tunnels).
2: Then from the right of the train, there are views of the River Thames marshes and of the Queen Elizabeth II road bridge.
3: The third tunnel that the train will pass through is the tunnel under the River Thames.
4: Shortly after Ebbsfleet International station (can only be seen from the right of the train) is the scenic highlight of the journey - the crossing of the River Medway.
5: The train will slow down as it approaches The Channel Tunnel.
Announcements are no longer made that the train is about to enter the tunnel.
The journey through the tunnel will take around 22 mins.
6: There is little of note to be seen from the high speed lines in France - though the journey south of Paris is more varied than that to the north.
This journey is featured on Time Out's 11 Most Beautiful Journeys by Train from London.
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