Guide: Eurostar High-Speed Train From Lille to London
The Eurostar high-speed train from Lille to London is one of the best ways to travel by train from France to the UK.
It’s not only a great way to travel between northern France and the UK, but it’s also a convenient option if you’re connecting from elsewhere.
Boarding the Eurostar train to London at Lille Europe station. ©AndyBTravels
Taking the Eurostar from Lille
The Eurostar departs from Lille Europe railway station, which should not be confused with Lille Flandres, the city’s main railway station.
Although Lille Europe and Lille Flandres are two separate railway stations, they are located very close to each other, with a straightforward 10-minute walk between them.
The Eurostar terminal at Lille Europe is small and easy to navigate, as fewer passengers board the train here than at the stations in Paris, Brussels, or London.
Remember that Eurostar has a minimum check-in time of 30 minutes before departure, so make sure you arrive at the station in plenty of time.
Boarding
You pass through security, French exit control, and British immigration at Lille Europe before you can board your Eurostar train.
After security, you enter a waiting area with a shop selling snacks and drinks, as well as toilets.
Once boarding is called, you can take the escalator or lift down to the platform to board your Eurostar train.
After a journey of just over 1 hour and 20 minutes, you arrive at St Pancras International station in the heart of London.
As you will already have cleared British passport control in Lille, your Eurostar arrives at St Pancras just like a domestic train service, allowing you to head straight to your home, hotel, or any onward destination outside London.
Video: the Eurostar train to London arrives at Lille Europe. ©AndyBTravels
Booking tickets
You can easily book your Eurostar train tickets on the website of NS International, the Dutch Railways, with no booking fees.
Use the search tool below to find the best connection for your travel date.
When you use an Interrail or Eurail Pass for your train travels, you can make passholder reservations for the Eurostar through Rail Europe.
Onward connections at Lille
The London to Lille Eurostar is often overlooked by train travellers in both Britain and on the continent.
Lille makes an excellent connection point if you’re travelling to or from elsewhere in France, or even beyond.
Changing trains in Lille is much easier than in Paris, as onward connections are available directly from Lille Europe or from nearby Lille Flandres, the city’s main railway station, which is just a short 10-minute walk away.
Compared to the lengthy cross-city journey required to reach another railway station from the Eurostar terminal at Paris Gare du Nord, changing trains in Lille is certainly a much easier option.
Take, for example, a journey from cities such as Lyon, Marseille, or Nice to London.
If you connect in Paris, you’ll need to travel from the arrival point of your domestic TGV high-speed train at Paris Gare de Lyon to Gare du Nord by taxi, bus, metro, or RER suburban train to catch your Eurostar.
Even in the best-case scenario, this adds at least an hour to your journey, as well as a considerable amount of extra stress, especially if you’re travelling with heavy luggage or with children.
Now compare that with changing trains in Lille.
You can take a direct TGV high-speed train from numerous cities across France to Lille and connect there with the Eurostar.
There is another advantage to travelling via Lille for Interrail and Eurail pass holders.
Passholder seat quotas on the Eurostar are limited and often sell out quickly on services to Paris and Brussels, whereas the quota for Lille typically remains available for longer.
A handy AndyBTravels tip: if you can’t find an Interrail or Eurail passholder fare to or from Brussels or Paris, check whether one is available for Lille and simply make your connection there.
Read more about the TGV high-speed train from Paris to Lille.
TGV high-speed train at Lille Flandres railway station. ©AndyBTravels
Conclusion
The Eurostar connection between Lille and London is excellent, not only if you need to travel to or from northern France, but also if you are connecting to destinations elsewhere.
You can connect directly at Lille Europe to destinations across France and even Belgium, with additional services available from Lille Flandres, the city’s main railway station, which is just a straightforward 10-minute walk away.
This makes Lille a much easier connection point than Paris.
