Train wins by 1h34 door to door. Fastest train 2h16 (Paris-Nord → London St Pancras International), ~17 direct trains/day. 4.46 g CO₂e per passenger-km by train vs 75.59 g by plane. Checked 2026-11-01.
The comparison
| Fastest train | 2h16Paris-Nord → London St Pancras International |
|---|---|
| Trains | ~17 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average 16.6/day, Oct-Nov 2026)Eurostar |
| Flight | ~1h10 CDG-LHR (pickthetrain typical-for-distance; Air France, British Airways, easyJet and others fly nonstop to LHR/LGW/LTN/STN). Airports add travel, check-in and security time. |
| Door to door | Train wins by 1h34 door to door |
| CO₂ | 4.46 g CO₂e per passenger-km by train vs 75.59 g by planeUK Government (DESNZ/DEFRA) GHG conversion factors 2025: 'International rail' (passenger-km weighted average of Eurostar routes from London) vs 'Flights, short-haul to/from UK, average passenger' without / with radiative forcing (includes 8% distance uplift). Eurostar's own 2024 |
| Points | Club Eurostar: 1 point per EUR 1 (1.2 per GBP 1) spent; status bonus +25/50/75%. From 29 Oct 2026 London redemptions rose 10%: Eurostar Standard return 2,200 (Value) / 3,300 (Anytime) points, Eurostar Plus 4,400/5,500, Premier 6,600; one-way = half; no taxes/fees on reward tickets. UK Amex Membership Rewards convert 15:1. |
pickthetrain.com door-to-door model (its own assumptions: 1h30 airport check-in/security, 20 min to exit, typical-for-distance flight time, public-transport access estimates) (with 1h00 Eurostar check-in and 2h00 airport security assumed): train wins by 1h34 (3h36 vs 5h10). Published fastest: 2h16 (Trainline), 2h17 (SNCF Voyageurs), 2h15 London→Paris; Nov 2026 open data shows 2h19.
Questions
Is the train faster than flying from Paris to London?
Train wins by 1h34 door to door. The fastest train takes 2h16 city centre to city centre; the flight is ~1h10 CDG-LHR (pickthetrain typical-for-distance; Air France, British Airways, easyJet and others fly nonstop to LHR/LGW/LTN/STN). Airports add travel, check-in and security time..
How often do trains run from Paris to London?
~17 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average 16.6/day, Oct-Nov 2026)
Can I earn or use points on this train?
Club Eurostar: 1 point per EUR 1 (1.2 per GBP 1) spent; status bonus +25/50/75%. From 29 Oct 2026 London redemptions rose 10%: Eurostar Standard return 2,200 (Value) / 3,300 (Anytime) points, Eurostar Plus 4,400/5,500, Premier 6,600; one-way = half; no taxes/fees on reward tickets. UK Amex Membership Rewards convert 15:1.
Which emits less, train or plane?
4.46 g CO₂e per passenger-km by train vs 75.59 g by plane.
Sources: thetrainline.com, sncf-voyageurs.com, pickthetrain.com, gov.uk, eurostarforagents.com, help.eurostar.com, headforpoints.com
Points or cash, or the train?
Tell Points or Cash where you are going. On short European trips it checks whether the train beats the flight before you spend a point.
Get an invite