Trains from London to Nice

If you can’t take a flight to Nice or want an alternative type of journey, trains from London to Nice are a good option.

To take a train from London to Nice, you must first take the Eurostar train from London to Paris (details on how to do this can be found here). It is the only train between the UK and France, so it is an easy first step to getting to Nice.

Once you arrive in Paris, you can take a high-speed TGV train, regular train, or overnight train from Paris to Nice (details on how to do this can be found here).

When you make your booking, keep in mind that trains from London to Paris arrive at the Gare du Nord and most trains from Paris to Nice depart from the Gare de Lyon. As such, you should leave yourself plenty of time to make the connection via taxi or train when you arrive in France.

It is is approximately 20 minutes by taxi from the Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon if there is no traffic, and 14 minutes by RER D train (similar to the metro). Queues for RER tickets can be very long at the Gare du Nord, though, so make sure to leave plenty of time for that if you choose to travel by train.

Buses from London to Lille

If you cannot take a train or flight, or you want to find the cheapest way to get from London to Lille, taking a bus or coach is the best way to get from England to northern France.

National Express operate coaches to Lille in cooperation with the European company Eurolines. Their buses are relatively comfortable and offer air conditioning and free WiFi on board.

Departures take place from London’s Victoria Coach station four times a day, with three daytime buses to Lille at 8:00, 9:30, and 14:00 and one overnight bus to Lille at 21:30.

The driving time from London to Lille is 6.5 to 7.5 hours on the timetables. However, depending on traffic, coach schedules, and ferry times, journeys can take longer. As such, make sure to allow yourself extra time if you plan to make a connection when you arrive in France.

Fares for National Express and Eurolines buses from London to Lille can cost from £20 if you buy bus tickets online in advance. If you’re not planning to visit Lille itself, you can take a coach or train from there to your final destination in Europe.

Buses from London to Amsterdam

If you can’t take the Eurostar-Thalys combination train journey or you want to find the cheapest way to get from London to Amsterdam, taking a coach is the best way to get from the capital of the UK to the famous city in The Netherlands.

National Express run buses to Amsterdam in partnership with the European bus company Eurolines. Their coaches depart from London’s Victoria Coach station, which is located in the city centre near Buckingham Palace.

Departures on this route take place four times a day, with two daytime buses to Amsterdam at 8:00 and 9:30 and two night buses to Amsterdam at 19:00 and 22:00.

The driving time from London to Amsterdam can take between 11.5 and 12.5 hours, depending on road congestion, ferry schedules, and coach timetables. Coaches often run late, so leave yourself plenty of time in The Netherlands if you have a connection to make upon arrival.

Tickets for National Express buses from London to Amsterdam can cost from £9 if you book online in advance during a sale. This includes the standard booking fee and a 2-bag luggage allowance. If you don’t get this kind of fare, tickets start at £25 online.