We both started at Kings Cross station, in the heart of London. Moira ran off to Heathrow to catch a flight, meanwhile, I got myself to St Pancras International, where I took the train the whole way to Disneyland. I’ve never taken a train from the UK to mainland Europe before, but the experience before even getting on the train was so easy and stress-free!
Check-in queues were minimal, going through security was so fast compared to my usual airport experiences and the departure lounge itself was all in one place, compared to an airport. I also didn’t realise how big the train carriages are compared to trains in the UK. The first train I boarded was only one hour and 28 minutes to Lille in France. I was well on my way to Disneyland and I bet Moira hadn’t even boarded her plane yet!
When I got to Lille I asked an attendant where the train for Disneyland departed from, and he pointed to the platform right next to the one I’d just got off – how easy is that? However, I had a 37-minute wait before getting on the train bound for Disneyland…I worried this would make things a tight race, as Moira would have been on her flight by then. However, my train was only one hour and three minutes direct into Disneyland, her flight was one hour and seven minutes, then she had to get a train from the airport as well.
I was thinking that I still had this in the bag!
I arrived and… I won! My train got me to Disneyland at 15:12 and Moira arrived at 16:33. I beat her by an hour and 21 minutes! That’s one hour and 21 minutes we could’ve been on rides inside Disneyland. On top of that, Moira spent a total of £104.53, I spent only £70.56. £33.97 cheaper… and quicker! Next time I travel to Europe I’m definitely going to consider booking the train, it was just easier and obviously cheaper.
Having travelled the majority of Europe I’m genuinely surprised given my recent experience with booking through Trainline that I haven’t done it before! It was very simple and you’re always moving instead of going through chaotic airports and hours of waiting around. It’s also nice to know that there’s also a cheaper way of travelling!
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