Eurostar

National Express and Eurostar launch through fares from East Anglia to the Continent

National Express East Anglia has linked up with Eurostar, the international high-speed train operator, to offer through fares to Paris, Brussels, Disneyland ® Resort Paris and beyond from East Anglia stations, with return tickets available from just £77.

National Express East Anglia stations including Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, Manningtree and Stowmarket all now offer through fares to mainland Europe.

Through fares and better connections with St Pancras International are helping to drive up demand for rail travel to the Continent. Eurostar journeys by travellers living in East Anglia were up by more than a third in the first quarter of 2008, compared with a year ago.

The new link-up with National Express East Anglia takes Eurostar’s total number of partnerships with domestic train operators to nine. Travellers from Ipswich and Norwich, for instance, can now buy through fares to Paris, Brussels (and to any station in Belgium) and Disneyland ® Resort Paris from £77 return.

For National Express East Anglia travellers, through fares include the transfer on London Underground from Liverpool Street to St Pancras International at no extra cost, and a guarantee that travellers will be put on the next available train, if there is a late running service in either direction. Unlike many air fares, there are also are no booking fees or taxes.

Rail travel to the Continent is often quicker and more convenient than flying with a fastest total journey time from Ipswich to Brussels of 4 hours 20 minutes, and 4 hours 40 minutes to Paris (includes transfer from Liverpool Street to St Pancras International and 30-minute Eurostar check-in), together with frequent connecting services from East Anglia stations.

Through fares to Paris, Brussels and Disneyland Resort® Paris are available from www.eurostar.com and on 08705 186 186 starting at £77 for a standard return. Customers can also book through fares to over 75 destinations across France; any station in Belgium; Dutch destinations including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Schipol and The Hague; and Aachen and Cologne in Germany. Through fares are available up to 84 days in advance, in line with National Express East Anglia‘s booking horizons