Train Check
Andrew Potter boards the 7.56am Eurostar service from Brussels Midi to London St Pancras International
The train: GEC-Alsthom British Rail Class 373. A 16,000 horse power electric-powered beast, which drags 18 carriages along at 300kph with barely a bump or clack of the wheels. At this speed the train takes 2.7km to come to a compete stop. This model is slowly being replaced by the newer Class 374 which is a touch faster, with a top speed of 320kph. Price: $376 return. Originally it was $250 but I had to change to a day later at the last minute. Ride time: Two hours and one minute, including a 23-minute blast through the Channel Tunnel. My seat: Seat 66 on the aisle in the 16th of 18 carriages. Business Class is up the front, meaning a shorter walk along the platform when we reach London. This is one of the Eurostar’s older trains and the seat is really comfortable, with a large head rest and fetching brown stripes. As I sit down I instinctively reach for a seat belt, but this is a train not a plane, dummy! Fellow passengers: A mix of Monday morning business types and a group of excitable Spanish teenagers. Entertainment: Eurostar’s inflight magazine is called Metropolitan and features a profile of British rapper Tinie Temper on its cover. I learn he also designs clothes. There’s no Wi-Fi on this train, but I’m able to connect to various networks once in Belgium and France. The service: I’ve mainly used the Eurostar for trips from London to Paris or Brussels, but the company connects with other European high-speed train operators, allowing you to travel as far as Malaga or Moscow. In the winter, there’s a special ski run to the French Alps.
Onboard staff are cheery Europeans who effortlessly alternate between English, French and Dutch. Food and drink: This is another area where a train will always beat a plane. I trot down to the buffet carriage and pick up a croissant. I could return as many times as I can handle — brilliant. On evening services, I’d likely go for a Belgian Jupiler beer, but not this early. The buffet car can resemble a rolling bar on Friday nights. Toilets: They’ve decorated the walls with a poster of Mona Lisa winking. Flushing or running the tap involves using my feet to press big rubber buttons on the floor. Luggage: Just a small backpack with me, which I sling in the overhead rack. There’s ample room for big bags at either end of each carriage, though getting larger items up the steps could prove difficult for some passengers. Eurostar staff are around to help. The station experience: Brussels Midi station is a sprawling complex in the city centre, linking passengers to every corner of Western Europe. Three soldiers with assault rifles and combat fatigues stand at the entrance.
Eurostar passengers go through security searches and passport control before boarding, but it’s pretty relaxed compared to the chaos of most major airports. Would I ride again: Absolutely. Travel by high-speed train takes less time, with far fewer aggravations than European short-haul flying.