Transport help request!

[bJN]

Evening all!

It's not often I resort to GD for help, yet here I am today!

The breakdown, I need to find the cheapest method of travelling from Edinburgh to Paris for a set date. I've been searching around for a fair while and my hopes keep getting battered by the astonishing taxes placed on flights that are eye-wateringly ridiculous - 150% of the ticket price? Sure, why not!

So, what's the best you can find? I do not care about what method of transport is used - planes, trains but preferably not (my own) automobiles - but simply the cost of it providing it meets certain criteria.

It / I must:
Can leave Edinburgh any time after 17;00 on 7th December.
Must arrive arrive in Paris before 19;00 (CET) on 8th December.
Must be able to return to Edinburgh preferably before the morning of the 10th.
It is for two people, myself will be 21, and the second is 18.

I do have a car, so I'm able to drive around a bit if needed, but not looking to drive the entire distance.

Come on GD, restore my faith in transport costs!

 

[bJN]

It does seem like a mad thing to do for such a short amount of time, however it would be for a gig (Swedish House Mafia, One Last Tour). I may be able to pick up tickets for it incredibly cheap, hence why I'm desperate to see how much the travelling costs will be!

Driving there would be a long old trip as well, plus the limitation of little to no drink. It would take me a tank and a half of fuel to get down there, so that's £100 each way, plus the cost of getting over / under the Channel.

 

[bJN]

Take a bit more time off work and stay a few days extra. It's pointless to spend almost 500 quid travelling somewhere just so you can spend a few hours at a gig. Extend your stay and spend some time in Paris, too. Then it starts to be a little more worth the disproportionately big travel costs.

I wouldn't even consider driving for a city-orientated trip like this, complete faff. No idea why mjt is so hung up on the idea

It also takes 12 hours to drive versus 6 hours by train! Why would anyone chose the car?

Unfortunately time off work is something I cannot do and won't be able to for the best part of a year and a half - in an apprenticeship full time within college at the moment...

If the cost difference was huge, I wouldn't be adverse to driving, however that oddly comes out as the exact same price as I found a train journey from Edinburgh all the way to Gard du Nord anyway!

 

[bJN]

Flights are coming in circa £50 per person each way. Add on the £150 of tax to each ticket for each direction.

I haven't discounted it, but the days of cheap, short flights are over I fear...

 

[bJN]

You said £230pp!

Anyway, it'll be nowhere near 7 hours door-to-door on EDI-CDG direct.

FWIW, youth tickets might be even cheaper still on the Eurostar.

That's with youth tickets unfortunately