PARIS – YOUR TRAVEL OPTIONS
PARIS – YOUR TRAVEL OPTIONS
While for many, the vast
halls of the SIMA show
holds an irresistible appeal,
the task of actually getting
to the exhibition centre
might be rather less
appealing. Andy Moore
sifted through the
timetables to compare the
different options
TRAIN, plane, car or ferry? With Eurostar and Le Shuttle regularly linking Britain to mainland Europe, there is clearly more than one way of getting to the SIMA show.
Much depends on the starting point, of course, not to mention personal preferences. Some people simply dont fancy the idea of spending time enclosed in a tunnel umpteen metres beneath the English Channel. Equally, others pale at the thought of a choppy crossing across the surface.
For most, however, convenience, cost and "hassle factor" will be the principle arbiters. So, pack the suitcase, dig out the passport, and lets go!
Travelling from, say, north Cheshire, driving the 480 miles or so to the Parc des Expositions, 12 miles north of Paris city centre, may be a daunting prospect for some but not for seasoned holiday motorists.
Its the most versatile method, allowing a choice of routes and changes of itinerary. From our selected starting point, its motorway from start to finish – M6, M42, M40, M25, then the M20 or M2 depending on the Channel crossing chosen, and A1 from Calais to the exhibition centre.
Length of time
How long will it take? Hard to predict given hold-ups for which the M6 (particularly around Birmingham) and M25 have become infamous. Avoid rush-hour traffic and its a steady five-hour run. But allow more if you have to catch a specific train or ferry.
Crossing the channel to Calais takes longest by ferry (P&O Stena) – up to two and half hours with check-in, loading, unloading, etc. But, at £89 for two people and a car, it does represent the cheapest option. As well as an opportunity to take a break from driving in what are now quite luxurious surroundings, and have a bite to eat – as long as conditions and tummy allow!
Speedier options include hovercraft and Seacat (Hoverspeed), and tunnel train (Le Shuttle), all of which transport car and occupants from England to France in around 35 minutes, plus check-in and loading/unloading time.
With Le Shuttle, it is possible to turn up and go rather than pre-book and trains run at regular intervals. The return fare for car, driver and one passenger is £99.
Once on French soil and – literally – on the right side of the road, the A1 provides a direct route through rolling northern France countryside to the exhibition centre – a run of 165 miles, which should take less than three hours non-stop.
Adding £22 return toll charges to a fuel bill of, perhaps, £80 brings the journey total to between £190 and £230 – excluding the hidden cost of putting the extra miles on the clock.
Alternatively, why not let the train take the strain? Lots of time to relax, catch up with the latest news in farmers weekly and enjoy occasional glimpse of drivers battling it out on the roads.
Getting to London Waterloo for the Eurostar to Paris from, say Manchester Piccadilly, involves a three hour train journey costing £32, then half an hour or so to cross London on the underground – potentially something of a challenge for those inexperienced in tube travel!
Early check-in
Bear in mind that, unlike normal train services, Eurostar requires passengers to check-in 20 minutes before departure. Once on board, its smooth, quiet travel all the way – at speeds up to 186mph once in France – with plenty of time to see how French farmers crops are progressing.
The only drawback with Eurostar as far as the SIMA show is concerned is that it blasts straight into Paris from where a regional RER train is needed to head back north to the exhibition centre, adding perhaps an hour to the total journey time.
At around £150 per person, however, going all the way by train is one of the best-value options, if not necessarily the quickest. And if there is no convenient main line route to London, consider driving to the Eurostar terminal at Ashford in Kent, where parking is a reasonable £5 a day.
The fastest way of getting to the show is undoubtedly by air, even taking check-in and transfer times into account. This is partly because the exhibition centre is situated right next to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport with frequent shuttle buses running between the two.
Being sure to get to the airport on time can raise the blood-pressure a touch – as can the cost of parking at, depending on actual airport, up to £12.50/day – and a certain amount of hanging-about has to be endured. But, if flying is your thing, then soaring over southern England, the channel and northern France in the latest Boeing or Airbus is just the ticket.
Costly by air?
Flying can also be the costliest option, though, unless plans are laid well enough in advance to get a low-cost ticket from a budget operator. Typically, standard fares are about £200 return for flights from Manchester or Birmingham to suit our northern Cheshire starting point. Flying time is 80 minutes or so, to which check-in and transfer times must be added. Taking hand luggage only can considerably reduce the time taken to escape the airport, so pack lightly.
Bookings for all these travel alternatives can be made direct or through a local travel agent. But, given that accommodation will also likely be needed, package deals from the specialist agricultural tour operators are competitively priced and save working out an individual itinerary. *
Rough guide to journeys from north Cheshire to the SIMA exhibition
Car & Car & Car Train & Car & Plane
ferry hovercraft Le Shuttle Eurostar Eurostar
or Seacat
Cost return £195 £165 £205 £155 £200 £235
Time one way 11hrs 8.5hr 9.5hr 6.5hr 7hrs 2.5hrs
Hassle factor 4 3 3 1 2 1
NB: Ferry, hovercraft and Le Shuttle prices are for car plus driver and one passenger. Eurostar and air fares are for one traveller only. Car parking and road tolls included as appropriate.
Hassle Factor: 1 = some; 2 = not bad; 3 = enough; 4 = bit of a strain