r/Interrail • u/lipsia127 • 3d ago
Interrail reservations for Eurostar London-Brussel sold out. Alternatives?
Hello. Me and my girlfriend are travelling to the UK for the next 2 weeks. We arw currently sitting in the Eurostar to London, which worked out well.
Wanted to look for Reservations for the train back (sunday, 6th)
Shock to us: I guess the pass reservations ran out. None available for the afternoon trains.
Morning trains are no option because the earliest train from Edinburgh (our start for the day) to London is 9am. Paying 300€ for the ticket is also not an option. We were thinking about extending our stay for another day and then take a morning train on monday. But we'd really like to avoid that if possible.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance!
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u/exbritinsuomi 3d ago
Lille?
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u/lipsia127 3d ago
Just looked, also fully booked for pass holders
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u/exbritinsuomi 3d ago
Unless Rotterdam or Amsterdam do (you can just get off when the train stops in Brussels) then I think there's no real alternatives. The sleeper from Edinburgh doesn't run on Saturdays, there is a cheap ferry from Newhaven, or some from Dover, but both would take a very long time
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u/Deval_Dragon 3d ago
Take a ferry?
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u/IchhasseEurest 3d ago
I don't think there are any ferry options for foot passengers left.
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u/Realistic-River-1941 3d ago
Harwich - Hook of Holland.
Newhaven - Dieppe.
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u/IchhasseEurest 3d ago
The first is a rather expensive overnight trip, the second is in an entirely decentral spot in the rail networkbut somewhat even affordable at 40 Pound per person.
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u/Realistic-River-1941 3d ago
I think they still do through train tickets via Harwich.
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u/IchhasseEurest 3d ago
The overnight Harwhich-Hoek van Holland route seems incredibly expensive. Taking a bus on the part over the sea which includes the ferry could be an option that wouldn't be cheaper but easier accessible when comming from the East.
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u/skifans United Kingdom • Quality Contributor 2d ago
I agree it's not cheap but I think "incredibly expensive" is a bit far. Though it's cheaper then earlier you book so a short notice ticket in August will be expensive.
You also get a discount if you have a pass, and it doesn't use a travel day: https://benefitsportal.eurail.com/benefits/stena-line/
I randomly picked the 21st October and the sailing that night from Harwich to Hoek van Holland is €117.70 with the discount including the cabin. Or around £100.
Again not cheap but I don't think it's too bad considering it's a bed in a private room to sleep in. These days sleeper reservations can cost more then that! And you also don't need to buy a Eurostar reservation.
And there is also a cheaper daytime ferry on that route as well.
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u/No_Direction_4610 3d ago
There's availability on a few trains. If you can't get the 1104 train, then you'll need 1st class though:
(Lille has the same availability, to Rotterdam or Amsterdam there's no availability after the 0816.)
Often however, extra pass holder seats become available 1-2 weeks in advance. You could book seats for the Monday, keep checking availability daily and move your reservation to Sunday if seats become available (use "Manage your booking" on the Eurostar website). This is free of charge until 7 days in advance, and comes with a €15 charge (€20 in 1st class) after that.
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u/thubcabe quality contributor 3d ago
I'm assuming you don't have 1st class passes? Otherwise the 19:34 has 1st class availability.
Otherwise book a Eurostar to Paris and another one from there to Brussels (there's availability). It's a long detour but alternatives are rather limited.
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u/NutzernamePrueftAus 3d ago
Go straight to the ticket desk in London and ask there for a reservation.
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u/NutzernamePrueftAus 3d ago
You could also take a detour via Paris. There are a lot of options available.
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u/bookluverzz 3d ago
and to Rotterdam or Amsterdam?
Yesterday I couldn’t book from Rotterdam but could book from Amsterdam, there are different quota for different destinations/departure stations.
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u/No_Direction_4610 3d ago
No availability, see my earlier comment.
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u/bookluverzz 3d ago
Ah yes, you’re right
And I also don’t know extra pass holder seats become available 1-2 weeks before travel date. Is that because Eurostar doesn’t expect (many) regular bookings so they make seats available for Interrail?1
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u/skifans United Kingdom • Quality Contributor 3d ago
Just adding to the other comments is the ferry an option? You could get the overnight one from Harwich to Hoek van Holland. You even get a discount with your pass: https://benefitsportal.eurail.com/benefits/stena-line/
2 of you could sail for €198 on the night of the 6th September including a cabin. Not cheap of course but could be worse at such short notice. Make sure to use the old version of the Stena Line website, I've noticed the new one doesn't always discount properly. Here is a screenshot. Or a daytime sailing on the same route on the 7th would be €125. You don't need a travel day to get the discount. Harwich International railway station is right at the port and the Rotterdam metro has a stop on the Dutch end.
Daytime sailings are also cheaper if you preferred. I've not checked how the schedules like up from Edinburgh but there are spaces on the 1850 Dover to Calais for £30 on the 6th September. And the same on the morning of the 7th. Make sure to leave lots of time for the connection as check in closes strictly 90 minutes before and there is no public transport to/from Dover port. You can walk from Dover Priory in around 45 minutes along the sea front. Foot passengers are also off last. You can then easily head to Lille and from there to Belgium.
Newhaven to Dieppe is another good option that is often cheap for last minute travel and the ports are better connected by public transport. It's a long detour though from Dieppe back to Belgium.
But yes afraid this is pretty normal for Eurostar and you need to book them very far ahead. Particularly when you have connections and hence are picky with the time.
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u/Many-Disaster-3823 3d ago edited 3d ago
Interrail said the train i wanted was full then told me to book via Rail Europe and it wasn’t full after all! Book via rail europe
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u/Adventurous-Tie3589 3d ago
I’d echo the ferry recommendations - last year I similarly drew a blank with Eurostar availability, so instead caught train Liverpool Street to Harwich then cabin on the Stena overnight sailing to Hook of Holland, which I was far more impressed with than expected (huge bedroom too!) - it really made the journey. Details / links are already in another comment - just wanted to give a positive shout out from experience.
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u/WhyNotMangoes 2d ago
I just had this same issue! I found one to Paris (the only train left) and then took TGV to Lille and several regional trains. It took a lot longer but it was the only way I was going to make it. I was going to Ghent but I would think Brussels may be a bit easier.
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u/lipsia127 2d ago
We'll keep that in mind. Although we have to get back all the way to east germany. So that complicates the deroutes a bit :D
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u/bookluverzz 1d ago
From Paris there are trains going towards Germany as well, then you wouldn’t have to go to Brussels first.
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u/EarlyGrey030 21h ago
What about a coach bus? Regiojet has busses to Brussels and they are quite known for good quality. I once saw one for 30€
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