Approximate flight times From Birmingham to Amsterdam is 1 hour; to Dublin is 50 minutes; to Dsseldorf is 1 hour 15 minutes; to Frankfurt/M is 1 hour 30 minutes; and to Paris is 1 hour 5 minutes.
From Glasgow to Paris is 1 hour 35 minutes.
From Manchester to Amsterdam is 1 hour 5 minutes; to Brussels is 30 minutes; to Copenhagen is 1 hour 45 minutes; to Dublin is 45 minutes; to Dsseldorf is 1 hour 20 minutes; to Frankfurt/M is 1 hour 45 minutes; to Milan is 2 hours 5 minutes; to Nice is 2 hours 5 minutes; to Paris is 1 hour 15 minutes; to Rome is 2 hours 40 minutes; and to Zrich is 2 hours 50 minutes.
For approximate durations of international flights from London see the TravelInternational section of the destination country.
International airports See Travel in the relevant country sections for information on UK airports. For free advice on air travel from the UK call the Air Travel Advisory Bureau on (0171) 636 5000 (London) or (0161) 832 2000 (Manchester).
The Channel Tunnel All road vehicles are carried through the tunnel in Le Shuttle running between the two terminals one near
Folkestone in Kent with direct access from the M20 and one just outside Calais with links to the A16/A26 motorway (Exit 13).
Each shuttle is made up of 12 single- and 12 double-deck carriages and vehicles are directed to single-deck or double-deck shuttles
depending on their height.
There are facilities for cars and motorcycles coaches minibuses caravans campervans and other vehicles
over 1.85m (6.07ft). Bicycles are provided for. Passengers generally travel with their vehicles. Heavy goods vehicles are carried
on special shuttles with a separate passenger coach for their drivers. Terminals and shuttles are well-equipped for disabled
passengers and Passenger Terminal buildings contain duty-free shops restaurants bureaux de change and other amenities.
The journey
takes about 35 minutes from platform to platform and about one hour from motorway to motorway. Motorists pass through customs and immigration
before they board the shuttle without further checks on arrival. Services run every day of the year
and there are between two and five an hour depending on the season and time of day. There is a reservation system and a turn-up-and-go
service. By contacting Eurotunnel Customer Services in Coquelle (tel: (3) 21 00 61 00) as they approach the French terminal
motorists can find out when the next shuttle leaves and how busy the service is.
Fares are charged according to length of stay and time of year.
The price applies to the car regardless of the number of passengers or size of the car. The fare may be paid by cash cheque or credit
card. The fares that follow are valid at the time of going to press. Day Returns if booked a day or more in advance are 35 if travelling
Mon-Sat or 32 if travelling Sun. If not booked in advance fares are 95. A return ticket (valid from 1 to 5 days) is 120. A limited
number of standby tickets are available at 109. These cannot be reserved and are available on a first-come-first-served basis. A standard
return ticket is 190. Lower rates apply to motorcycles. During the summer period fares vary according to departure time.
Tickets may be
purchased in advance from travel agents or from Eurotunnel Customer Services in France or the UK with a credit card. For further information
contact Eurotunnel Customer Services in the UK on tel: (0990) 353 535; fax: (01303) 288 786 (Web site: http://www.eurotunnel.com).
Direct rail links: The direct Eurostar train link through the Channel Tunnel between London and Lille Brussels or Paris started operating on
November 14 1994.
Eurostar (Web site: http://www.eurostar.com) is a service provided by the railways of Belgium the United Kingdom and
France operating direct high-speed trains from London (Waterloo International) toParis (Gare du Nord) and to
Brussels (Midi/Zuid). It takes three hours from London to Paris. When the high-speed rail link from London through Kent to the
tunnel is operational the travel time between the two capitals will be reduced to two and a half hours.
It takes 2 hours 40 minutes from London to Brussels. Trains depart 12 times daily from Waterloo to Paris and nine times daily from Waterloo
to Brussels stopping at Lille (travel time 2 hours 10 minutes).
Services including overnight sleeper trains will also run from major regional
centres. Access to the entire British railway network will be provided bringing many British business centres within a comfortable day's
journey of the continent. Plans also envisage the use of London's St Pancras station by Eurostar travelling north of London and also as a
second London terminus.
The Eurostar trains are equipped with standard-class and first-class seating buffet bar and telephones and are
staffed by multi-lingual highly trained personnel. Pricing is competitive with the airlines and there is a large range of different tickets
and prices. Children aged between 4-11 years benefit from a special fare in first class as well as in standard class. Children under 4 years
old travel free but cannot be guaranteed a seat. Wheelchair users and blind passengers together with one companion get a special fare.
For
more information contact Eurostar Special Services Room 4/50 A Waterloo International Terminal Waterloo Station London SE1 7LT
(tel: (0171) 928 0660; fax: (0171) 922 6018). Telephone reservations may be made by travel agents on (0990) 134 909 and by members of the
public on (0990) 186 186 (only available from within the UK) or (01233) 617 575. For information on special fares for groups of at
least ten people telephone (0171) 922 6049. Enquiries in France should be made to Eurostar in Paris. Tel: (1) 49 70 01 75. Information about
package deals inclusive of accommodation and travel on Eurostar can be obtained from Eurostar Holidays Direct. Tel: (0870) 167 6767.
Sea There are many ports offering ferry connections between the UK and mainland Europe Ireland the Channel Islands the Isle of Wight the Scilly Isles and the Isle of Man.
Rail Trains meet connecting ferries at Dover Newhaven Portsmouth Weymouth and Folkestone sailing for France Germany and Belgium (board at Victoria Station in London); and at Harwich sailing for The Netherlands Germany and Scandinavia (board at Liverpool Street).
Road Few formalities are encountered when driving between Northern Ireland and the Republic of
Ireland.
