Anxious about £69 Eurostar return tickets!

[Charlotea]

Hi,
basically, i'm looking for success stories of people who have managed to buy the bargain Eurostar return tickets on the day they are released!
We're looking to book for December after having convinced ourselves that we can afford to stay in the DLH!
We have pinned our hopes on being able to get the £69 return tickets, but don't want to get our hopes up if the chances are slim.
If we ring Eurostar to ask about our dates, does this guarantee them ringing us when our dates are released? Or do we just need to keep checking online?
thanks for any help

 

[lularose]

Ahhhh DLH how exciting!
I went on the eurostar last December and I literally checked for tickets everyday. One day I found that although tickets were for sale for the outbound journey they weren't yet up for my return date, so my boyfriend rang them. It turned out that all the £69 tickets had already gone, but we managed to get £89 ones instead so it wasn't too bad.
I would definitely recommend ringing them to try and get them before anyone else, they do seem to sell tickets over the phone for dates that aren't available online yet.
Good luck!

 

[BabyAriel]

I don't have a success story I'm afraid but hope I might help!

We registered for the callback when seats were released, then I saw someone on this forum had had theirs so I rang Eurostar and booked. Maybe I was too far down the list! Seats were much more than £69 but we were travelling at the beginning of the Christmas school holidays.

I foolishly kept looking at the website and when released online were slightly cheaper than I'd paid. Only for a day or so though then they rocketed.

I think you stand a far greater chance of getting the cheaper tickets if you are going during term time.

Or if they are ridiculously high you could hold out for the indirect service?

Good luck! Eurostar is by far the best way to travel imho!

x

 

[TheTizardFamily:0)]

We had success in 2012, my husband called in april time ish and they took his email address and said they would email when our dates were released, we called the day they emailed and got the 8 seats we needed, two groups of four with tables next to each other .

From what I hear of recent reports, it's very hit and miss and depends who you speak to

 

[HFJohnson]

If you're looking to go during term time then your chances of success are pretty high. I've got the cheap tickets several times now (don't ask about my attempt to book for May half term though!). I would recommend you hold off booking your hotel until you've booked your train tickets though, unless you can only go on a certain date. Some days, eg Mondays, are more popular so you're less likely to get the cheap tickets even if you ring up on the day as they are pre-released to travel agents and groups.

Eurostar are not very good at knowing exactly when the tickets will be released so keep an eye on forums and keep ringing them!

 

[A dream is a wish]

We got the £69 tickets for both trips last year in August and November. I was able to book the August ones online as the dates were showing in January. In April I had been looking for the November tickets and they were showing up to two weeks before our trip so I called them, it turned out the tickets were available but they had not been added online yet so I'd def call them.

 

[MickeysFavouriteGirl]

We booked last August on release day for this March. Had no luck with the website, it was useless, so I rang and booked them there and then. Paid £512 for 6 adults, 2 children and an infant (free) worked out at £69 for adults and £49 for children

 

[Jonjo]

I manage the get them quite regularly, only once since 2007 have we had to pay more than £69

 

[Charlotea]

Thanks for your help everyone!
We are (hopefully) going on Monday (!) 15th December to Friday 19th which is term time so might have a chance!

 

[lilacgems23]

We managed it once by booking as soon as they were released. However we usually only pay £79 return each booking weeks sometimes months after release. It all depends how busy they are as prices go up to meet demand.

 

[RobynPrincess]

I just looked and couldn't get dates past 20th November?

 

[Christieand]

I just looked and couldn't get dates past 20th November?

They don't release tickets that far in advance

 

[dee slack]

We're looking for Dec 1st-5th and I emailed them to see when they would be released but all I got back was to call them, so will give them a ring tomorrow and see if they know when I can book.

 

[julie 'o']

I have just rang Eurostar and booked our seats for 30/11 returning 5.12 so hopefully you can book yours

 

[Christieand]

They don't release tickets that far in advance

Sorry, got confused with myself - try calling them and you should be able to book!

 

[dee slack]

Can you book on Saturdays if you phone or is it just Mon-Fri for phone bookings? I don't want to miss out on the best prices!

 

[DLPdaft]

Can you book on Saturdays if you phone or is it just Mon-Fri for phone bookings? I don't want to miss out on the best prices!

you can phone Eurostar 7 days a week .

 

[dee slack]

you can phone Eurostar 7 days a week .

Thanks, just phoned them and not happy! The cheap direct seats have already gone for our outward journey on Dec 1st and now £84.50 each but the return is £34.50 for the fri 5th. What we are thinking now is booking the direct for the home journey (which would be £40 for one way) and then get the indirect at 90 days out for the outward journey? I have heard it's pretty easy to change at Lille but would cost another €15 each to get to DLP so is it worth it for the inconvenience? Oh, nothing is simple is it?!!!!

 

[DLPdaft]

Thanks, just phoned them and not happy! The cheap direct seats have already gone for our outward journey on Dec 1st and now £84.50 each but the return is £34.50 for the fri 5th. What we are thinking now is booking the direct for the home journey (which would be £40 for one way) and then get the indirect at 90 days out for the outward journey? I have heard it's pretty easy to change at Lille but would cost another €15 each to get to DLP so is it worth it for the inconvenience? Oh, nothing is simple is it?!!!!

i'm confused - why will it cost another 15 euros to get to DLP? When you book your indirect fare with Eurostar via Lille, you get 2 sets of tickets for your one fare (hopefully £40) - one ticket each for the Eurostar train to Lille, and one ticket each for the TGV from Lille to DLP.

 

[dee slack]

i'm confused - why will it cost another 15 euros to get to DLP? When you book your indirect fare with Eurostar via Lille, you get 2 sets of tickets for your one fare (hopefully £40) - one ticket each for the Eurostar train to Lille, and one ticket each for the TGV from Lille to DLP.

I'm confusing myself!!!!! So if we book 90 days before, we still put in DLP (not Lille) and the Eurostar site will come up with options for the indirect service, at (hopefully) cheaper prices? If the 2 tickets will be included in the price, any idea how much it's likely to be on the first day to book? Don't want to wait and then find it's only a few pounds cheaper than now and had all that wait and worry for little reward if that makes sense? Can you tell we've only ever booked direct before?!