Cheap Travel by Train from London to Switzerland
By Eurostar and TGV Lyria to Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Basel, & Zurich
Aug 3, 2008
Cheap flights are available from the United Kingdom (UK) to Switzerland – especially to Geneva (GVA) and Basel (BSL) Airports – but trains do offer some competition to flying for passengers from the London region. Railway journeys to Europe start in London on the Eurostar with at least one transfer required in France. Most travelers will see Paris Gare du Nord station and change to TGV and TGV Lyria trains at Gare de Lyon or Gare de l’Est en route to Switzerland. Up to 17 direct trains are available daily from Paris to Switzerland with four different TGV Lyria routings going from Paris to the Swiss cities Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, and Zurich via Basel.
- TGV Lyria is the name given to the high-speed trains crossing the French-Swiss border.
Train journeys from London to major cities in Switzerland take from seven to nine hours including all transfer and waiting times. Departures after around 3 pm may require an overnight stay in Paris, very time consuming night trains, or odd routings.
By Eurostar from London to France En Route to Switzerland
The international leg of railway journeys from Britain to Switzerland starts at London-St Pancras Station on the Eurostar. The most common routing is straight to Paris-Gare du Nord on the Eurostar trains in around two hours but it is sometimes possible to transfer to French TGV trains at Lille or Marne la Vallée stations.
- Changing trains at Lille or Marne la Vallée usually does not save any time on the total journey but the transfer itself is significantly easier and faster, especially when traveling with luggage or small children, than transferring between different stations in Paris.
Eurostar trains arrive in Paris Gare du Nord while TGV trains depart for Switzerland either from Paris Gare de l’Est or Paris Gare de Lyon stations. Transferring in Paris from Gare du Nord to Gare de l’Est or Gare de Lyon is reasonably straight forward but allow at least an hour to 90 minutes plus Eurostar check-in times between scheduled arrival and departure times.
By TGV and TGV Lyria Trains from Paris Gare de Lyon to Geneva in Switzerland
Up to seven TGV Lyria trains run per day directly from Paris Gare de Lyon station to Geneva Station (Cornavin) in around three and a half hours. An alternative option is to take a TGV train from Paris Lyon Station to Lyon Part Dieu Station and a regular train from there to Geneva. Overall traveling times are about the same although the additional transfer in Lyon does add some hassle especially when traveling with luggage.
- Total traveling time from London to Geneva including reasonable transfer and check-in times is around seven hours. Total journey time is seldom more than eight hours.
By TGV Lyria Trains from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lausanne in Switzerland
TGV Lyria trains go directly from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lausanne on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Traveling time from Paris to Lausanne is just less than four hours. During summer, some TGV trains go all the way to Brig but regular Swiss trains are available from Lausanne to further Swiss and Italian destinations year round.
- Further options are available when traveling via Geneva with the total journey time from London to Lausanne ranging from just over seven hours to just over eight hours.
By TGV Lyria Trains from Paris Gare de Lyon to Bern in Switzerland
A few TGV Lyria trains per day go directly from Paris Gare de Lyon to the Swiss capital Bern in just less than five hours. Many further connections are available via Lausanne, Geneva, or Basel.
- Overall journey time from London to Bern ranges from eight to nine hours with the routing having very little effect on the actual time traveled.
By TGV and TGV Lyria Trains from Paris Gare de l’Est to Basel and Zurich in Switzerland
Direct TGV Lyria trains leave Paris from Gare de l’Est and reach Basel in three and a half hours and Zurich in four and a half hours (changes to regular Swiss trains are often required in Basel). Further options are available via Strasbourg.
- Overall traveling time from London to Basel is generally seven to eight hours and to Zurich an hour more.
In contrast to the London to Paris, Brussels, or Cologne routes, trains cannot compete on time alone with planes on London to Switzerland journeys. However, many travelers prefer the more relaxed atmosphere of the railways in addition to other advantages such as fewer restrictions on luggage. On French trains, passengers are not only allowed to bring liquids on board but are welcome to open a bottle of wine too. Once in Switzerland, many savings tickets are available for cheap onward train travel.
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