SAT2 MAR London - France

SATURDAY 2 MARCH 2024

FRI night pack main suitcase.

Leave out clothes. PJs go in outside pocket. 

Phone and laptop on charge

Fill water.

SATURDAY 

5:30 rise and shine.

Dress

6:10 6:00Walk out the door

10 min walk 10min contingency 

6:26 6:18 Dep Canonbury

6:42 6:25 Change at Highbury and Islington

6:44 6:27 ARR St pancras

6:45 6:30 plan Arr St Pancas kings Cross. 

8:00 Dep St Pancs

11:35 am Arr Gare du nord 

3 hrs to get between stations

2:48 scheduled departure from   gare de Lyon

5:36 Scheduled arrival in Chambery

..... 

Luckily I had left a lot of time to get from Paris @11:35 am Gare du nord to gare de Lyon.   It's now 12:55 pm and I've finally gotten my metro ticke.

In an awesome example of efficiency, they have automated ticket machines with a person beside each to operate it. Even those guys have difficulty navigating the menus and the touch response is really slow. Remember those old sliver ticket machines in Brisbane. But it's so easy, the sign tells me so.

 

At gare de Lyon, huge station.  Eventually worked out my train would depart from hall 2.  None of the TV displays gave the platform number.  Went in search of food.  Finally platform 17 advised about half an hour before departure.

 

Left home waking the neighborhood as I dragged my pull along suitcase across the rough pavement.

On board - clean and comfortable.

2nd class

French side - big fences to make it difficult for refugees to hitch to UK I believe.

Ticket machine queue.  One of many.

So easy...

Figured I should eat something and after wandering around decided that this lot seemed to be the best value.

  

   

The trains here are very affectionate.

Very very long train

.

 It did not seem to matter what question I asked, It always responded saying it did not understand.