Spontaneous travellers can now get 50% discounts on the Eurostar — here’s how

From the novelty of having zero liquid restrictions to being treated to stunning train views, there are so many reasons why taking the Eurostar to Europe might prove more convenient than flying.

With direct routes through to the likes of Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, it doesn’t just serve as transport through to these popular cities – it unlocks other European destinations along the way.

Fancy popping over to Bruges? It’s only 58 minutes away from Brussels, just as the train from Lyon to Paris takes just under 2 hours on the fastest connections.

Want to book a European getaway with Eurostar but feeling relatively flexible as to when you travel? Now, customers can access discounts of up to 50% through its brand-new ‘Snap’ ticket scheme.

Wondering how it all works? Simply choose a date and a destination, and Eurostar will sort out the time of your booking.

The only necessity on your end is that you’ll need to be open and easy as to what time you travel – and if you’re in search of a good deal, you might be willing to catch the red-eye train to shave a few pennies off the cost.

You can invite up to three friends too, so you can delight in your savings together – and spend the remainder on croissants or an Aperol Spritz or two.

However, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to sit together (just in case you were planning a game of Uno, or simply a good old natter).

Eurostar will send you the details of your train at least 48 hours before you travel, and you can book using the Snap system as many times as you like, travelling both ways between Paris and Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam, Paris and Cologne, London and Brussels, and London and Paris. What’s not to love?

You won’t only need to be flexible and spontaneous in terms of train time: you’ll also need to be willing to book relatively close to your departure date, hence it’s called the Snap booking system.

As Eurostar notes, the ‘early bird might catch the worm, but it doesn’t get to revel in the excitement of an ad-hoc adventure.’

Along these lines, you can book Snap seats a maximum of 14 days before – or even the day before, if you’re feeling particularly flighty (and have a relaxed workplace policy on annual leave).

The only caveat is that once you’ve booked the tickets, you won’t be able to exchange, cancel or transfer it.

You also won’t be able to book a same-day return using the Snap system if you were thinking of treating yourself to a Parisian lunch and nothing more.

Ready to go? Grab your suitcases and passports – and we’ll see you at St Pancras International!

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