Eurostar offers half price tickets for spontaneous travellers — but there are catches

Eurostar has announced the return of 'Snap' — a feature which is tailored for spontaneous travellers eager to explore Europe's iconic cities, with fares discounted up to 50%.

The feature is designed for individuals who thrive on spur-of-the-moment adventures. Holidaymakers will need to visit and select a date on which they wish to travel, as well as the destination. Eurostar will then allocate the train times for the chosen date and 48 hours before the departure, before confirming the train details with customers.

Snap tickets can be booked up to two weeks in advance of the desired travel date, to and from For other routes, they can be booked up to eight days ahead.

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François Le Doze, chief commercial officer at , said: “Snap has been a customer favourite, and we’re thrilled to bring it back year-round, offering a smart solution for travellers who can be flexible with their schedules.

"With Snap, Eurostar makes a simple yet compelling promise: travellers pick the date and destination, we select the time, and they can snap up to 50 per cent off the price for remaining Eurostar seats. It’s a smart way to travel, ensuring no seat goes unused – a win for our customers, a win for Eurostar, and a win for the planet.”

The trip fare includes two pieces of luggage and one piece of hand luggage. Onboard the train will be all the usual facilities you would expect to find on a Eurostar service, including a café cart where food and drink can be purchased and both UK and EU plug sockets. However, it is worth keeping in mind that the fares are non-exchangeable, non-refundable, non-transferable and non-cancellable. All tickets will be for standard class, also.

According to the Eurostar website: "For now, you can't book a seat with Snap for kids. If they are under 4, they can travel for free with you without a seat reservation."

Seat selection is also unavailable, and if you book as a group, you are not guaranteed to be seated together. Currently, the three destinations available from London St Pancras are Amsterdam in the Brussels in Belgium or Paris in France.

The Eurostar aims to carry 30 million passengers a year by 2030. There are 51 trains in Eurostar's fleet, making it the largest internatioal high-speed network in western Europe, serving 28 destinations.

In 2023, Eurostar carried 18.6 million passengers and generated sales of €2 billion (£1.7 billion). In 2024, Eurostar also announced its plans to buy up to 50 new trainsets.