Cheap Eurostar tickets

Eurostar has launched a sale offering 80,000 tickets to Cologne and Amsterdam for a guaranteed price of £89 return.

The high-speed rail operator said the fares had been released to encourage travellers to "ditch the plane" and experience the "comfort and ease" of taking the train to the Netherlands and Germany.

On sale now for travel between November 19th 2010 and January 29th 2011, the tickets cover connections to Amsterdam or any other Dutch station and Cologne via Brussels Midi.

Thalys provides onward links to Cologne, while traditional Benelux services are available between Brussels and Amsterdam.

People who want to travel high-speed to the Dutch capital can book Thalys trains from £116 return.

Eurostar encouraged rail passengers to venture beyond its core destinations of Paris and Brussels to discover other major European cities.

Cologne is accessible in just over four hours from London, while Amsterdam is about five hours away by train.

Nick Mercer, Eurostar's commercial director, said: "High-speed rail travel in Europe is more appealing than ever, with thousands of people enjoying the hassle-free experience of travelling by Eurostar.

"These great value fares give passengers the opportunity to explore new destinations."

The company recently announced a £700 million revamp of its fleet, which will include the purchase of ten new trains.

Travelbite.co.uk staff

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