The direct coach route will operate every Thursday-Sunday with fares consistently much lower than air and train travel. EuroCity Express has tickets as low as £12.50. There is a booking fee of £2.50 on all transactions. 

Director Dave Manley said: “We’re offering a direct service that will be the quickest coach service with no additional stops in France so we can get our customers to Paris as fast as possible and at extremely low fares.

“We’ve looked at this route and consider it to be crying out for this kind of service. It is the most popular destination for coach travel in Europe and with air fares and train fares considerably higher than ours, we are certain passengers will be keen to use the service and to save their money to spend when they get there.”

EuroCity Express was founded by Manley, a former Eurolines General Manager. The company has an online booking system at www.eurocityexpress.com and booking line (0845 890 0390) but is also working with a growing number of agencies. 

Initially the service will depart from Victoria Coach Station at 11.30, making for a relaxing start to the journey, and travel via the Channel Tunnel arriving in central Paris at 1930 hours (a travel time of just seven hours).