Pre World War I Travel to Paris

The Harbour Branch was the world's first railway built specifically for non-domestic use.

On 1st August 1843 Folkestone Harbour became the world's first location to offer a rail/sea service with another country when the railway company started to operate "nominally independent" ships across the Channel to Boulogne.

On 1st January 1849 Folkestone Harbour was the UK port on setting up the world's first fully scheduled rail/sea/rail service between capital cities.

The timetable below is taken from the South Eastern & Chatham Railway's 1912 timetable.
There are many differences from latter day boat train services but the London departures were still morning and afternoon. The 10am morning train from Charing Cross (instead of Victoria) shows lunch being taken at Boulogne Quay whereas the evening train from Boulogne to Paris had a dining car - such luxury at the time.   In terms of fares the single journey of £1-6s-8d would now be the equivilent of £98.35 using the retail prices index or £518.80 using average earnings.