Deals of the Week: Eurostar v. EasyJet to Paris

A PLANE

A plane

Competition between London and Paris is getting vicious. Eurostar (08705 186 186, www.eurostar.com) has just cut fares from Waterloo International to Paris to £59 for journeys from 7 June (book two weeks in advance and stay at least two nights, or over a Saturday night). By strange coincidence, this is five days before easyJet (0870 600 0000, www.easyJet.com) starts flying between Luton and Paris Charles de Gaulle. The airline will operate five flights a day with fares from £35 return – and no minimum-stay.

A train

It will be a summer of discontent for many travellers on Britain's railways – especially between London, the West Midlands and the North West. Between now and 4 August, weekend services between London Marylebone and Birmingham will not operate north of Bicester. As soon as that engineering work ends, disruption begins between Hemel Hempstead and Milton Keynes.