When most people start planning their trip their immediate thoughts turn to flying, but with fuel prices continuing to rise and fears that fares will suffer as a consequence, rail travel has emerged as the cheaper, and often quicker, alternative.

From Lynn, travellers can enjoy through-fares to more than 100 Continental destinations via rail operators First Capital Connect and Eurostar, with return tickets starting at £75 to Lille and £79 to Paris, Brussels and Euro Disney.

Reporter Richard Long and photographer Paul Marsh were the envy of their colleagues when they discovered how easy travel has become by taking a two-day trip from Lynn to Lille.

Lynn could easily be branded an isolated town in rural Norfolk, but it now enjoys links to some of the most exciting, vibrant and colourful cities in Europe.

With prices comparing favourably with air fares, train travel from the town has now become a viable option for residents seeking a taste of culture on the Continent.

Services to London's King's Cross station leave regularly every hour and with only a short walk to St Pancras International, which has recently enjoyed an £800 million make-over, the gateway to Europe is less than two hours away.

A return fare from Lynn to Lille, capital of the Nord-Pas de Calais region of France, starts at £75 using First Capital Connect and Eurostar, with tickets to Paris slightly more expensive at £79.

An online price comparison with flights to Paris weighs in favour of travelling by train.

Using flights to and from the French capital for a midweek break between July 21 and 24 as an example, quotes of £79.55 flying from Luton, £119.40 from London Heathrow, and £134.35 from Norwich were all found.

When considering the extra cost of travelling to and from airports – along with the time needed to check-in – the benefits of travelling by train become obvious.

The fastest journey time to Lille from Lynn is four hours and ten minutes, and with short check-in times for the Eurostar and no waiting at baggage carousels for luggage it is relatively hassle-free.

Lille is just an hour and 20 minutes from St Pancras, thanks largely to the 186mph service of Eurostar.

Visitors arrive in the heart of the Euralille district, which has been purposely built around the Eurostar station and features buildings designed by the most prestigious names in contemporary architecture.

The "new part of town" is said to symbolise the city's transformation from an industrial capital to a metropolitan area and includes more than 100 shops and restaurants.

A short taxi journey takes arrivals to the city centre, which boasts an impressive blend of Flemish, Burgundian and Spanish-influenced architecture, while other examples capture the notion of a city in transformation.

The Notre-Dame de la Treille Cathedral was built in 1854 in a neo-gothic style, but due to financial complications work on the main facade did not start until 1999.

The delay has allowed a fusion of modern and 13th century styles and the central section features a 30-metre high arch covered with a translucent veil of white marble.

The Museum of Fine Arts, on the Place de la Republique, is the most significant French museum after the Louvre and has become an international attraction with works by major artists such as Rodin, Donatello, Monet and Goya.

The 19th century building is an impressive exhibit in itself and a new administration block, built at the rear, allows visitors an alternative view of the architecture as its image reflects off the mirrored glass of its new neighbour.

Visitors can get a taste of Lille with a 50-minute minibus city tour, which showcases 1,000 years of history and some of the most important monuments on offer.

Lille is also the birthplace of Charles de Gaulle and his former house is now a museum featuring family keepsakes and personal objects from his younger days.

Named as European City of Culture in 2004, Lille has a large number of theatres and companies offering a wide variety of entertainment.

Lille Opera House stages three operas a year and Lille National Orchestra was founded in 1976 with the plan of bringing music to every sector of the public.

The Wazemmes market offers shoppers a vast selection of food, flowers, fabrics and exotic products in one of the largest open-air markets in France while diners can enjoy two Michelin-starred restaurants along with a selection of traditional regional dishes at beer restaurants across the city.

Lille is a good alternative for anyone considering a break outside the obvious tourist destinations of France and is clearly a city which is moving with the times and embracing its links with Europe.

For more information on European train travel from Lynn visit www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk

For more information on the city of Lille visit www.lilletourism.com