Hello all: At the end of April we are ending a 2 week trip in the Netherlands and Belgium with a few days in Antwerp. From there we will train to Paris. Is there a best way to choose the vendor and purchase tickets ?
Are advance tickets cheaper as they are in other European cities? Interested in any/all tips and info
Thank you, Susan
Buy the tickets direct at www.eurostar.com and don't wait too long as they get more expensive the closer you get to departure.
The main vendor along that line is now Eurostar, but you can use SNCB International, part of the Belgian rail company to buy your tickets. https://www.b-europe.com/EN
You will probably need to take an intercity train to Brussels Midi, then switch to a Eurostar train, though some Ouigo trains also run that route.
The Brussels-Paris Nord leg is definitely cheaper bought ahead and will drive the price of the ticket from SNCB. I suppose you could try going directly to Eurostar to price tickets, but SNCB works just as well.
I don't think you are interested in a cheaper but much, much slower ticket, but Eurostar will not reveal those to you. I believe that this Eurostar route does not use the same rolling stock (rather, the former Thalys trains ... ) as London-Brussels, so there won't be three choices of service, meals/snacks, etc. Antwerp has some excellent connections to Paris, so don't assume you have to start out in Brussels.
Another reason for going to Eurostar is that they might offer an "Any Belgian Station" add on (as they do from/to London), if you were coming from farther away than Antwerp. But it's not certain that even from Bruges, this would definitively be cheaper.
Just like with air travel, be sure you understand what an advance discount means for a sudden desire to refund, or change departure time.
The Any Belgian Ticket option is being discontinued from 31 March with last date of travel being 14 June, not that it is available on other than the trains to London.
This is at the request of SNCB (Belgian Railways), so is not a Eurostar decision.
It will be replaced later in the summer with being able to purchase through tickets to a specific Belgian station.
There is a direct (no change) 3 class Eurostar Red (ex Thalys) from Antwerp to Paris every hour with a few exceptions. It takes 2 hours for the journey.
That is if you opt for that over the much cheaper Ouigo Classic trains from Brussels to Paris (which are good quality Belgian trains, as opposed to Ouigo TGV's.
Thank you all. I took your information and purchased tickets directly Eurostar directly from Antwerp to Paris Gard du Nord. Not cheap; but reasonable for a 2 hour reserved trip ticket. Susan
