Hi all,
My travel dates are,
6th April - Paris to Amsterdam
9th April - Amsterdam to Antwerp
11th April - Antwerp to Paris
I just checked the train tickets and Eurostar is very costly.
1) Is it possible to travel in other trains which are cheaper? (I can't see any other options)
2) If yes, how to split the journey
3) Do I need to book the tickets well in advance? Can I take the tickets from the platform on the journey date?
4) Which booking site offer these tickets
Thank you
6 april Eurostar Paris to Amsterdam is 75€. If this is costly for you, than don't do this trip.
Cheapest train fare between Amsterdam and Antwerp will be the Eurocity Direct (starting at 20€ for an early departure).
Advance booking gives you best prices.
Booking at the actual train operators:
https://www.eurostar.com/us-en
https://www.nsinternational.com/en
https://www.b-europe.com/EN
The cost of the train will be much greater later; it can be triple the cost of an early ticket. 75E seems like a good deal for this trip to me.
The problem on 6 April is that it is Easter Monday, when demand will be high. Whether £65/US$82 (as most trains are currently) is high is a moot point.
You can travel on the Ouigo Classique train to Brussels then on the Euro City Direct from Brussels but that is a self connection, so leaving an hour between trains would be prudent.
The timings are- Depart Paris Gare du Nord 08:18, change at Brussels Midi (arrive 11:21, depart 12:49), arrive Amsterdam Zuid 14:56.; or Depart Paris Gare du Nord 12:28 daily, change at Brussels Midi (arrive 15:21, depart 16:49), arrive Amsterdam Zuid 18:56.
So there is a cost versus time equation to also consider.
Book the Ouigo on at www.sncf-connect.com and the ECD at at www.nsinternational.com or www.b-europe.com/en
Fares on the Ouigo (not the same as Ouigo TGV in France, these are classic loco hauled coaches) are dynamic but on the ECD can be bought on the day.
Likewise Amsterdam to Antwerp travel on the Euro City direct trains
Antwerp to Paris- either use the ECD/Ouigo classique trains as above, or use the even slower route on Belgian local trains Antwerp to Charleroi, Charleroi to Jeumont, Jeumont to Maubeuge, France (hourly) then a French TER from Maubeuge to Paris Nord every 2 to 4 hours.
Those are all fixed fares, buy on the day, but it is unlikely to work out cheaper than the ECD/Ouigo route and a lot slower.
There are all sorts of other routes through Belgium to reach France at either Lille or Dunkerque (then French trains to Paris), but they all take a long time, and are not likely to be any cheaper.
You can travel on the Ouigo Classique train to Brussels then on the
Euro City Direct from Brussels but that is a self connection, so
leaving an hour between trains would be prudent.
This is not an unprotected connection. You can safely use the minimum legal connection for Brussel Zuid. If your Ouigo Classique is late and you miss the ECD you can just take the next one. Even if you bought an inflexible discounted ticket. This is train travel, not air travel.
But I would just book the Eurostart from Paris to Amsterdam. 75 Euro is a reasonable price for this distance.
