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Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam?

Hi, newbie traveler here. I’ll be traveling from Paris to Amsterdam in August. Is the Thalys train the fastest way to get there? And is there a suggested app to use for train travel in Europe? Thank you!

Posted by
7304 posts

Hi,
Yes, Thalys is the most convenient way and just as fast, slightly faster even, than flying. DO book your tickets as soon as possible, you can book directly on Thalys website. But for multi-country European train travel, www.loco2.com and the associated app are well-regarded on here as it connects to the reservations systems of several companies from several countries, and works well with American cards.

Posted by
8166 posts

Thalys is the fastest.
For general European rail travel I use The Train Line ap.
But note that not all national rail lines are covered by aggregators like Train Line and Loco

Posted by
2487 posts

The Thalys is indeed the best way to go. It takes less than 3,5 hrs, city centre to city centre. By the time you can board the plane at Charles de Gaulle airport, you are already in Amsterdam. Non-refundable tickets can be as cheap as EUR 35 when bought well in advance (2 to 3 months before departure date).

Posted by
2511 posts

Yes, I did this last April. The Thalys train leaves from Gare du Nord station and goes to Amsterdam Centraale station. Takes about 3-1/2 hours. I bought our tickets through Rail Europe 90 days in advance (I think). People on this forum say Rail Europe is expensive but I thought the prices were reasonable as I bought them in advance.
Last year there was a rail strike in Paris & France but our particular train on that specific day was not affected. If there is a strike, the SNCF is kind enough to post the dates.

Posted by
8556 posts

Tickets bought early on the thalys are about 35 E to. Amsterdam and over 100 bought late -- so definitely buy them 3 or 4 mos out once you know your dates.

Posted by
3486 posts

I took that trip in 2017, and it's really easy.
Very comfy and convenient!
But do buy tickets in advance to save some money.
When you come out of the station in Amsterdam onto the plaza in front of it, the information/tourist/ transport office is just there, to get tram tickets, transport passes, etc.

Posted by
4071 posts

I bought our Thalys tickets from their website directly. It is a VERY comfortable ride and we were in 2nd class. Enjoy!

Posted by
14741 posts

I actually used the Thalys app for my recent trip from Paris to Brussels. I had purchased on my laptop on the Thalys.com website then was able to put my confirmation number in to the Thalys app to bring up my ticket on there. If I had thought about it I would have used the Thalys app to purchase just so I didn't have to do the extra step for the e-ticket.

Posted by
6 posts

Thank you to all of the great tip provided by everyone. We have our train tickets and look forward to the trip. Thanks again!