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Best route Amsterdam to Lourdes, France

Hello everyone!

I'm having some difficulty deciding what the best route to take, (time wise and budget-friendly) to travel from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Lourdes, France. I'm aware that Lourdes is not easy to reach as it's far out in the south of France; there's no direct route. I'm finding out too it involves a combination of flight and train ride.

A brief background. My friend and I are on an ocean cruise that departs from Amsterdam and arrives in Rotterdam after 12 days. We'll spend a few hours in Rotterdam before heading out to Brugge. FYI, we haven't bought our international airline tickets yet--LAX to AMS--as we're still in the planning stage of our itinerary. From Rotterdam, we plan to go to Brugge and stay overnight. Next day, we will head back to Amsterdam, stay overnight in Leiden (I heard it's pretty!) and fly back to the US (LAX), Schiphol airport. However, the thought of going to Lourdes came to mind as it's been in my bucket list. My friend will not join me, she's non-Catholic, hence not interested.

Looking for some advice, please. Thanks a lot in advance!

Posted by
6980 posts

What's best to you? Fastest? Cheapest? Easiest?

It can be done by train with one change in Paris, but it will take the better part of the day. Another option is to fly to Toulouse or Bordeaux and continue by train.

Posted by
25 posts

Hi there!

Thanks for chiming in. Looks like train via Paris is about 9-10 hours total including from AMS; that's a big chunk of my day. Flying to Toulouse or Bordeaux and train to Lourdes is definitely shorter commute. Do you know which website to use for flights within Europe?

Thanks.

Posted by
21160 posts

KLM is the only airline with nonstops from AMS to Toulouse. 3 a day, morning, afternoon and evening.

Posted by
6980 posts

Looks like train via Paris is about 9-10 hours total including from
AMS; that's a big chunk of my day.

No matter what option you choose, the trip will take the better part of a day. The airports mentioned aren't exactly just around the corner from Lourdes

Flying to Toulouse or Bordeaux and train to Lourdes is definitely
shorter commute.

Probably, but not by much.

Do you know which website to use for flights within Europe?

For this trip, www.klm.com

Posted by
7903 posts

Looking at Bordeaux Airport website- their flights to Amsterdam are with KLM, also for Toulouse their flights are also with KLM.

No other choice of carrier at either airport. So thus visit the KLM website.

To Toulouse you have a choice of 4 daily flights taking almost 2 hours- here I have chosen a random date in June, https://www.klm.co.uk/search/offers?pax=1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0&cabinClass=ECONOMY&activeConnection=0&connections=AMS:A:20230628%3ETLS:A-TLS:A:20230629%3EAMS:A&bookingFlow=LEISURE

and to Bordeaux 3 flights-
https://www.klm.co.uk/search/offers?pax=1:0:0:0:0:0:0:0&cabinClass=ECONOMY&activeConnection=0&connections=AMS:A:20230628%3EBOD:A-BOD:A:20230629%3EAMS:A&bookingFlow=LEISURE

Each direction to either airport is around £120.

From Toulouse it is still a 2 hour train ride costing around 15 to 20 Euro, advance fare, and from Bordeaux a 2 1/2 hour train ride costing around 30 to 40 Euro each way. Add in the time to and from and in airports at either end, waiting for the not overly frequent trains and time on the train I'm not sure flight is much faster.

This is quite a diversion.

Posted by
7304 posts

If you want to visit a major Catholic pilgrimage site without crossing all of France, consider Lisieux perhaps?

Posted by
25 posts

Thanks everyone for your great ideas and suggestions! Very much appreciated.

Unfortunately, there are no KLM flights on the dates I prefer to fly. And those dates that KLM fly, the fare is too expensive!

I might consider getting on the train and make it a new adventure. :)

Happy Easter!