We will be traveling by train from Paris to Brussels and Bruges, and then on to the Netherlands. A rail pass would cost us $400 per person for 7 days, which is a random guess on number of travel days since I’m not sure where the passes will be valid or where alternernate transportation will be more feasible, or even necessary in some areas. Most of our travel time would be spent in and around the Amsterdam area and to and from our hotel in Volendam since we will be there 7 days, and only 4 days in Paris, and 3 days in Brussels/Bruges where our time and hotels will be focused in central areas We would prefer high speed trains from Paris to Brussels and to Amsterdam, which adds up to about $200 per person for those trips combined. Can I get some advice about the cost of the short-trip trains in and around Amsterdam? I don’t want to buy passes if we will then discover are not useful to the extent expected. Also it appears that with the passes we would need to pay additional fees to reserve seats on some trains anyway.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Just buy tickets for the trips you want.
- Paris to Brussels is a High Speed train, branded as "Thalys". Tickets are a lot cheaper if bought in advance, which you can do on their website: https://www.thalys.com/
- Trains in Belgium do not have a discount for advance purchase. Just buy at the station on the day. You can look up times and prices in advance at the Belgian Railways website: http://www.belgianrail.be/en/
- That website will also allow you to book Brussels to Amsterdam. It jumps to their international website and gives discounts for advanced purchase.
- Local trains in the Netherlands also do not give a discount for advanced purchase, you can buy on the day. Times and prices on the Netherlands Railways website: https://www.ns.nl/en
Tickets on trains which need reservations (Paris - Brussels - Amsterdam) include a reserved seat, the seat number is shown on the ticket. You only have to pay extra for a seat reservation if you have a pass.
Posted by
the Netherlands
2487 posts
For you travels in the Amsterdam area the TripKey card will prove to be practical. You can use it on all public transport: from the train to the local buses and trams. For more information look at their website www.tripkey.nl.
Posted by
OP
17 posts
Thanks for the help! I was focusing on the website for the trains in all of Europe and both pieces of advice are very much appreciated.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33817 posts
If you were "focusing on the website for the trains in all of Europe" does that mean that you were using RailEurope? If so, run away. Run away quickly. Unfortunately although the Rick Steves gang link through to them they are only a reseller and don't sell tickets on all the trains in Europe, only the ones the want to, and they don't pass through many of the available discounts. Also the planning maps for train prices on this site only reference the most expensive point to point fares when there are often much cheaper tickets available. Unfortunately both places prefer to sell passes because they think that newbie travelers prefer to spend more in exchange for not planning.
If you meant that you are using the German DB site - well done. They will give most of the answers you need but don't give prices on tickets they can't sell - those for trains which don't go through Germany. They are the best site for overall planning exact trains, times and stations on route.
Also use the Man in Seat 61 site. What he doesn't know about European train travel hasn't been written yet. From a British perspective the guidance is incomparable. Want to see what the train looks like, inside and out, that you will be on? Go there. Want to find out about alternatives? Go there. He is completely unbiased and independent.
Paris to Brussels is an easy decision to make - there's really only one player - which is Thalys. Brussels to Bruges/Brugge is easy, you use local Belgian trains which are cheap and very frequent. Brussels to Amsterdam can either be Thalys or the slightly slower but possibly cheaper if you don't get the Thalys tickets well ahead International train which needs no reservations. You could also go via Gent and connect with the train in Antwerp/Antwerpen. Antwerp is also worth a few hours looking around time. Trains around Amsterdam are really easy. Very frequent, operate on a clockface timetable, comfortable and fast.
Posted by
OP
17 posts
Nigel, thank you! Yes, I was using RailEurope, but after the prior advice I used the Thalys website and was able to book Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam for $275 for both of us combined. I did also remember The Man in Seat 61 which I only recently stumbled upon and had forgotten about. Thanks for mentioning that too. It was also very helpful.