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Paris--Brussel--Amsterdam in 14 days Trip Planning

I plan to travel to Paris--Brussels--Amsterdam in 14 days. Arrival city and departure city are Paris. I plan to stay in Paris longer time, and take trains to Brussels and Amsterdam. What kind of trains do you suggest in between cities?
Do Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam have hop-on hop-off buses?

Posted by
252 posts

Hi Margaret, Unless it changed...all 3 cities have hop on hop off buses. Probably more than one company....so better to shop around before going! Also, companies often have different tours...so you can pick the one that suits you best. I really loved Ghent and Brugges...if ever you can...I would suggest taking a day trip there. For trains, there is Thalys : http://www.thalys.com/be/en/ Do you have specific interest? Bon voyage!

Posted by
2081 posts

hi, trains; i would choose the fastest if possible. but thats because i want to get to where im going and so some sight seeing. Hop on/hop off buses. Paris Yes
Brussels Yes Amsterdam, i dont remember seeing any when i was there. but depending on what you want to do/see, the tram system is nice and convenient. and i would say Amsterdam is a walkable city.+ happy trails.

Posted by
11294 posts

Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam are connected by the Thalys train http://www.thalys.com. This train uses airline-style pricing, so it's much less expensive if bought in advance, and very expensive if bought closer to the day of travel. So, make your reservations now. Since you're flying round trip in and out of Paris, some would suggest you get immediately to Amsterdam, then see Brussels, then end in Paris. I prefer putting Amsterdam and Brussels in the middle (for me, returning to a city on the same trip almost feels like a repeat visit; for others, it feels inefficient). But you definitely want to be back in Paris at least a day before your flight leaves. The subject of Brussels is very contentious (just do a search on this board for varied opinions). I much preferred Antwerp and Bruges. For me, the highlight of Brussels, BY FAR, was the ARAU Art Nouveau tour. So much so, that if I ever go back to Brussels, I would arrange my trip around the tours they offer http://www.arau.org/en/tours. You should get Rick Steves Amsterdam, Bruges & Brussels (which also covers many other cities in Holland and Belgium) and Rick Steves Paris, for lots more information about your destinations. For instance, he doesn't list HOHO buses in Amsterdam, but suggests bike, boat, and walking tours.

Posted by
32512 posts

Amsterdam - I don't know if it is still operating but a few years ago there was, among all the other various 60 to 90 minute boat tours, a hop on hop off boat that went pretty much where the others did. I haven't found getting around Amsterdam by foot or by tram.