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Hi,

I really would like to travel from Amsterdam to Nice to see my family but don’t want to take the plane, so the Interrail-card would be perfect for me. I only have some questions regarding the conditions of what the best thing is that I can do. My trip will be on the 11th of June and would consider:

Thalys from Amsterdam to Paris, then from Paris Nord to Paris Gare de Lyon RER D and then TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to Nice Ville.  

When I’m buying the Interrail France Pass for 3 days, I can travel through France for 3 days. I know I have to reserve the TGV (and the Thalys) and pay extra for this but my question is the following:

Can I use the card already in Amsterdam since I’m travelling with the Thalys or does the card only hold in France and not if I’m travelling from another country to France with a France train?

And another question you might help me with is: Is this the smartest option to take? 

I just want to visit family in Nice and am living in Amsterdam. What should I do?

 

Thank you guys so much for your help! I appreciate it a lot.

 

Best,

 

Joost

A one country pass is only valid within that country not for travel in any other country or for cross-border travel.

In some cases you can combine a regular ticket to the border or a border station with a one country pass but this won’t work with Thalys.

 

While a Global pass would be an option you should first price the trip you want to take with available regular tickets before considering a pass for such a trip.

Beware that Thalys has both high reservation fees and small quotas for Interrail passes.

Regular tickets might be cheaper, check sncf-connect.com

Otherwise there are no passholder seats left on 11th June morning between Amsterdam and Paris (limited quota). Here are your options :

- Thalys Amsterdam - Marne-la-Vallée (Disneyland) 07:15 - 10:48 32€ seat reservation

- RER Marne-la-Vallée - Paris Gare de Lyon not included but not expensive

- TGV Paris Gare de Lyon - Nice 14:08 - 19:58 10€ seat reservation

OR

- IC Amsterdam - Bruxelles-Midi 07:28 - 10:16

- Thalys Bruxelles-Midi - Paris-Nord 10:43 - 12:05 (or earlier) 27€ seat

- RER Paris-Nord - Paris Gare de Lyon not included

- TGV Paris Gare de Lyon - Nice 14:08 - 19:58 10€ seat reservation

For the return leg check Thalys availability here : https://www.b-europe.com/EN/Booking/Pass#TravelWish

You will need a Global Pass as advised.

Thanks a lot for your help and your quick reaction!

If I check on the site: sncf-connect.com I have to pay €221,- just for a one-way trip. Let’s just say that I have to pay the same amount of money to return, this will imply that I have to pay €442,- to go to Nice and back. 

The 3 day Interrail France Pass costs me €195. With the extra fees for the Thalys (2x 30) and TGV (2x 30) this means that I will pay €315,- to go to Nice and back. This implies that the 3 day Interrail France Pass is cheaper option right? Or do I miss anything? 

Thank you!

Best,

 

Joost

You can't go on the Thalys with a One Country France pass. You need a Global pass for that. 

And to add : TGVs cost a limited 10€ fare and then 20€ until the train is full.

Thalys has a limited quota so you need to check if there is availability for your date : https://www.b-europe.com/EN/Booking/Pass#TravelWish

What would be your travel date ? There is the alternative to go through Marne-la-Vallée/Disneyland as explained above

For 11th June my previous message still applies. There is no other alternative.

I checked and the Thalys is available! I want to get the Thalys on the 11th of July at 07:11 from Amsterdam to Paris Nord. After that I would love to go to Paris Gare de Lyon with the RER D and then to Nice Ville with the TGV. I want this route because my friend is doing the same. 

 

For the way back it doesn’t matter which train I get! 

Would you then recommend me to get the Global Pass and then reserve the Thalys and TGV? 

Then it will work out right?

 

I don’t bother about my way back, because my friend is flying back, so I can do whatever route is possible :)

Is it June or July ? You have written both months. For 11th July it would be no problem to use Thalys at 07:11 (32€) and TGV (20€ at 11:22 or 10€ later)

For 11th June : there is no availability for Interrail passholders on Thalys trains from Amsterdam on 11th June, even though expensive regular tickets are available. There is a limited quota for passholders on Thalys and it sells out weeks in advance. You could maybe travel with the IC to Brussels and then take the same train as them to Paris (but you won't be seated together)

Book Thalys and TGV on both b-europe links (4€ booking fee per order) or on interrail.eu (2€ per train). Do not wait because those trains will sell out well in advance.

For your way back to Amsterdam you could maybe consider going via Strasbourg or Switzerland and stop for a night or two along the way

Sorry, it’s 11th of July!

so you’re saying for this date that the cheapest option is to get the Global Pass and reserve the Thalys and TGV right?

 

thank you so much for your help!!

 

Best,

 

Joost

Yes exactly

- 4 day Global Pass 194€ (youth) or 258€ (adult)

- Thalys 32€

- TGV 20€

If you call SNCF and book reservations with them you can maybe ask to sit next to your friend

You have 3 travel days left to slowly make your way home : via Northern Italy and Switzerland or Lyon and Strasbourg, etc.

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