Also check availability in the Thalys for Antwerp - Paris and Brussels - Paris. That's often better than Amsterdam - Paris. You can use the hourly intercity train (reservation-free) to get from Amsterdam to Antwerp or Brussels.
The best website to check Thalys availability is:
https://www.b-europe.com/EN/Booking/Pass#TravelWish
The alternative via Lille is usually Amsterdam - Antwerp - Kortrijk - Lille - Paris, not via Brussels.
Thank you very much for the reply! I’m travelling this Sunday and from a quick look, the Antwerp - Paris and Brussels - Paris trains are also fully booked for the seat reservations.
I’ve also compared the schedule for Amsterdam - Antwerp - Kortrijk - Lille - Paris and Amsterdam - Brussels - Lille - Paris and apparently they both arrive at the same time, so most likely I will take the Brussels path instead of Antwerp due to less transfers.
Do let me know if you have other suggestions for this, thank you very much in advance!
Thank you very much for the reply! I’m travelling this Sunday and from a quick look, the Antwerp - Paris and Brussels - Paris trains are also fully booked for the seat reservations.
I’ve also compared the schedule for Amsterdam - Antwerp - Kortrijk - Lille - Paris and Amsterdam - Brussels - Lille - Paris and apparently they both arrive at the same time, so most likely I will take the Brussels path instead of Antwerp due to less transfers.
It always helps to mention travel date…
There are engineering works between Gent and Kortrijk this weekend, which means the usual route to Lille includes a replacement bus and takes an hour longer than normally… so the route via Brussels makes more sense indeed.
I plan to leave Amsterdam for Paris on the 30th of October (this Sunday). However, the seat reservations for Amsterdam - Paris, Brussels - Paris, and Antwerp - Paris are unavailable in the afternoon by the looks of it.
My alternative is now to go through Amsterdam - Brussels - Courtrai - Lille - Paris, where the seat reservations for Lille - Paris are still available. Unless there are better and faster options, I am planning to purchase the seat reservations for Lille - Paris. However, I am not sure how I can do that. I was told that purchasing seat reservations from the Interrail/Eurail website is not recommended, so I want to double-check.
Unless there are better and faster options, I am planning to purchase the seat reservations for Lille - Paris. However, I am not sure how I can do that. I was told that purchasing seat reservations from the Interrail/Eurail website is not recommended, so I want to double-check.
Options to book are mentioned here:
Booking that reservation online is only possible via the Interrail/Eurail website (booking fee €2 per person and train) or the B-Europe website (booking fee €4 per order). Interrail/Eurail currently only sell the €20 reservations for France, not the €10 reservations.
Just a thought.
Lille has 2 stations - Lille Flanders and Lille Europe. I know they are only about 10 mins walk apart, but the high speed TGVs and Thalys depart from Lille Europe. Do the IC trains arrive at Lille Flanders?
Just a thought.
Lille has 2 stations - Lille Flanders and Lille Europe. I know they are only about 10 mins walk apart, but the high speed TGVs and Thalys depart from Lille Europe. Do the IC trains arrive at Lille Flanders?
Yes the IC get to Lille Flanders. Also some TGVs start/ends in Lille Flanders. In Lille Europe there stops only trains that can run on the high speed line.
Most TGVs Lille - Paris Nord depart from Lille Flandres; the ones that depart from Lille Europe originate from other stations such as Dunkerque, Boulogne, Calais or Rang-du-Fliers.
Strange that I travelled recently Paris to Lille Europe on TGV. A quick check shows a general mix, some from each station.
