A Thalys train from Brussels to Amsterdam

Amsterdam to Brussels by train

Buy Thalys train tickets

Thalys & Eurostar have merged

High-speed trains formerly branded Thalys, now re-branded Eurostar link Paris, Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Paris, Brussels, Aachen & Cologne, see the route map.  It's faster than flying: Paris to Brussels in 1h22, Paris to Amsterdam in 3h20, Paris to Cologne in 3h20, city centre to city centre.

From 1995 to 2022, these trains were run by Thalys, a consortium of the French, Belgian & Dutch national railways.  Thalys merged with Eurostar in 2022 and in 2023 all Thalys trains were rebranded Eurostar.  However, they have  different classes, catering, check-in & pet/bike arrangements to the Eurostars to/from London, so on Seat 61 I shall refer to the Eurostars to/from London as Eurostar and the former Thalys services as Eurostar (formerly Thalys).  This page explains the features of the Eurostars on the Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam/Cologne route, formerly known as Thalys.

small bullet point  The 3 classes of travel explained

small bullet point  What are the trains like?

small bullet point  Travel tips:  Luggage, WiFi, railpasses, food...

small bullet point  How to check times & buy tickets

small bullet point  Route map

small bullet point  Video guide

small bullet point  Paris Gare du Nord station guide

small bullet point  Brussels Midi station guide

small bullet point  Cologne Hbf station guide

small bullet point  Rotterdam Centraal station guide

small bullet point  Amsterdam Centraal station guide

The 3 classes explained

In 2017, Thalys switched from its original two classes Confort 1 (1st class) & Confort 2 (2nd class) to three classes of service:  Standard, Comfort & Premium.  in 2023, Thalys rebranded as Eurostar, but the former Thalys trains retain their own 3 classes of accommodation, different from the Eurostars to/from London.  The trains physically have two types of seating, 1st & 2nd class, but on each departure some 1st class cars are designated Comfort and others Premium.  You choose your class when buying your ticket.

The 3 classes are clearly shown when you book at eurostar.com or www.nsinternational.nl but with other booking systems you may need to look at the fare details to see whether the 1st class ticket you're booking is for Comfort or Premium!

What are the trains like?  Virtual tour

The majority of the trains are still as shown below.  However, trains are currently being refurbished with an all-new interior called Ruby.  The new seating includes larger tray tables and the cafe-bar is replaced by an open space with vending machines.  The first refurbished train entered service in Autumn 2021.

A Thalys train at Brussels Midi   2nd class seats on a Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam

A Thalys train at Brussels Midi, before rebranding.

 

Standard class seats, 2+2 across car width.  Larger photo.

1st class seats oin a Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam   Cafe-bar car on a Thalys high-speed train

Premium or Comfort seats, 2+1 across car width.  Larger photo.

Cafe-bar (being discontinued).  Larger photo.

Premium class food on a Thalys train between Amsterdam & Brussels   Older Thalys train

In Premium a tray meal with wine is included. Larger photo.

 

An older type at Brussels Midi.

Travel tips

A Thalys train from Brussels at Paris

A train to Brussels & Amsterdam with the new Eurostar branding, boarding at Paris Gare du Nord.

NS HiSpeed lounge at Amsterdam Centraal station   Luggage on Thalys goes on the racks just inside the door.

1st class lounges:  Comfort & Premium passengers may use the lounges in Amsterdam & Rotterdam.  This Amsterdam Centraal, on platform 2b.

 

Luggage:  It's easy - just bring your bags on board and place your suitcase on the racks.  There's usually no problem finding space.

Premium food on Thalys   Club duo table for two on Thalys

Premium class:  Another example of the premium food served to Premium class passengers between Amsterdam & Brussels.

 

Seating options:  In Comfort or Premium, the best seats for couples are the face-to-face tables-for-two, known as Club Duo.  Note the space for bags between the seat backs.

Boarding a Thalys to Paris at Amsterdam Centraal

Boarding a Thalys to Paris (before rebranding as Eurostar) at Amsterdam Centraal platform 15.

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How to buy tickets

Route map

Paris to Brussels is 312 km (194 miles).  Paris to Amsterdam is 524 km (326 miles).

Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam/Cologne Thalys route map

 

Click for larger map

Highlighted = Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam, Paris-Brussels-Cologne.

Red = high-speed line.  Green = scenic sections.

Reproduced from the excellent European Rail Map with kind permission of the European Rail Timetable people. 

I recommend buying a copy of the European Rail Map for your travels, www.europeanrailtimetable.eu with shipping worldwide.

European Rail Timetable and map

Video guide: Eurostar Red (formerly Thalys) trains


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