Thalys (France-Belgium-Netherlands-Germany)

Routes and Travel Times
Thalys is a high-speed service, which can operate at speeds in excess of 300kms per hour, linking Northern Europe’s travel and trade capitals: Paris (France), Brussels (Belgium), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Cologne (Germany) and many other major cities. Thalys provides direct service to Schiphol Airport (near Amsterdam) in the Netherlands, and connections to the Brussels and Paris airports are easily made (subway, bus, train, and taxi).

NEW: Thalys now goes further... and serves 4 new stations: Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Essen and Zaventem (Brussels Airport)

Best Travel Times:
Paris-Brussels: 1h22
Paris-Cologne: 3h14
Paris-Amsterdam: 3h18
Paris-Rotterdam: 1h11
Paris-Düsseldorf: 3h47
Paris-Essen: 4h18
Brussels Midi-Amsterdam: 1h53
Brussels Midi-Cologne: 1h47
Brussels Midi-Düsseldorf: 2h20
Brussels Midi-Essen Hbf: 2h51
Brussels Zaventem-Paris:1h47

Number of Services:
Paris-Brussels: up to 23 services
Paris-Cologne: up to 6 services
Paris-Amsterdam: up to 7 services
Paris-Rotterdam: up to 7 services
Paris-Düsseldorf: up to 1 services
Paris-Essen: up to 1 services
Brussels Midi-Amsterdam: up to 7 services
Brussels Midi-Cologne: up to 6 services
Brussels Midi-Düsseldorf: up to 1 services
Brussels Midi-Essen Hbf: up to 1 services
Brussels Zaventem-Paris: 1 service 

Onboard Services
Thalys trains have been refurbished. Customers can enjoy the new interior design which includes:
more comfortable and spacious seating, along with redesigned first class menu, spacious luggage storage, at eye-sight, WiFi connection and all trains are non smoking. The Thalys trains operate eight cars offering 377 seats; 754 when two trains coupled.

1st Class: (Comfort 1)
120 comfortable electronically reclining seats
   • Width: 650 cm 
   • Legroom: 859 cm 
   • Space between seats: 955 cm 
   • Space between face to face seats: 1168 cm

Wi-Fi connection free of charge
Sockets for laptop or mobile phone available on carriages 2/12/22 and 3/13/23
For passengers who want to relax, carriages 1/11/21 are not equipped with sockets
Free newspapers available from Monday to Saturday on most the routes
Access to the VIP lounge in Cologne and the NS Hispeed Lounge in Amsterdam, Schiphol and Rotterdam
Taxi reservation service is available on board, for trains arriving in Paris or Brussels. Bookings must be made at least 30 minutes prior to arrival. Upon arrival, a chauffeur will meet the passenger at the Thalys meeting point. Taxi fare is at client’s own expense. An additional surcharge up to 12€ will be applied to the taxi’s invoice.

Drinks and meal included and served at your seat everyday: 
   • Breakfast: in the morning until 9am
   • Lunch: from 12 am to 1 pm 
   • Dinner: from 6 pm to 8.15 pm meal includes a choice of drinks, cold starter and main course, bread and dessert
   • Menu Tonus (morning), apéro (salty) or Gourmand (sweet) are served outside lunch and dinner time. These include organic and fair trade products as well as regional and seasonal products from the 4 Thalys countries.

Thalys Meeting Square "Le Salon" (NEW IN 2011): allows 4 people to sit together, in a private compartment. This new space is available in Comfort 1 only (1st Class) and must be booked as a whole - the 4 seats are automatically booked together. And with free WiFi onboard and complimentary meal and drinks served at seat, the "Meeting Square" is a genuine office on wheels, for corporate travellers.

2nd Class: (Comfort 2)
Comfortable reclining seats
   • Width: 550.5 cm 
   • Legroom: 734 cm 
   • Space between seats: 914 cm 
   • Space between face to face seats: 1018 cm

Wi-Fi connection available with special prices: 6.50€ for one hour / 13€ for the whole trip.
Access to the bar-buffet car.

Thalys Bar
Thalys Bar service is available in coaches 4/14/24. This bar and food counter, is open for the duration of the journey, serving a variety of food and refreshments; breakfast,  warm and cold dishes, sandwiches, desserts, warm and cold beverages as well as organic and fair trade products. Mastercard and American Express are accepted for a minimum purchase of 10€.
Travellers can also purchase tickets for public transportation networks in the Netherlands, Brussels and Paris

Fares
Thalys services can only be booked up 90 days in advance.
Thalys tickets to Brussels also have an any Belgian station option (see Any Belgian Station section. below).

Fare application:
Adult: fares available in 1st and 2nd class
Child (4-11yrs): available 1st and 2nd class
Youth (12-25yrs): available in 1st and 2nd class
Senior (60+yrs): available in 1st and 2nd class
Travellers ages are based on age at travel departure date

Fare types: 
Full Flexible: 1st Class only. Fully flexible, unlimited exchange in Europe and 100% refundable before departure and fees apply after.
Semi Flexible: 1st and 2nd Class. Exchangeable once in Europe before departure, refundable before departure fees apply, nonexchangeable or refundable after departure.
Non Fleixible Fare: 2nd Class only. Non exchangeable and non refundable

Passholder fares:
Available to holders of rail passes which include all countries passed through on the applicable Thalys journey.
Customers are not allowed to purchase a first class passholder fare with a second class pass.

Exchange/Refund
Exchange and Refund Policies vary depending on the type of fare purchased. When exchange/refund is possible, penalty fees may apply for some fares. Exchanges and refunds, when possible, can only be arranged by the issuing office, upon presentation of the original tickets, up to 2 months after the train departure date.

Cancellation fees will apply to fares.

Check-in and Immigration Procedures
There are no check-in or customs procedures before boarding Thalys trains.
Ticket control and passport checks will occur onboard the train.
To ensure the prompt departure of national and international high-speed trains, all passengers must be aboard at the latest 2 minutes prior to the departure time, after which time access to the train cannot be guaranteed.

Any Belgium Stations
The "Any Belgian Station" (ABS) fare enables travellers to benefit from a special price for a journey in Belgium, in continuation (or just before) the Thalys journey. ABS fares includes both the Thlays and the Belgian segment, for a minimal cost. ABS ticket allows travel on local Belgian rail network from the day before your outward Thalys journey, or until the day after your return trip. There is no need to make a reservation for the local Belgian train journey.
With the ABS fares, your international Thalys ticket is valid for 1 journey between any of the stations on the national Belgian network and one of the following stations: Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid, Antwerpen Berchem/Antwerpen Centraal or Liège-Guillemins.
ABS fares are not offered for passholders.
ABS fares are NOT VALID for trips on ICE or Eurostar within Belgium.

A Thalys ticket departing from or arriving at Brussels-Midi is also valid for any regular (non-Thalys) train to Brussels North, Central, Luxembourg and Schuman stations. Thalys ticket departing from or arriving at Antwerpen Centraal (Anvers) station is also valid for any regular (non-Thalys) train to Antwerpen-Berchem station.

Rail Protection Plan
Many rail passes and tickets are non refundable and cannot be reissued, our Rail Protection Plan offers peace of mind knowing that you are financially covered if things do go wrong.