annakarina

We are finalizing our plans for August. We were going to Amsterdam and Paris last April, but decided to wait till August. Bought our tickets to land in Spain for 2 weeks then head to Paris for another 8 days. After realizing that temperature in Spain esp in the South could reach the 100s, we decided to cut it short to 1 week and stay around Madrid and do day trips from there (Avila, Segovia and Toledo).

So, there is that extra week to spend in Amsterdam. First, would anyone recommend Ryan Air for the flight from Madrid to Amsterdam? Secondly, is 1 week too long to stay in AMS? We are thinking of visiting Antwerp for the day and then travel to Bruge for 1 night before catching the Thalys to Paris.

I've read the forum about train tickets (Thalys vs Intercity). I've looked at sites that were recommended. What is the difference between http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/ and http://www.nshispeed.nl/en? Do I need to buy tickets in advance from these websites? I know that with the Thalys we have to.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

yk

1) Are you sure Ryanair flies between Madrid and Amsterdam? I checked and don't see such a route. According the whichbudget, only easyjet flies it:
http://www.whichbudget.com/routes/MA...amsterdam.html

2) I don't think 1 week in Amsterdam is too long at all. It has lots of world-class art museums, and the city itself has plenty to offer. Also, you can easily do day trips from Amsterdam.

3) http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/ is the official website for Belgian Railways. You should use it to look up train schedules for travels within (or starting in) Belgium. http://www.nshispeed.nl/en is the website of Netherlands Rail system.

4) The only ticket you need to buy in advance would be the Thalys ticket, as you should be able to buy discount tickets in advance.

Hope this helps.

annakarina

Thanks, yk. You are right. Ryan Air flies to Eindhoven and not to Amsterdam. I guess we'll have to use EasyJet. Do you have any experience with them?

PalenQ

For Thalys tickets also try the www.thalys.com official web site. For tickets in Belgium and Holland not involving Thalys trains just buy them as you go along - price is usually about the same and as there are no seat reservations mandated or even possible on trains you will always be able to board. Check out these fantastic IMO sites on rail travel in these countries for lots of great info - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com. Thalys tickets unless you score the very limited in number deep disconted tickets can cost a lot more than regular IC trains between Amsterdam and Antwerp and Brussels - the IC trains are not that much slower and have a flat fare structure that is generally a lot cheaper than Thalys if you do not far in advance score one of the deep discounted Thalys tickets.

If you arrange to leave for Paris from Bruges you need not bother with the Byzantine Thalys fare structure but can take a regional train from Bruges to Lille in France and then a TGV train from there to Paris in about the same time as going via Brussels and changing to a Thalys train. And the Bruges to Lille to Paris fare is again much cheaper if you buy it in Bruges - from Brussels to Paris direct you only have the Thalys trains and to get a good fare on them you must book far in advance and have a non-changebale non-refundable ticket.

november_moon

We spent a week in Amsterdam with one day trip to Delft - we didn't see everything we wanted.

hetismij

nshispeed is the Dutch site for international trains, www.ns.nl is the site for Dutch trains.

annakarina

Thanks you all for the help...

Still searching for a not so expensive one way flight from Madrid to Paris. Any help?

yk

Are you saying Easyjet is too expensive, or are you searching airfares on the major airlines only?

I've never flown Easyjet but will do so later this year. Lots of people have flown with them in the past, you can search for easyjet here.

annakarina

Has anyone used Transava.com ? I found a flight from Madrid to Rotterdam...How far is Rotterdam from Amsterdam?

Also found a flight with EastJet. Thanks.

annakarina

PalenQ,

I followed your recommendation. Thanks so much. The TGV fare is definitely less than Thaly's. How much is the fare from Bruge to Lille? Which site do I go to to find this out and the timetable/schedule?

Do you think I should buy the Amsterdam-Bruge (Intercity) tickets already from http://www.nshispeed.nl/en?

What hotel would you recommend in Bruge? We are staying at the Hotel Pulitzer in Amsterdam.

Thanks.

PalenQ

I can only try to answer your train questions as I know diddily about hotels. But the train fare Lille-Flandres station (there is also the Lille-Europa station next door but it does not have trains to Bruges and is not served by many TGVs, most of which go to the Lille-Flandres station so be sure of that!

I'd say the Lille to Bruges 2nd class train fare would be no more than $30 but to find exactly try the Belgian Railways web site -www.b-tourrail.com - I am not sure if that is the corrrect site spelling so will check it out and get back to ya! There are no seat reservations even possible on the Lille to Bruges trains so just buy this flat-fare ticket once in Lille.

annakarina

Thanks...PalenQ, I don't have to buy tickets in advance for the TGV fare from Lille to Paris?

PalenQ

No you do not have to but I would buy them once I got to Paris - that TGV line is not nearly in demand IME as some other ones where trains can be full - and with hourly or so Paris-Nord to Lille-Flandres TGVs I cannot imagine not getting ducats even right before the train - and if going first class I have never seen this type of train full in that class. You can get some discounted tickets at www.voyages-sncf.com and save a bit but also lock yourself into a specific train but you will have your ticket and need just show up for the train - cancel the ticket yourself before getting on the train if it is a full fare ticket - in the 'composteur' (sp?) machines at the entry to the platform or if not doing so they will not be valid.

annakarina

PalenQ, thanks a bunch..

Set

Transavia is very comparable to other lowcost airlines such as easyjet. Will work out fine for a short flight such as the one you are planning. Rotterdam to Amsterdam is about one hour by train. If you want information on travel options from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, you can use http://journeyplanner.9292.nl/

annakarina

Thanks, Set...I've already booked with Easyjet from Madrid to Amsterdam. but, now I know that Transavia is another option for next time.