paulapan

Is it possible to travel by train from Reims to Amsterdam ? We have plans to stay in Paris for 4 days, and then go to Reims for the light show, and then onwards to Amsterdam. So, I am wondering if we can take the ttrain to Amsterdam, without going back to Paris..thanks

greg

Plug in your destinations at www.bahn.com to see options. You notice all the options send you back to Paris.

What is the reason for not going back to Paris? If you think it speeds up the trip, it doesn't. Because Reims-Paris is connected by TGV, and Paris-Amsterdam is connected by Thalys, it is faster to back track to Paris.

If you really don't want to go back to Paris, you would have to manually put together itinerary one segment at a time. For example, you can head towards Luxembourg then to Amsterdam. But you will find that Luxembourg->Amsterdam alone would take longer than Reims->Amsterdam via Paris.

progol

I'm not sure if there is any better way than to connect through Paris; I traveled to Lille by train (Amsterdam to Brugge to Lille) but I think these connections are slower than returning to Paris.

Others here may know more specific information, however.

PalenQ

I think you can take a TGV train now from Reims to CDG Airport outside of Paris and then hop a TGV to Brussels from there, chaning to a Thalys train or IC train from there to Amsterdam.

But you may be dollars ahead by going back the 45 minutes or so to Paris - perhaps having left your bags there in a station luggage locker (Gare de l' Est has them so does Gare du Nord) and go to Reims luggage free - lots of see there besides a show - world-famous cathedral, Champagne tours, etc.

The reason you may be dollars ahead is that going via CDG and TGV to Brussels and then changing to a Thalys or IC there is that you'd have three separate tickets to buy and on Thalys direct Paris to Amsterdam just one additional and Thalys fares can be as cheap as 39 euros Paris to Amsterdam - about the same as you may pay Brussels to Amsterdam due to the Byzantine Thalys fare structure -

Reims to CDG would cost money - about same as to Paris but CDG TGV to Brussels could cost as much as the Paris-Amsterdam Thalys train.

www.thalys.com for Thalys booking and booking months ahead to get the limited in number tickets at deep discounts - pay about 100 euros or more more for full fare! And one less change of train, always a pain with luggage.

To price the Reims to CDG and CDG to Brussels tickets: www.voyages-sncf.com - see what the segments cost to compare overall cost and take the cheapest/quickest combo.

For lots of great info on French and Benelux trains I always spotlight these IMO superb sources: www.seat61.com; www.rickstegves.comand www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Thus Reims-CDG-Brussels could be quicker as you do not have to relocate stations in Paris - going from Gare de l'Est to neighboring Gare du Nord for the Thalys - but could be more expensive.

nytraveler

No - you don;t have to go back to Paris - but that is probably the fastest way with only 1 change. Other options have 2 or more changes and take longer.

In europe train systems are often wheel and spokes through the capital and one or two other major cities - staying on the outside of the wheel is usually time-consuming and complicated.

hetismij2

According to NSinternational.nl, and a random date in August it is cheaper to go back to Paris, but could possibly be quicker to go via Champagbe Ardenne, Marne La Vallée-Chessy and Brussel. Not easier with luggage though.

Reims to Paris Est, Paris Nord to Amsterdam is probably easier. Nothing with only one change - you have to change stations in Paris according to the above mentioned website. I have no idea how difficult that is.

PalenQ

Actually with a paucity of direct trains from Reims to CDG there is a train leaving most days at 14:17, arriving CDG Airport 15:03 - leave there on TGV for Brussels, arrive 15:54 - change to Thalys arrive Amsterdam Centraal about 20:40

And if you take the 14:15 to Paris-Est - schlepp you and your bags over to the Gare du Nord, catch a Thalys direct to Amsterdam - voila you arrive at exactly the same time - about 8:40 pm.

So I can see no way it is quicker to go via CDG plus there seem not to be that many Reims-CDG trains but I only did a quick search on www.bahn.de/en - the German Railways pan-European web scheduling site that to me is the quickest and easiest to use.

paulapan

Thank you all, for your replies..it has helped me make a decision !

greg

And would you mind saying your decision? It might not be useful to you, but others who come after you, that might have thought the same way initially, would benefit by knowing if their initial assumptions were valid.

PalenQ

Yes the envelope please!

paulapan

Yes, sorry...I have decided to go back to Paris, seems the easiest way!

PalenQ

Logical choice since you can leave your bags a Gare de l'Est's consigne (luggage lockers - baggage storage) and be care- and baggage-free in Reims - many French stations like Reims do not have left-luggage facilities - only a relatively handful, many be shuttered years ago after terrorism threats.

PalenQ

If you're at all ambulatory and have manageable luggage with wheels you can wheel it all by foot from Gare de l'Est to the practically adjacent Gare du Nord - quicker probably than by metro or taxi and certainly cheaper - but you have to look at a map - if you take main roads they go in a triangle - a much longer walk but if you schlepp up the stairs by the west entrance to Gare de l'Est you will soon see Gare du Nord - a very short walk - but the stairs could pose problems for folks without wheels on their bags.