Sammie

What's the best way to get from CDG in Paris to Amsterdam? We will then come back to CDG through Brugge or Brussels.

ira

Hi Sammie,

I fear that you will have to take the RER line B to Gare du Nord and take the Thalys from there.

tickets at www.sncf.com

Sammie

Oh, Ira - you fear? What does that mean? Is there a better way - can you tell I really don't know what I am doing? Where is Gare du Nord?

Andre

Sammie,

I think Ira was being a little sarcastic. The RER is a commuter train that is not particularly pleasant, especially when you're travelling with luggage. You change at the Gare du Nord, where it's a rather long walk to the tracks that the long-distance Thalys trains leave from.

Anyway, there is another option: take the Thalys or TGV from CDG to Brussels and change there to the normal IC (intercity) train to Amsterdam. Total journey time is the same and the change in Brussels-Midi is a piece of cake. You can check out all schedules at:
www.rail.ch

Enter "Charles de Gaulle" in the "from" field and "Amsterdam CS" in the "to" field.

If you want to purchase tickets in advance, you may do so at:
www.sncf.com

However, keep in mind that your flight may be delayed, so I wouldn't purchase a deeply discounted, non-flexible fare.

Hope this helps,
Andre

Sammie

Thanks Andre Would I return from Brussels the same way? I have 5 days and thought it made sense to go to the furthest point first and work my way back. Does that make sense? Would it be better to go from Brugge to Paris or Brussels to Paris when I have to head back to CDG? Thanks for the warning about late flights - good point.

ira

Hi Andre,

Thank you for correcting me. I was going to do the connection Brussels, but my weak mind thoght it would not be a good idea>

Sammie,

Andre' is correct. It is easier for you to take the Thalys from CDG to Brussels and then change for Amsterdam than to go by way of Paris.

However, I found that the sncf site didn't respond to "Charles de Gaulle". It does accept Roissy CDG and then asks which Roissy you want.

Choose Roissy (95)

Note that the TGV stop in Brussels is known as midi/zuid/south.

>Would it be better to go from Brugge to Paris or Brussels to Paris when I have to head back to CDG?<

It doesn't matter that much.

You can train Brussels to Brugge, Brugge to Lille-Flandres (not Lille-Europe) and on to Paris or Brugge/Brussels/Paris.

It takes about the same time.

Sorry that I was wrong in my first post.

Sammie

I have to say when we went to Europe years ago (different part) the advice I got here for trains was all I needed. You all are the best source!

I am topping this because after doing some reading I still have a few questions:
(We will probably want to go first class since we will be just getting off a very long flight from CA.)

1. Are Thalys or TGV the same thing? If not what is the difference?

2. If I take that from CDG do I get it right from the airport or do I catch it someplace/somehow else?

3. I understand I will need a reservation and seat assignment for this, if I land at 8:30AM what is a reasonable time to think I can catch that train (carry on luggage only).

4. If I take the IC train from Brussels do I buy that ticket in advance or that day? And if that day, do I buy it in France or when I get to Brussels?

5. After we leave Brussels, if we want to get off in a town, can we do that and then get back on a later train? If so, is there something I should know about doing this?

hopscotch

Sammie,

You started a new thread on the same subject last night. That is poor ethics here. I saw that one first and responded. Here it is:

How much time should we allow to get from CDG Paris to Amsterdam by train?
Author: Sammie
Date: 02/18/2005, 11:55 pm
Message: We arrive at CDG Sunday morning and thought we'd go straight to Amsterdam? How much time should we allow?
Author: hopscotch
Date: 02/19/2005, 09:39 am
Message:
It will be about 5 hours if you don't have too long a wait for your first train. I think you will need to make a connection at either Paris Nord or Brussels Zuid/Midi. Try the Netherlands Rail site at www.ns.nl. The International section may have the info you need.

As for your other questions.

1. TGV and Thalys are both high speed trains, basically the same with different names depending on the route.

2. Thalys goes from CDG to Brussels Midi/Zuid.

3. Do not anticipate or assume. You're there so buy the ticket and reservation when you arrive.

4. You may be able to buy the IC ticket in Paris. It doesn't matter much. In Brussels you can buy an IC or a Thalys ticket from Brussels to Amsterdam Centraal.

5. IC, yes. Thalys, no because you need a seat reservation.

ira

Hi S,

2. If I take [the train] from CDG do I get it right from the airport..

Yes. There are train stations at CDG1 and CDG2.
See http://www.adp.fr/webadp/a_cont01.nsf/$$Affich@ReadForm&cle=X5005A05A4.html

3. I understand I will need a reservation and seat assignment for this, ...

Buy your tickets for CDG/Brussels online as early as 4 months in advance at www.sncf.com (click THALYS)

4. If I take the IC train from Brussels do I buy that ticket in advance or that day?

You can buy your IC ticket upon arrival in Brussels. Trains run every hour on the :46

5. After we leave Brussels, if we want to get off in a town, can we do that and then get back on a later train?

Yes, but you will only have about an hour. If you know that you want to get off somewhere en route, buy a ticket from Brussels to there and another ticket from there to Amsterdam. The price is almost the same.

ira

PS, you can find all of your posts by clicking on your name.

Robespierre

I see there are Thalys trips that go all the way from CDG-TGV to AMS with a change in BRU. They depart at 12:43 and 15:58, and take a little over 4 hours.

<b>http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en</b>

Sammie

hopscotch - Please cut me some slack. I am not trying to double post or do anything against ethics on this board. It is a marvelous tool and I have enjoyed the advise and insight (even for areas I'm not going). It is however sometimes a little overwhelming to try and understand some of these things when you are not a seasoned or experienced traveler. As a consequence, I am sure there are many who end up asking the same thing twice without meaning to ... either they did not understand or things were not clear to them. I spent a lot of time on the rail system webpages as suggested trying to follow what I'd read and still had questions. So I tried again to get on track (no pun intended) to get the answers. I do appreciate all the kind help.

stupify18

Hello Sammie,

i'm planning a very similar trip to yours (landing in Paris CDG and going to Amsterdam then to Belgium) and i was wondering whether you have been able to find the best way to travel from the CDG airport to Amsterdam. Can you give me some tips, will be very much appreciated.
thanks!

leuk2

If you are already at CDG, you could fly KLM/AirFrance to AMS. I don't know what it would cost(not cheap I expect). But would probably be simple. See if it can be coordinated with flight into CDG.