@Whathello, I had wondered about your other name, thank you for elaborating!

@bornintheusa, trains between Paris and Brussels stop at Lille, which is just on the French side of the border. You can get off there but I think you can't use the passes yet (?) because you are not in Belgium (and please correct me if I'm wrong, I've never got off a train in Lille although I have been there). However I think you can get off in Brussels and buy your ticket with the extension 'Any Belgian Station' and it will allow you to go anywhere in Belgium for a reduced rate. There isn't another stop near the border on the Belgian side on the Thalys, which I guess you will be taking. I don't think you can use the ABS extension right from Lille because it is France.

However, if I understand correctly there is more than one station in Lille (again please feel free to comment here!!!), one the high-speed rail and the other the normal rail gauge, and you would have to walk between them with luggage so Brussels might be a more attractive option, as you will change trains at Bruxelles-Midi / Brussel-Zuid, which is as simple as just changing platforms.

Lavandula

Yes Lille has two main stations - Flandres and Europa - former served largely by about hourly TGVs from Paris and local trains

A half-mile away and linked by a dedicated walkway is Lille-Europa, the station for Eurostar trains and a few Thalys/TGV trains from south of France mainly.

Most Paris-Brussels Thalys trains do not go thru Lille and are non-stop Paris to Brussels.

The time to Gent is about the same as Paris-Lille-Gent as Paris-Brussels-Gent but as Lavandula says you can use the ABS (All or Any?) Belgian Stations add-on fare with any Thalys train arriving in Brussels and for up to 24 hours I think and then hop any train to Gent - ABS fare costs about 5-7 euros I think and has to be ordered I believe when you book your Thalys ticket.

Most Paris-Lille trains serve Lille-Flandres and you do not have to change stations if heading for Bruges or Gent - going via Kotrijk where your 10 ticket thing would kick in I think.

Check schedules for time you want to leave to see which route if best for you - book TGV tickets at www.voyages-sncf.com (French Railways) and Thalys tickets at www.thalys.com) - see which one is cheaper. Lille-Flandres-Gent is by IC trains and no seat reservations even possible - just hop on.

Lavandula right about ABS fare not available from Lille in France.

via Brussels seems to be about a half-hour quicker vs via Lille and can be cheaper if you get 29 euro discounted Thalys tickets by booking early enough and then the ABS fare to Gent from Brussels - that's what I would aim for - Thalys trains leave hourly - search www.thalys.com for cheapest ones. Simple transfer in Brussels-Midi (South) station.

Thanks to PalenQ and Lavandula for the train info--looks like going from Paris Nord to Brussels is the way to go with that 29E fare..will just order tickets early to get those great prices. Thanks

You can have cheaper but the train goes slower with Izy.
https://www.izy.com

Quoibonjour: Yes twice as long but a good back up if can't get cheaper Thalys proper tickets - thanks for info about Izy - site did not tell me much about it - why so slower - does it stop between Paris and Bruxelles - just as comfy - have you taken it?

Merci!

Quoibonjour: Yes twice as long but a good back up if can't get cheaper Thalys proper tickets - thanks for info about Izy - site did not tell me much about it - why so slower - does it stop between Paris and Bruxelles - just as comfy - have you taken it?

Merci!

and don't forget to also book the Thalays ABS fare when booking Thalys tickets unless that package of 10 things would cover it cheaper?

Hi PQ.
My daughter took it and from discussed with hostess once. She told me the train follows the same tracks but simply goes slower. Maybe they use older locos and coaches. But she said it was much cheaper to drive much slower.

Interesting - does that Thalys Light also stop at stations along the way? You used to be able to hop on Paris-Bruxelles trains at several places in France and then Thalys comes along non-stop basically.

Amiens for example used to have direct trains to Bruxelles but now according to www.bahn.de/en it takes 3.5 hours and you have to go back to Pairs and catch Thalys or TGVs.

I can't find Thalys Light on bahn.de/en and the link you indicates Thalys Slow is also direct so I guess not.

I do wonder if railpasses are valid on it as it would be a way to avoid the steep Thalys surcharges for passholders - will do some research -thanks for mentioning Thalys Slow!