9 Days of Solo Euro Trip
 

Hi everyone,

I have a Euro trip in 3 weeks. It's my first time traveling to Europe and I'm planning on visiting Paris and Amsterdam. The total duration of my stay is 9 days (Round trip flight to Paris July 4th - 13th, 5 nights in Paris, 4 nights in Amsterdam). Would it be easier to fly between the two cities or take the train? I will have a backpack and a carry on.

Here are the two scenarios in my mind:
1. If I book a flight from Paris to Amsterdam, I can leave on July 9th morning and return to Paris on July 13th morning. My plane will arrive to Paris CDG airport around 8 AM and then my next flight from Paris to USA is at 11:20. Would I have enough time between getting my bag and checking in again for my second flight?

2. I take the train from Paris to Amsterdam on July 9th, and return to Paris on July 12th evening. Stay another night probably in an airport hotel in Paris and fly back home on the 13th. This seems like a waste of the last night to me, but I wouldn't have to check in bags or worry about making it on time for my return flight to home.

Any suggestions? Also, if you recommend the second scenario, can you help me with where to book my train tickets?

Thanks in advance! :)
-G

Welcome to Fodors. I would definitely NOT fly in to Paris the morning of your flight home. What if that flight was delayed or cancelled -- if so, your return flight would be cancelled and you'd have to buy a new ticket -- a very expensive new ticket and possibly not for several days since many flights are totally full..

I also would not 'throw away' a night staying in a CDG hotel.

Assuming your flights are already booked R-T home>Paris>home, I would do it this way: On the 9th upon arrival at CDG I would either fly or take the train to Amsterdam. Then after your time in Amsterdam take the train to Paris and spend the rest of the time there. All the A'dam days at the beginning and all of the Paris days at the end of your trip.

Hi janisj - Thanks for the response, that's actually very good thinking. Yes my roundtrip flight to Paris is booked, and unfortunately, I have already booked my hotel for the first 5 nights in Paris too :( I wanted to be in a good location and all the hotels seemed to get booked so fast. I'll email them and see if they would agree to move my reservation to the last 5 nights of my stay. But if they don't, I'll get back on the 12th to not risk losing my flight back home on the 13th.

Any preference/suggestions on flight vs train between Paris and Amsterdam?

Thanks again!

For getting to Amsterdam I'd take the train. For the return to Paris, I'd make my decision based on 1) whether I wanted to stay in central Paris or stay near the airport that last night. The train will go into Gare du Nord, and 2) best fares. But I'd probably be inclined to take an evening flight and stay at CDG.

Thank you!! You are very kind for helping me with this!

I would take the train . . . it's a 3 1/2 hour ride on the Thalys and a fabulous trip through the countryside. The trains are generally on time, but if not, a 10 minute delay.

The earliest train to make your morning flight would be 6:11 a.m., which would arrive at Gare du Nord at 9:35 a.m. Then you could take the RER directly to CDG, which takes about 30 minutes . . . the train departs every 15 minutes.

The only downside to that is there may be insufficient time to make the 11:20 flight. Of course, if you fly from AMS to CDG in the morning, there could also be a delay.

So, if you can't change your departure time to later in the afternoon, if it were me, I'd take a late train from Amsterdam the night before and spend the night at CDG. If you are going Biz class (probably not) you could spend it relaxed in the biz class lounge.

The best suggestion is to take Janis's initial advice and try to change your hotel reservations. You might actually have some luck, because you are leaving Paris on the 13th and hoards of people come to Paris on that day to partake in the Bals that night and Bastille Day celebrations on the 14th. So the bookings will be packed for the 13th and the next few days.

I agree that going straight to Amsterdam would be the better option. If you take a connecting flight make sure to allow sufficient time between the two. However I would recommend taking the train. It will be much more relaxing and you just change trains at Gare du Nord. To make life easy for getting to the airport in Paris, I would suggest staying in Gare du Nord / Gare de L’Est area (or one of the other central Paris stops on RER B such as Chatelet Les Halles). In that way you have an easy train route back to CDG when you depart.

Thalys can be very unreliable. I wouldn't wing it in the morning, but travel the previous night. No worries that way especially if you book an airport hotel at CDG

My colleagues and I used to go to Paris regularly for work and never had a problem with the RER over a 8 -10 year period unless there were strikes and the one it happened to me, I left early. Taxis to the airport can be a challenge at peak times.

uktravelover, menachem, and Surfergirl:

Thank you all for the helpful tips, I wish I knew about this platform long time ago, haha

So, the hotel did not agree to change my reservation but luckily I was able to push my return flight from 11:20 am to 3:30 pm on that same day. Now I'm planning to take the train from Paris to Amsterdam and back. I'm thinking with a morning train from Amsterdam to Paris there won't be any worries on not making it to CDG on time.

Wish me luck! :)

Time to get to CDG on time as long as there is no strike or other delay. ..

Travel early. Thalys has become quite notorious for its delays. And so has the dutch railway system on the high speed line it's using. How early do you need to be at CDG for your flight? 3 hours before? Then you need to be at CDG not much later than 1 PM, travelling from Gare du Nord. Thalys takes about 3 hours from Amsterdam, not much later than 9am, 8 am would be better. I'm very much a peace of mind person, so I would still travel the night before and perhaps train into Gare du Nord from CDG on the RER to have a pleasant dinner and a night in Paris. Also, book on time. Those early morning trains are often the first to be sold out, because people commute.

"I'm thinking with a morning train from Amsterdam to Paris there won't be any worries on not making it to CDG on time."

Ditto Menachem. There could be lots of worries. I personally would not risk being in Amsterdam the night before a flight out of CDG -- no matter what time the flight is moved to . . . Just too risky IF there is an incident on the rail line (it happens) or any other hiccup.

Anecdote from 3 weeks ago -- (this was in southern England but same thing could happen anywhere). About 10AM a body was found on the tracks on the main line in to London. ALL trains were halted and we were subsequently diverted into a different county and then on to a different station in London.

Will that happen every day - nope, of course not. But if I'd been catching a flight out of LHR that afternoon I'd have been completely out of luck. Travel to Paris the night before

I too would be in 2 minds in your position. If I don’t mind losing a night’s hotel bill, I might opt to go the night before and stay in Gare du Nord. Then catch the RER to the airport late morning.
Should you decide to leave Amsterdam on the day, I would take the 07.11. Gives some time for a late running train without the angst.

I meant to add, check your travel insurance cover should the worst happen. What are the terms if you miss the flight?

Good suggestion. Now that the flight's been moved back, that's a very relaxed option.

OK let's settle this! I'll go to Amsterdam on the 9th and return to Paris the night before my flight home, which is 12th. That only gives me 3 nights in Amsterdam but I'd have the peace of mind. Since now I have less time in Amsterdam, do you think a nonstop flight between Paris and Amsterdam would give me more time in the city or the process of check in bags and security in the airport will take just as much as traveling with train?

If you are suggesting the train option please leave a link to where I can book my train tickets in advance.

Thanks a lot everyone! :)

My former Dutch colleagues used to take the train if they wanted to be in central Paris. Schipohl airport is large and busy. With the recommended check in 3 hours before the flight, the train seems to be the best option and it takes you straight to Gare du Nord.

Look at your options on and book on The Trainline or Thalys or Sncf. Not sure if you are eligible for any discount cards or special offers, but check befor booking.

https://www.thetrainline.com/en
https://www.thalys.com/nl/en
https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en

This won't affect this trip, but random readers mght find it useful to know that Thalys changes its name to Eurostar as of October, since the companies merged last year. There will be a new logo, but the color of the Thalys trains will ramain the same.

A flight won't save you time. The reverse rather

Thank you all!

Now that you have helped me this much, can you also give me tips about Amsterdam? I only have 3 nights there so I should be smart about where to visit. What neighborhood is the best to book my hotel in? Also, which places are must see in 3 days?

I'd start with the tram/ferry/train map. Then understand the various ticket systems you can buy into and finally how much money you have. Given that July is close central Amsterdam is going to be expensive. But good news the Universities are about to go on holiday so all the accom in student building, a little out of town, is going cheaper. Some of this accom is clean enough.

The city is not enormous so stay out from the centre and commute in from these areas or even Haarlem.

What to see, well lots of old boats, windmills, art, architecture, diamonds, museums. You coud hire a bike, but note that the rules of the bike in Amsterdam are .... well let's put it like this, they are very good at cycle commuting. You may not be.

Maybe watch a youtube video for the must see's. As far as areas are concerned, depends on what you want from a city. If that is a modicum of quiet at night book outside the canal ring. Although there are places more central that a lot of people of Fodors like. E.g. Residence Le Coin in Doelenstraat. Fire up booking.com and marvel at the steep hotel prices

I haven't been to Amsterdam for ages but what I have learned from reading TRs and other posts on this Forum is that if you want to see Anne Frank's House or the Riksmuseum, book asap.

https://www.annefrank.org/en/
https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en

Just came back here to write to all of you who commented and helped me with this trip: I had an AMAZING time during my ~ 2week trip!! THANK YOU for all the tips/suggestions/warnings! Hope I can give back to the community sometime! :)