I will be traveling from Amsterdam to Paris on a Sunday in early June, and though I won't bore you with the reasons, I'm uncertain as to what time I can leave. Since my schedule isn't set, I would prefer to buy the ticket at the station on that day. Is this too risky? If so, I can always go ahead and make a reservation on a late train and hope to exchange it if I can get to the station earlier. Any advice?

I would recommend a reservation for a Sunday train in June from Amsterdam to Paris. The problem with that route is that it is only served by Thalys and a seat reservation is required. So make sure you can catch your train before plucking down your cash.

There are more frequent services by changing trains in Brussels. No seat reservations are needed for the hourly intercity trains from Amsterdam to Brussels. Thalys trains from Brussels to Paris are more frequent than those from Amsterdam to Paris, though seat reservations are still needed.
Your strategy to reserve on a late train, then try to change it if you want to go earlier, is the best one.

Thanks so much for your answers. I will take your advice. I do have one more point to clarify. If I go to www.europeanrailguide.com/ and make a seat reservation, it appears that they Fedex it to me. I then present the reservation at the station and pay for the ticket there. Is this correct? I really appreciate your help.

HI UN,

>make a seat reservation, it appears that they Fedex it to me. I then present the reservation at the station and pay for the ticket there. <

It seems to me that they send you a real live ticket.

You can also buy your ticket online at www.voyages.com and have it mailed to your Amsterdam address. That way you save the shipping cost.

www.thalys.com ???

Book your ticket at www.thalys.com and print it yourself. No shipping costs. No mailing address needed. Exchange it for a ticket on an earlier train if time allows and seats are available.

How do you get English in Thalys.com? I am trying to purchase tickets and all I see is dutch once you try to purchase.

some folks have said that that's the case. TimS will no doubt know.

jackbref,

If you are bookng a ticket for Amsterdam-Paris which you wish to print yourself, choose France rather than the Netherlands as the country in which it will be issued. Then complete the booking process in English and print the ticket.

If you book on www.thalys.com there is an option of picking up your ticket at the station (in Amsterdam, in your particular case). This is by far the safest because there's no risk that you forget/loose/... your ticket. All you have to remember is the booking number and a password.

Both great ideas. I am trying to complete the transaction through the French site but it does not give me the print option. I am fine with selecting the "Pick up at the station" option per MeriamC's suggestion but at the end of the 2 options it says "In France Only". Would I be able to get these tickets in Amsterdam?

1. try leaving the country default as "Netherlands" instead of France if you want to pick up in Amsterdam

2. don't buy the optional insurance (this negates the print yourself option)

3. I think only discounted fares can be printed at home

p.s. I haven't used Thalys.com; I always use SNCF.com, so I'm used to its format

Travelnut: are fares always the same on thalys.com and sncf.com? Thanks

I did two dummy bookings. When I chose a Smilys fare, I would have been allowed to print my ticket. When I chose a standard fare, I would have had to pick up the ticket "in France only." I presume that means exactly what it says.

Since "Print&Go" tickets are listed at thalys.com for purchases originating in France, perhaps the problem is with the cookies on your (and my) Web browser. We may be identified as living in the US rather than in France.

At any rate, for the price of an international phone call you can book your ticket over the phone and not have to try to decipher the Dutch that appears when you give the Netherlands as the country for the origin of the purchase. Dial 011 (US international access code) + 31 (country code for the Netherlands) + (0)900 92 96. The reason I put the zero in parentheses is that I'm not sure if you'll need it or not. Try dialing without it first.

I don't know if pricing is the same b/t Thalys.com and SNCF.com, but I would think so.

>Travelnut: are fares always the same on thalys.com and sncf.com? Thanks

AFAIK they use the same database.

It's France; everything is centralized