Hello,

I am trying to purchase 4 tickets on the Thalys website for July 1 from Amsterdam to Paris. When I get to the booking page and press book (it says ticketless is not available for "mini" fares), it is in Dutch and I can't figure out what to do! I can see that the "mini" fare tickets are available at 3 different times that day, but keep getting stuck. I need advice on how to get this page in english or a phone # to book over the phone.

Thanks!
Michele

Have you tried doing the same thing on the voyages-sncf.com site? However, don't get ticketless if you buy it on the SNCF site, because you won't be in France to pick it up.

I tried the ns.nl site right now and I can get the 25-Euro mini to come up with a Homeprint option. However, my recollection when I tried Homeprint a few months ago, I could not use my MasterCard or Visa successfully. Maybe yours will work. I think that's why I ended up using the SNCF site.

Thanks for the advice WillTravel. Is it possible to get that site in english?

On the Thalys site I did actually get to a booking point with the homeprint option but then I could not get payment with my VISA or MASTERCARD to finalize. Aarghh!!!

Michele

I have not been able to get that page in English, but if I can't figure it out, I use babelfish.altavista.com to translate the text roughly.

Another poster was also unable to get his MasterCard or Visa to work on the Netherlands site.

One option is to use the Belgian site and choose the Ticketless option. I did that successfully for my Amsterdam-Antwerp booking, and I think you can buy Amsterdam-Paris there too. I think I used AMEX there. But I should mention that I got worried about possible restrictions on the Ticketless option after I made the purchase, but everything worked out okay. You should read up on that though, in case you do find a risk involved.

I gave up and booked on what I think was raileurope's US site, because I didn't want to lose the 25 euro price! There is a $18 fee to send me the tickets, but the total cost for 4 of $178 USD is way less than I had thought it would be, so I am happy!!!

Thalys needs to fix that part of their site!

Michele

Hi MS,

Go to www.voyages-sncf.com.

Change the country to Pay Bas (Netherlands).

You are then taken to the Dutch site.

You will be able to buy a 25E ticket on the 14:26.

Your choices are to have it delivered to your Amsterdam hotel or to pick it up at the SNCF Boutique in BRUSSELS.

No online printing.

" For information about tickets to some 1400 European destinations and to order them, call Teleservice NS Internationaal: +31 (0)900 92 96 (0.35 euro per minute). You can pay by credit card (EuroCard, MasterCard or VISA), or by remittance. You will receive written confirmation showing the booking order number a few days after making the phone booking. Your travel documents will be sent to you about a week before departure. If the order is placed close to the departure date, you can collect your travel documents from one of the NS Internationaal sales outlets on the larger stations.

Teleservice NS Internationaal is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please note that booking fees will be charged. These fees are 3.50 euro per person, with a maximum of 10.50 euro per party".

Hope this helps

mark

It wouldn't work very well, in most instances, to pick up the tickets in Brussels, because that's more than halfway through the Amsterdam-Paris trip.

Whenever I use one of those overseas numbers that have a toll charge, like the Teleservice one mentioned of 35 Euro cents per minute, I have used a phone card. The reason is that I'm unsure of how the fee is actually charged to North American home phones.

The RailEurope price is not bad, because it looks like they gave you the lowest fare plus delivery charges.