Help with train, RT Amsterdam/Paris
 

Need help navigating how to take the train, where to go, etc.. Really appreciate any help. Forgive me that I need step by step directions.. I had a couple bad train experiences in Italy, (my fault, didn't plan well enough) so now I want to be extra careful.

Trip is in April - Two adults plus two teens traveling.

Arrive into Amsterdam (Schiphol) from London at 2:05pm and need to take a train directly to Paris. A week later we need to go from Paris back to Amsterdam Centraal. The train back to Amsterdam, we'd like it to be around noon or 1pm. More leeway there, as there is no rush or flight to or from..

Can we take a train to Paris directly from Schiphol? I did not see a Schiphol departure listing on the Thalys site. Also if our plane from London arrives in Amsterdam at 2:05, when can we expect to be able to get the next train? I am assuming we should leave time in case of a delay, etc. Especially since once I buy the tix from the Thaly's site, they are not refundable. I don't want to spend and extra 200E for refundable tix.

Have you looked at Dutch Railways -http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/home?

That shows Thalys direct trains from Schiphol to Paris, and also an intermediate service changing at Brussels to pick up a Thalys service there.

You can get a Thalys from Schiphol, no problem. 15.34 seems to be the closest departure to your arrival time, but that may change as you cannot book tickets for April yet.
Similalry for the return leg there are trains at 12.22. 14.22, 15.22 and 17.22 but again not yet bookable and subject to change.

Keep an eye on the site and you may be able to book them at bargain rates when they do become available.

Check https://treintickets.nshispeed.nl/d-...eferences.html too. Tickets are from €35 pp (single) if you are fast enough.

Er... I've lost the plot. If you're in London, why would you take a plane to Amsterdam to tske a train to Paris? Why not just take Eurostar to Paris in 2 hours 20, from £39 at www.eurostar.com?

Schiphol to Paris takes 3 hours by Thalys, www.thalys.com from €35

Agree - you seem to be making a giant circle versus a much shorter, simpler and cheaper trip.

Why not go from London to Paris and then to Amsterdam?

man_in_seat_61, it's a long story .. Suffice to say, a stupid mistake that we won't be making again. If we could bounce that leg of he flight and take the Eurostar instead, we would. There was a mix up with dates and apartments and the plane trip was booked too far in advance without other details in place. Ugh. The whole flight plan for this trip was a huge cock up, so much wasted time. But after we realized it, it was too late to change without massive fees. :( Should have come here *before* I made the plans.

At any rate, thanks for the advice on the trains to and from Paris. Next time we will plan more carefully.