This might sound like a "stupid" question, but it I book round trip and do not to use the return portion, will "they" go back and charge me extra on my credit card (or take my first born son !!?

They might take your first born son, if they could figure out if you took the train. But I can't think of any way they'd know if you did or not. I don't think they go back and double check to see if you showed up or not. The ticket is for your use when you board and they will validate it, but I can't imagine them getting back to you because you "missed your train" and had to drive (hee hee). Relax and just do it.

I've been on Thalys trains where the tickets have never even been checked.You validate it yourself on the platform before boarding and someone may or may not check when your are seated on the train>

Each morning at sunrise in a special ceremony with a great deal of pageantry, parties caught not using their return tickets on the Thalys are simultaneously marched out of their holding cells located deep within the bowels of Brussels Midi, Amsterdam Centraal and Paris Nord stations. They are lined up in front of concrete walls at each respective station that are appropriately labeled: "The Point of No Return". After they are blindfolded, given their last cigarette and allowed to make a brief statement, they are -- well, how should I put it... they are, umm, sent on their way.

You're out of date, Flyboy. Didn't you know that on January 1 of 2003, that concrete wall became a no-smoking zone. No final cigarettes allowed, I'm afraid.

Hi deb,

Unlike the airlines, the trains don't checkto see if you boarded. Buy the cheap RT.