I have non-flexible plans to travel from Amsterdam to Paris on September 29, 2012. The following message appears on their Website:

Works on the high speed line will impact the Thalys circulations in the Netherlands in September and October.
Consequences are still undefined.
In the meantime the sales are closed for the following dates :
• 8 and 9 of September.
• 22 and 23 of September.
• 29 and 30 of September.
• 6 October.
• 13, 14 and 15 of October.
• 20 and 21 of October.
Reservations are closed for the following stations: Antwerp, Rotterdam, Schiphol and Amsterdam.

HELP! How do I get to Paris? The IC goes to Brussels, but from there to Paris only trains are Thalys.

You could do as I did take a train from Brussels - a French TGV to paris CDG Airport then the RER into Paris - I did it to sidestep the steep supplement Thalys trains impose of railpass holders but in your case what is wrong with taking the Thalys train Brussels to Paris - many of these begin in Brussels so would not be impacted by any track work in Holland.

You could fly.

OK, I miss read and assumed the whole route was cancelled. I will definitely go to Brussels via regional train and then from there to Paris on Thalys.

Thanks for your help both of you.

The IC route is only about one hour longer I believe than if they Thalys were running - actual travel time but you must add 'dwell' time in Brussels Midi - if not in a hurry throw your bags in a station locker and spend a few hours seeing the highlights of Brussels (a statue of a boy peeing and also one of Europe's grandest town squares).

I'm not sure the Thalys is running from Brussels on your date - I had a look at the site and Brussels to Paris was blanked out too.

If you are going to have to change trains a lot then look at flying.

why would Paris to Brussels be affected by track work in Holland - most Thalys trains only go Paris to Brussels and via Brussels to Cologne, Germany - makes no sense Paris to Brussels would be affected but...

www.bahn.de clearly shows that trains are rolling hourly between Brussels and Paris on Sep 29, 2012 - Thalys trains that is so no problemo - hop an IC - flat fare train with no reservations possible Amsterdam to Brussels and book your Thalys ticket ASAP to get the lowest fare.

If you are going to have to change trains a lot then look at flying.>

even if you have to take an IC train to Brussels then change to Thalys it could well be quicker than flying and probably a whole lot cheaper - figure time getting to the airport and then having to be there an hour or so before your flight - then at other end waiting for bags and then having to get into Paris - any time savings would be negligible and planes at CDG are notoriously late as well - you could sit on the tarmac waiting for a gate to open in my case several times and then once there you have to perhaps do a long walk to the RER station, wait for the next train - well IMO forget flying - and also what do you go to Europe for - to see the lay of the land between Amsterdam and Paris like you will on the train or just see tarmacs and airports like with flying.

I like the idea of train to brussel central, stow bags, see grand place and mannequin pis, perhaps lunch and on to Paris on thalys.

How do I get from central station to midi to catch thalys. My AMS train arrives at central, then I go sightseeing for a few hours, then have to train. From central to midi. To catch Thalys.

If I get thalys ticket can I hop on at central station?

Trains shuttle constantly between Brussels Central and Midi (a k a Zuid or South) stations - but unless you have an ABS fare in conjunction with Thalys ticket you would have to buy a ticket from Central to Midi - a euro or so - but just buy an Amsterdam Centraal to Brussels-Midi ticket and this allows you I believe to stop off at Brussels Central and then re-board any train to Midi. Not sure but that is the way those tickets usualy work.

Or best solution of all,go to Paris one day early on the 28th,, an extra day in Paris is always a bonus!!