Thalys first class fee worth it with railpass?
 

We are travelling from Bruges to Cochem by train. We have bought a first class Germany-Benelux rail pass. The only train from Brussels to Koln, to connect to Cochem, that runs at when we want to go is a Thalys train. It appears that there is a 10Euro? "pass holder fare" to use a Thalys train with the pass in 2nd class, and 20?Euros to go in first class. Is it worth the extra Euros for 1st class?

My other option is to take the train through Luxembourg on "regular" trains, avoiding Thalys all together. This train takes about the same time, but means we can't stop to see the Dom in Koln.

Thoughts?

These "is it worth it" questions are always hard to answer as it is worth it to some and not worth it to others. Only you can decide if it is worth it to you.

Do you feel it is worth it to be able to stop and see the Dom in Koln? Do you think it is worth it to have a more quiet and luxurious train? Thalys trains are pretty snazzy.

Thalys first class is quite nice. You will get a meal, or at least a snack. Wine is also included. I would not let 20 euro stand in my way.

Thanks to both of you. I know it is hard to say if something is "worth it" for someone else. I have been tossing back and forth on this though, and thought that hearing others thoughts might tip me one way or the other. . .

Well, for what it's worth, it would be "worth it" to me!

We had to make a similar decision for our Paris - Amsterdam sector. We have railpasses and had to decide whether to get 1st class tickets or settle for the 2nd class on the Thalys.

For what its worth, we went with the 1st class, but I won't know whether it was worth it or not until September 12th!

Hi S,

If I have the trains right, the THALYS from Brussels to Koln is only 2hr.

This is well within my guideline of 2cl for trains under 4 hr.

((I))

I rode 1st class on Thalys from Paris to Amsterdam. I paid cash, and it was well worth it.

I got TWO meals- a light breakfast/snack and a more substantial lunch. The car was well-staffed and all service people were multilingual. All food/drink was very well prepared and high quality.

The seats were very comfortable. The ride was silk-smooth. Thalys arrived on schedule. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

20 Euros for a better ride AND the ability to see Koln seems like a no-brainer to me.

If you are spending $2,000 for a couple of weeks in Europe (an estimate that is not that unreasonable), why worry about 1% of your budget?

I agree with others that the Thalys is worth the extra money. Consider that meals are included, you have extra space for your luggage and more comfortable seats. It just makes the overall experience more enjoyable. I was very impressed with our trip just from Paris to Brussels. It's somewhat comparable to the difference between coach and 1st class on a plane.

Thanks. I was quite certain that we'd go for the Koln route, but wasn't sure about the extra 10Euros for first.

It sounds like first on these trains is quite a step up, so we'll go for it. I do understand that seats are limited for railpass users. I plan on booking as soon as we arrive in Europe - about 5 days in advance. Should this be enough, or should I try to reserve from home somehow?

Should be able to book first class without problem - second class could be problematic but probably OK. If landing in Schiphol or Brussels you can reserve at the airports' train stations.
to reserve in US would cost you a lot more - probably a $15 handling fee plus about $29 per seat in 1st class, $13 p.p. in 2nd plus a mailing fee perhaps - significant savings in Europe and you really shouldn't have any problems in first class. The worst that might happen you'd have to take the much more scenic and just as quick route via Luxembourg - a day trip to Koeln from Cochem involves just a short train ride - you could even take the Luxembourg route - leave Bruges at 7:31am, ar Cochem 1:53 or lv Bruges 9:31am ar Cochem 2:53 - check into your hotel and baggage-free take the 1.5 hr rail trip to Cologne, linger there as long as you like and return to Cochem - no reservations are needed on any trains Bruges-luxemb-cochem-koln route and you'll save money - about $50 for 2 people over the 1st class Thalys. I'm not suggesting this but presenting as possibility.


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Thanks PalQ! I have heard that the Luxembourg route is very scenic. If we have any problems with booking Thalys, we will take this route without hesitation. It does save a bit of overall travel time by catching Koln on the "way in", rather than heading there after arrival in Cochem, so I think Thalys will remain as the first choice.

I'd take the Thalys route too - the last time i went first class it was a very good meal to me - some kind of truffle-scented pate, full meal and wine - i've heard that meals may be less now than when i did a few years ago but still - first-class Thalys is the lap of luxury - yes will save you time and you'll be able to try the unique baggage storage system in the Koln Hbf - main station a gargoyle-spitting distance from the cathedral - no lockers here but you put your bags in a compartment that sinks into a mysterious subterranean storage system -automatic - you get a code and when return it sooner or later pops back up - i've never seen one like this anywhere but probably are others, especially in Germany. First thing i do when i get off in Germany for the first time - nab a hot Wurst from a grill stand in the station, followed by a cool beer!

It sounds like Koln might be worth it for the bag storage set up alone! And regardless of what they feed us on the train, I'll be ready for the hot wurst and beer!