THALYS from Paris to Amsterdam
 

Sorry but I have another train question.

I checked both the SNCF and Thalys sites, and it looks like their return tickets are less expensive than the one way from Paris direct to Amsterdam.

We only need the one-way tickets.

Has anyone actually both the return tickets and only used them one way?

Thanks again for all the help!

Are you sure about that? What price did you find? Last March I bought myself a one way ticket from Paris to Amsterdam and it was about 90€ and I bought a round trip ticket for my daughter who was returning to Paris and hers was about €130.

But if you really are finding it cheaper for the round trip I don't see why you couldn't just go one way. It's not like the airlines. I don't recall that your name or anything is even on the ticket.

Hi would,

It is possible, if you get a Prem or a Smily fare, for the RT to be cheaper than the one way.

Buy the RT.

You don't have to take the trip back.

If you are lucky, you can sell the other half of the ticket to someone.

Isabel, Ira, thanks so much for your replies.

Ira, yes it was called a Smily return. I thought it was weird that the return was cheaper than the one way, but if we can buy it that would be great!

Thanks again!

This really should not come as a surprise; this is also the situation with US airlines etc.

The nice thing about the Thalys trains is you don't check in or anything like that. You simply walk on the train so if you don't show, nobody would know the difference.

US airlines claim they can figure out if you don't use the return part of a return trip and debit your credit card for violating the tariffs but I don't know if they actually do so.

The "smily" tickets are the cheapest available on Thalys trains.
You can buy a return ticket and only use one half of it...

I'll given you an example...

Eurostar fares from Paris to London

One way.....£149

Return....£60

Imbecilic pricing don't you agree

Don't you sometimes picture the railway execs sitting in an office saying to themselves, "I know, lets see if there is anyone out there crazy enough to buy a one way ticket for more than twice the price of a round trip. I'll bet some people will never figure out they could buy the round trip and throw the second half away. That's a good way for us to make more money -- fool the masses into paying more" ?

I bought 'round-trip- for Amsterdam to Paris at the Smilys fare for 64E per person (compared to 90.5E pp for one-way).
NOTE that these reduced fares are non-exchangeable/non-refundable, whereas the Librys one-way ticket is exchangeable/refundable. So be certain what your schedule is. The reduced-fare tickets can usually be printed on your pc at home or office, too. (look for that as one of the delivery options).