Thalys seat assignment hassle
 

We just booked our September rail trip from London to Amsterdam through Eurostar, and were able to change the seat assignment to get seats we wanted on the Eurostar London-Brussels leg. However, we were also assigned seats (no opportunity to actually choose) on the Thalys leg from Brussels to Amsterdam, and they are hardly what we'd have chosen.

Thanks to good folk here, I knew enough to check seating charts via Seat61 (which is a GREAT website), and we've been assigned the last seats against a restroom, possibly both rear-facing and windowless.

I emailed both Thalys and Eurostar, and both said no seats on Thalys could be changed once booked, and that I should talk to the 'train master' on the day-of. Of course, this is a connection (I think about 40 min.) , so we aren't likely to have a lot of time to chase this down and beg. And since it's day-of, I'm guessing the train will be essentially full anyway. There's a major conference in Amsterdam, and it's effectively high season (Sept.)

Aside from being annoyed that we were thrown into potentially the worst seats even though it was the first or second day you could even book that far ahead, I'm wondering if we really are SOOL.

Any suggestions, experience, etc. with this?

Sighhhhh...........

I have no idea if you can change your seats -- however 40 minutes is a really long connection so you'll have plenty of time to see what you can do.

I seriously doubt that there are any windowless seats on the Thalys, and having a solid wall in your back is actually an advantage because you won't have to listen to other passengers' constant blah-blah from behind. So don't worry too much.

40 minutes isn't very long - I'd just put up with it. It will be more hassle trying to track down someone who can help than just staying put. I am actually quite surprised you could reserve seats or see a seating plan at all on a journey of that short a duration.

The train trip itself is more than 2+ hrs., the connection between Eurostar and Thalys is Brussels is only 40 min.

Issue is largely fairly severe vertigo for my partner - once triggered, it persists for at least a couple of hours and sometimes longer. Trying to avoid that and also to avoid bothering/haggling other passengers who are going to see us as "over-entitled Americans" who think everything must be perfect. Don't need perfect, just don't need to make my partner truly, documentedly sick.

And why, one wonders, does Thalys just assign seats 90 days ahead, just as Eurostar does, but not permit changes, which Eurostar will?

It depends upon the reservation system used, but if it's like some of the UK trains, there may be tickets actually in little holders on top of the seats telling you if a seat is reserved, and if so, for how much of the journey. You might thus be able to sit in some unreserved seats (removing your own seatback reservations to free up those seats for others).

Haven't been on the Thalys, but have been on TGV and Eurostar - no "reserved" tickets to be seen, that I remember.

Stay tuned, although if someone happens to have been on a Thalys recently and can tell me how I'll know who the "trainmaster" (is that like a 'beastmaster' or a 'ringmaster'?) is and where to find him(her), let me know.

Is there any point whatever in going to the Thalys ticket window to try to change the seat reservation -- assuming I have time and there's no line?

I think you mean the concierge and I have no idea if your Thalys train will have one or not. Seriously, on a 40 minute journey if you have to walk up and down looking for someone to help, by the time you find them, get a move sorted and get back to your seat it will hardly be worth your while. If it's busy and you need to negotiate a packed buffet car or shop car en-route, you will wish you had stayed in your seat. If you have time before your departure then it can't hurt to ask at the ticket office/Thalys information point but I have no clue whether they will have the authority to help or not - you might be told to try and find the concierge once on board and then you are back to square one.

Apart from the issue of your partner not wanting a rear facing seat (which I am sympathetic to) there is no other reason to assume these are 'bad seats' - you could have forward facing seats in a group of 4 and have someone kicking your legs the whole time, some arse on their mobile right next to you the whole time, or someone hogging all the luggage space. Even if they are the worst seats on the entire train (which I doubt), why is it ok for you to foist them off onto someone else?

Te seats if in carriage 5 are refacing, but have a window.
Without booking directly with Thalys you cannot chose, or change your seat assignment.

Seat 61 has a shortcut for connecting from Eurostar to Thalys at Brussels.
http://www.seat61.com/Europe-train-t...nging%20trains scroll down until you find Which platform at Brussels Midi.

Ok apologies - I see you mean you have 40 mins to check out the seat info - not that your journey is 40 mins. I would be willing to be there will be unreserved seats that you can change to but you will have to sort it out on board - they are unlikely to do that at the station. It may be that tickets are checked by an inspector on board and you can ask then, though could take a while for them to get round to you. If you have 2.5 hours then you will have the time to walk up and down the train to find staff.

Actually, there are window seats without windows in first class. I've been assigned them not only on the Thalys but also on Eurostar and ICE trains. Fortunately, I've always been able to change my seat assignment.

I recall that on Eurostar, the windowless window seats are most likely to be numbers 52 and 22.

40 minutes is a VERY generous connection time at Brussels. The Eurostar platforms are not far from the Thalys.

I was going to say less than 5 minutes -- but Seat 61 says <u>2 minutes</u>.

"<blue><i>Short cut if you're changing onto a train to Cologne or Amsterdam: Be smart! Instead of following the crowd shuffling slowly off the end of the Eurostar platform, look for the down escalators marked Correspondances - connections half way along the Eurostar platforms, roughly level with Eurostar coach 11, see the photo below right. Nip down this to the South Corridor (Couloir Sud) which runs underneath the tracks linking all the platforms, quickly check the indicator boards then nip up an escalator again to the right platform for your onward train to Cologne or Amsterdam. Using the Couloir Sud avoids the crowds and saves a useful few minutes compared to walking round via the main concourse if you've a tight connection. <B>Indeed, I have made it at normal walking pace from the doorway of a Eurostar arriving on platform 2, all the way to platform 20 for an onward train to Antwerp in all of 2 minutes 30 seconds.</B> Note that this short cut doesn't work in the London-bound direction, as you need to check in at the Eurostar (Channel) terminal off the main concourse. You can see exactly how to use this short cut in this London to Cologne video guide, the principle is the same whether going to Cologne or Amsterdam or anywhere else.</blue></i>"

Like Weisser says you may well be able to change your seat assignment even after the train takes off - TGVs I know have sur reservation seats for folks with tickets and no seats - they sell these type of seats to make up for no-shows - if all else fails ask the conductor on the train for a possible change of seats.

and people will get off in say Antwerp too that may free up seats (while others may get on!)

Here's email from Thalys customer service: "We are very sorry to inform you that we are not able to change your seat after the booking took place.

However, you can talk to the Train Manager before departure and ask if there is a possibility to obtain other seats in Comfort 2 with your tickets. Should the Train Manager not be able to designate two seats, you can still try to exchange seats with other passengers on board."

So I didn't meant "Trainmaster," meant Train Manager.