I will be traveling from Paris Nord to Amsterdam in September 2009. I have signed up for the ticketless Thalys train at their online sight. Has anyone done this before? Will I get a printout of a ticket by email? What do I show the train conducter when I board?

Also, I have booked the Eurostar from London to Paris and I just printed out my ticket and it was so easy.

I glanced at the ticketless rules when I purchased Thalys tickets Paris-Brugges a few months ago. IIRC, it seems to me you have to have a handheld device (iPhone or whatever) to display the ticketless ticket on. Didn't you get an e-mail confirming the purchase? Should give details.

And yes, I know it's Bruges.

I presume that by ticketless, you mean a ticket that you print yourself?

KEROUAC:
No, I can't seem to print my own tickets. It requires Adobe Reader Blah Blah Blah, which I have, but when I do the specimen to determine if I can, it doesn't show the required "SPECIMEN" PRINTED across the ticket. It says without it is not a valid ticket.

I signed up as a ticketless customer which gave me a code. I didn't realize I needed anything else.

I am not making sense of this and so cant convey my concerns correctly. I want to book myself so I can get the smooze fares.

Am I correct that I can pickup my ticket at the train station PARIS NORD from an agent?

Hi Euro,

Did you print your THALYS ticket?
Does it have your name on it?

If, Yes, that is all you need.

Do you have an email that shows your ticket confirmation number?

If, yes, take it to the ticket agent.

Ira, I have not printed out my ticket. When you go through the process of booking the ticket, there is a button that you click to see whether you have the ability to do so. You are to print out a "specimen" ticket and if the words "specimen" don't show up on the printout they say you are not able to print it correctly and it will be invalid.

This process is right before they ask for your VISA card info.

I am afraid to print it out as I will have to pay for it even if it is not valid.

Have you printed out a ticket before? Did your sample work?

Hi Euro,

You have an email confirmaton with a number on it?

Did you see if your CC card was billed.

If the answer to both is yes, call THALYS Via the Call Centre International in Belgium (except for tickets purchased from a DB point of sale) on +32 (0)2 528 28 50 (from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 8 pm, week-ends and public holidays from 9 am to 4:30 pm).

I printed out the specimen ticket and it did say "Specimen" at various places. Look at the bottom right . It should say "specimen" in white letters on a dark background. The other words "specimen" are very pale against white.

I hope that this helps.



In addition, you can get a refund.
See http://www.thalys.com/be/en/practica.../after/refunds

PS, Yes, I have printed tickets online.

If you bought Smoove, they may not be refundable. I bought 4 for this June, but I have not printed them yet. It sounds as if they are not refundable at all.

Ira: I feel like a real DUMB, DUMB, DUMMY. I have printed out this ticket so many times and I have never noticed the word SPECIMEN in the background. It's like those trick pictures where you see something else in it. My eyes just didn't adjust. I feel like such a stupid person. And I even had on my glasses.

Now I feel so much better. I will print out my own ticket and all will be fine.

Thank you a million times for your assistance. You have been such a help.

Have a great visit, euro.