Train Question
 

I just searched on train ticket prices from Paris to Antwerp, and received a price of 163 euros for 2 people. Does this sound right? Sounds ridiculously expensive to me, I went to Germany last year and the same distance on a train there was less than half of that price! I wanted to come up with an estimate for train travel from Paris, to Antwerp, to Brugges, to Amsterdam.

It's not only the distance..it's the kind of train and the fact you are crossing borders also. Is it the Thalys that goes direct ? I don't think it is too expensive then. Maybe if you change of trains in Brussels (shorter Thalys trip and then a regional train) could be cheaper.

Full fare "Librys" is 82 EUR one way, "MEZZO" is 61.5 EUR, "Mezzo Plus" is 45 EUR, cheapest "Smilys" 29.5 EUR.

I believe one-way is Librys only, so if you can find a roundtrip with a Smilys fare outbound on the date you want, you can buy that (with some return date with a Smilys fare) and throw away the return for 59 EUR each person.

BTW, I wouldn't call 82 EUR "ridiculously expensive". Paris to Antwerp is over 180 miles as the crow flies. AMTRAK charges $81 for the about the same distance New York to Boston (and wasted twice amount of your traveling time) on the Acela Express.

SMILYS fares on Thalys trains are round trip tickets that are cheaper than one ways. So if you just searched for one-way you may want to say round trip and see if SMILYS fare is available. These seats are limited in availability however and often go when they come on the system 90 days in advance.
You could check with Raileurope in US to see what they have, but probably more expensive even unless they can book a SMILYS fare - i always suggest calling BETS (800-441-2387) for any RailEurope product as they are experts. But i'd fool around with www.thalys.com or www.voyages-sncf.com to see if there is a SMILYS fare. The cheaper way would also be to take a TGV train Paris-Lille, then Lille-Brussels and Brussels-Ansterp on regular trains, avoiding the Thalys all together. But the 163 euro for two price on Thalys is very believable.

The best combination of speed and price is to take a TGV from Paris to Lille and a regional train from there to Antwerp. Regular 2nd class fare on the TGV is E36.30, but PREM'S booked online up to 90 days in advance are as low as E20. The fare on a regional train from Lille to Antwerp is E20.60.

Hi g,

Have you checked prices at www.voyages-sncf.com?

((I))

Adding to my previous post: Amsterdam-Brugge would be about E40.