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Thalys

2.3 (75 reviews)

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Sue S.

We took Thalys trains twice on our recent trip to Europe - once from Amsterdam to Brussels and back the other way. Overall it was fine. Our trains were on time. They got us from A to B on time. Our longest trip, from Amsterdam to Paris, took more than three hours. I slept the entire trip (we hadn't seen a bed in almost 24 hours at that point) but my husband said the food and beverage service was very good and he enjoyed it. The train cars were OK but maybe a little dated and a little run down. We also had multiple trains canceled due to the ongoing Paris worker strike, and cancellations/rebookings were OK but probably more complicated than they should have been. Because of this, we were forced to book the final leg of our trip on EuroStar and I have to say that comparatively, the trains on EuroStar were much nicer and better maintained. If price is your biggest driver, take Thalys. It'll be fine and get you to where you're going. But if you want the nicest, most comfortable train, I would have to say EuroStar was better (but also more expensive).

Buying full fare @135 euros one way, PAR-AMS, and Thalys places us + many, many others on luggage floor by toilet.
Hank D.

This is how we full fare payers sit. 135 euros for one way PAR-AMS to sit in luggage car on floor by toilet. Thanks from us six in this car, and at least 10 others in cars adjacent to us. Don't even ask us for a seat preference if you overbook this many passengers. You unethical, non-customer oriented, unsafe carriage company. PS your WiFi doesn't work either.

Use an app!  Cool train!
Rob Y.

Superb public transportation!! Get the app, and get on the train! You can get drunk on the train if you like. The internet is kinda like dial up, so you should use your WiFi mobile hot spot. There are charge points so much appreciated. *****If you miss your train you may get on the train if you talk to the railmaster (the guy with the hat)

Comfort 2 seating
Abigail S.

Here's what I've learned from using the Thalys high speed rail recently, from Paris to Essen and the Hague to Paris: **It's cheaper to buy your tickets through their website than at the station (at least 10-20 euro, or more). And as others have stated, the overall prices are cheaper the further in advance that you book. **Security check-in procedures are vastly different, depending where you get on. In Paris, you and your luggage are scanned, airport style. In the Netherlands, I just hopped on. No passport checks, nada. Strange. **If you're traveling in 2nd class, bring your own food. The cafe car is expensive, and the options may be diminished by the time you get there. Basically lots of super salty or sugary junky selections. **The free WIFI in the 2nd Class cabins maxes out at 100 MB of data for your journey. After that, you are barred from further usage. **Power outlets for charging devices are helpfully installed in all seats. **Especially if you buy your ticket at the last minute, you may not get an assigned seat at the point of purchase, and have to wait in one of the cabin luggage areas until the train departs to find an empty seat. Kind of a clunky system for when they overbook. **Even though there are a lot of budget airlines in Europe, you have to factor in baggage fees, airport transport fees, and the time it will take you to get to and from the airport. For me the upfront cost of the Thalys outweighed being nickle and dimed on an Easy Jet or Ryanair type flight experience.

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5 years ago

Half the time I use Thalys they have severe delays. I don't know how this level of incompetence is even possible.

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Thalys Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Thalys

“The seat was extra comfy for the 3 hour 20 minute high speed rail ride.”

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Eurostar - Train station

Eurostar

2.7(187 reviews)
0.1 km•Gare du Nord/La Chapelle, 10ème

Overview: very quick to get thru security, quite organized, and many options to choose from to eat…read moreat especially in the early morning ---- I had a train from Paris to London which departs at 7:09am and scheduled to arrive at 8:30am. The ticket tells you what time to aim to be at the station by 6:09am. It was pretty easy to navigate to from Gare du Nord, I didn't see signs for Eurostar specifically, but they had symbols of a train and a UK flag which led to the right place. Tickets were kinda expensive especially buying them not far in advanced I heard that the earlier you buy them the cheaper they are. There were a lot of people for this first train of the day and they are separated by country nationality and then into multiple lines to consolidate on space. You first scan your ticket, then do a passport scan, followed by another passport scan and then you go through security where they x-ray your bags. After all of the security measures there is a large waiting area with many seats spanning the length of the station, in between are different little gift shops and food areas along with seats and charger ports. With the departure so early, there are a lot of places to grab a quick breakfast or coffee to-go. And there are a couple of gift shops for last minute Paris souvenirs... like this GIANT Remy for 59€90, or a mini one for €10! Super cute plushies and a large variety of breakfast foods (sandwiches and pastries) available. ---- Overall: easy to navigate and board as an American, follow the symbols and get there early just in case!

I've taken Eurostar between Paris and London a few times over the years, and I remembered it being…read morerelatively painless back in like 2010. It's still nice to take a train from central Paris and end up in central London, and probably worth some aggravation to avoid the hassle of airports. But it isn't cheaper, and it kind of sucks. We took the Eurostar from Gare du Nord to St. Pancras last month and had a pretty unpleasant experience. Brexit may be partially at blame for the long, slow line at customs, but surely Eurostar can do something about their staffing to speed things along. It took longer to get through than any airport security I've dealt with in several years. The train was fine, unremarkable but comfortable enough. I didn't want to be on it, though, for something like two bonus hours. We were delayed due to an unspecified incident near the tracks at Lille, that the announcer referred to as a "tragedy" during one of his many mushy updates. We were eventually rerouted and left the station over an hour after our scheduled departure time, and took a slower route that avoided Lille. I have since looked up this mysterious tragedy in Lille, and the only references it to it online are related to this Eurostar delay. My boys were excited about going through the chunnel, but the actual passage felt like any other tunnel. I guess we can say we've been through it, at least. The ride was otherwise not the easiest with two kids, starting as it did with over an hour of sitting in place. My three-year-old was also sick that day, something we discovered when he threw up in the customs line. He proceeded to throw up twice more on the train, once on me, and once in the bathroom, where my husband had the pleasure of cleaning the floor with what he describes as half-ply European toilet paper. I guess that part isn't Eurostar's fault, but their nonsense certainly didn't help. I'm glad the train got us from point A to point B, but I'll avoid taking it again in the future.

Photos
Eurostar - E300 Eurostar Classic

E300 Eurostar Classic

Eurostar
Eurostar - Coffee menu

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Coffee menu

Gare de l'Est - TVG terminal

Gare de l'Est

3.8(85 reviews)
0.6 km•10ème, Canal St Martin/Gare de l'Est

Love this beautiful metro station. Built in 1849, you can just imagine all of this history that has…read moretravelled on these tracks. For the Paris Olympics, it was so easy to use this station to get to the venues. Follow the pink directional signs or the app to navigate your journey.

The Gare de l'Est (East Station) is two train stations: one being part of the Paris Metro line,…read moreconnecting Lines 4, 5, and 7 and the other being the one of seven Paris mainline stations supporting TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) going to various cities in Europe. My nephew and I had planned a weekend trip to Luxembourg, and this station was the origination of the 2.5 hour high-speed trip, beginning early on a Saturday morning. We came from different places in Paris using Metro, and met up here. The walk from the Metro part of the station to the main central holding area takes a bit of time, with need to closely follow signs pointing to Gare de l'Est. About 24 minutes before the scheduled departure of our train, the platform number came up on the big board. At that point, we used the QR code from our purchased ticket to pass through the security gate of the platform. Then it was a long outdoor walk parallel to the train until one finds the correct car. We left right on-time. We came back to the same station from Luxembourg, and it was a simple matter of reversing direction back to the Metro side of the station to get back to our dorm/hotel.

Photos
Gare de l'Est - Another view

Another view

Gare de l'Est
Gare de l'Est

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Station Châtelet - Les Halles - Center

Station Châtelet - Les Halles

2.7(15 reviews)
2.1 km•Châtelet/Les Halles, 1er

The world's largest underground railway station, the Station Chatelet - Les Halles is located…read moreunderneath the Westfield Forum des Halles shopping center. It's also the most convenient place to take a connection from the Paris Metro line system to the RER airport lines. Loaded my final trip for 2,5€ on my reloadable metro card on the morning of Day 7, taking line 1 to stop Chatelet. I made a mistake here: knowing I needed to connect to RER Line B, I couldn't find any signs so ended up going outside. Google maps seemed to indicate that, but thinking back, I am realizing that there must have been an underground connection between them. Navigating the outside with luggage in the rain was difficult. But after entering the shopping mall, I just followed the signs for RER. I found a machine to purchase an airport ticket, but it refused to work with my card that I had been using all along on Metro (it had the airport option grayed out...which was frustrating...showing that it was the right machine, but that I was doing something wrong). The only option was a bus to the airport which I definitely did not want. I then began to wander around until I found a staffed office. I tried to explain my situation to the older gentleman..he scanned my ticket, got exasperated (I think with the situation, not me) and told me I needed to go a ticket office to get it fixed. I was going to leave, but then a younger woman intercepted and told me she could fix it. She took my card, did 'something' to it, and then told me I could use the machine now. Sure enough, when I scanned the same card, it now gave me the option to purchase an airport ticket (13€). There is definitely something strange about how you can have the right paper ticket, but if it wasn't initially set-up a certain way, it won't work in all case. Not a good thing for a tourist. I paid the $15.18 (13€) and used it to scan through the gates (which were for all RER various lines). I then followed the signs for the airport line. I boarded the first train that came, and it ended up being OK. The journey took a while, going through five stops to terminal 2. Most people got off before then. I got off at the last stop, and had to scan my ticket to exit before I could enter the airport. Got to the airport station by 11:33. I had left the hotel around 10:15 so it takes a while...an Uber would have been around $35 for the journey. I'm glad that I experienced it, especially since I was by myself. But I see the use of Uber when in Paris next time.

This is a nice and big metro station with all the shopping stores around. However everything is so…read moreexpensive. They have AC inside. You have t pay €.70 euro for bathroom. Very crowded

Photos
Station Châtelet - Les Halles - Outside

Outside

Station Châtelet - Les Halles - Station

Station

Station Châtelet - Les Halles

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My Driver In Paris by Stéphane Nancy - 10th Anniversary!

My Driver In Paris by Stéphane Nancy

5.0(122 reviews)
6.2 km

Stephane Nancy provided impeccable service throughout our trip. He was highly responsive,…read moreprofessional, and went above and beyond to create a customized Champagne tour that perfectly matched, or exceeded, our expectations. While we booked our own cellar tours, Stephane helped us optimize the itinerary, recommending the best route, timing, and stops to make the most of the day. One of his best suggestions was to visit one cellar in Reims and the other in Épernay rather than staying in a single town. This allowed us to enjoy a scenic drive through the picturesque vineyards, visit the iconic Avenue de Champagne, and stop in Hautvillers, the charming village of Dom Pérignon, where we took in stunning views over the Marne Valley and the surrounding vineyards. Those thoughtful recommendations turned an already exciting day into an unforgettable experience. Stephane also recommended several lunch stop options, including Le Bellevue Restaurant & Bar inside the Royal Champagne Hotel in Champillon (which is the one we selected). It was the perfect choice, with exceptional food and sweeping views over the Champagne vineyards--one of the most memorable meals of our trip. The little touches he added before and during our trip made all the difference. He greeted us with fresh croissants to start the day, and after one of our cellar tours, he surprised us with delicious bakery treats for an afternoon pick-me-up. His attention to detail and genuine hospitality made us feel incredibly well taken care of from start to finish. We were so impressed with Stephane's service that both my friend and I immediately booked him again for our airport departures. His local knowledge, professionalism, reliability, and warmth truly set him apart. If you're looking for an outstanding private driver in Paris or the Champagne region, I can't recommend Stephane, or one of his colleagues, highly enough. He played a huge role in making our trip so special. (As a note, I had Mr. Do for my airport drop off because Stephane was already booked for my friend who had to leave earlier than me for the airport. Both of us appreciated the extra guidance both drivers provided to take us into the departure terminal, guide us to the self-service VAT (Value Added Tax) refund kiosks to get us on our way!)

From start to finish, it was perfection personified. I appreciated everything about my flawless…read moreexperience. From the initial inbound greeting, to the transportation and drivers, I was so impressed with each and every aspect. They truly care about their customers and exude in providing a first class customer service undertaking. I highly recommend for a stress free and a seamless arrival and departure experience. Job well done.

Photos
My Driver In Paris by Stéphane Nancy - Photo of the top of the car during our tour

Photo of the top of the car during our tour

My Driver In Paris by Stéphane Nancy - Mona Lisa at Louvre Museum

Mona Lisa at Louvre Museum

My Driver In Paris by Stéphane Nancy

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Musée d’Orsay - Starry Night Over the Rhône, 1888, Vincent van Gogh (October 2019)

Musée d’Orsay

4.6(1k reviews)
3.0 km•Musée d'Orsay, 7ème

Spectacular museum! Amazing art and beautiful setting. I loved the impressionist art…read more Definitely worth visiting.

I've been to Musée d'Orsay twice over the years and have left both times feeling awed by what I saw…read moreand rueful of all I'd so obviously missed. You can't even speed run the place in two or three hours, and you probably need days or a lifetime to appreciate it in full. My more recent visit was earlier this month, with my husband and kids and other sundry family members, who spread out and explored the museum on their own. The d'Orsay opens at 9:30 in the morning and we booked tickets in advance for 10:00 entry. Getting in was quick and easy, and the crowd was pretty reasonable for the first hour or so, which we spent on the fifth floor. By the time we got to the special exhibit on the ground level, around noon, every room was thronged. We didn't make it to the second floor at all. The museum is a global treasure, a beautiful place with a staggering collection of French art, including the world's largest trove of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings. The d'Orsay was once the Gare d'Orsay, a Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. It would be worth visiting for the architecture and use of space and light alone. The art, of course, is genuinely amazing. If you have even a passing familiarity with paintings as a genre, you will walk around the d'Orsay going, "Oh, THAT's here?" I saw multiple paintings I'd encountered in jigsaw puzzles, or on the covers of Debussy piano books. Manet, Cezánne, Gauguin, Degas; a whole room of Van Gogh, including one of his most recognizable self-portraits and his "Bedroom in Arles" (a very enjoyable 2,000-piece puzzle). Monet everywhere--I guess the d'Orsay owns 86 of his paintings. I loved the mini-exhibit of five paintings of the Rouen Cathedral, and even my six-year-old appreciated, if purely for subject matter, "The Saint-Lazare Station." Our kids, it turns out, do not yet appreciate art, and were in ragged form for much of our visit. Our three-year-old demanded to be carried at all times and kept insisting he didn't like "these pictures." (He also objected to his first nude, "The Bathers" by Renoir: "Why aren't they wearing any clothes, even? They can wear pants. They can cover themselves.") We had to take a breather in the underground cafe, with water and snacks, and this gave us enough steam to make it back out to the main floor. We managed to zip through a few of the many rooms lining the main corridor on our way up to the Renoir exhibit at the front of the museum. This part of our visit could not have been more cursory, and yet we stumbled upon Courbet's self-portrait, "The Desperate Man"--a cool painting I'd never seen before--and Millet's "The Angelus," a painting I'd learned about at the d'Orsay many years earlier. The Renoir exhibit (Renoir and Love: A Joyful Modernity, apparently just ended) was spectacular, an expansive collection of iconic paintings displayed for maximum impact. It was also jam packed and slightly unpleasant to navigate with two children on the verge of meltdown. I'd love to go back to Paris and explore the d'Orsay at my leisure. I'm sure it'd also be worthwhile to go with a guide, and perhaps two older, well-behaved children who might get something out of the experience. In the meantime, I'm grateful I've been able to see the place at all. It's a marvelous museum, one of the greatest in the world.

Photos
Musée d’Orsay - Inside

Inside

Musée d’Orsay - The cafe. Nice cookies!

The cafe. Nice cookies!

Musée d’Orsay - Entrance level

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Entrance level

Métro Lamarck-Caulaincourt - Buying tickets

Métro Lamarck-Caulaincourt

4.0(2 reviews)
1.5 km•Mairie du 18e/Lamarck, 18ème

So MANY steps This…read moremetro station was near the hotel. Very easy to use. But.......from the north from the hotel there is an uphill walk and a flight of stairs to get to the entrance. Inside the station there's four flights of stairs to get down to the platform. At the entrance there are kiosks to purchase tickets. These tickets are good for metro, bus and tram. The kiosk takes credit cards and cash. There offer several languages. If you are in the city for several days, I recommend the T+ ten pack. The pack makes each ticket $1.80. Actually all the Paris metro stations were clean and easy to use. Good signage for lines and directions. An electric board at the platform tells you how many minutes the next two trains are out. My last recommendations- try to avoid rush hours, and load the Paris RATP app. It's easy to use and was a great help finding the lines to take. Rode it alone without issues.

Handy. Loads little fun local joints about In The 18ème, surrounding this station. Fresh fruit,…read morelocal businesses, lots brasseries and bars with those quintessential small bistro tables! I do approve. Every time I think of this name, I think of Marius warning the people to galvanize because General Lamarck is ready! I can't help how my brain works. Just being in the moment in taking it all in, especially the terribly romantic hillside of Montmartre, boasting some of the best bakers and winners about!

Photos
Métro Lamarck-Caulaincourt - In 92F, climbing this ain't fun--@ all

In 92F, climbing this ain't fun--@ all

Métro Lamarck-Caulaincourt

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Thalys - trains - Updated October 2026

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