Train from Paris to Brussels

Ok I've read a few threads on travel between these cities. I still have a
few questions.

I'm arriving in Paris on Sunday and planning on heading to Brussels on
Thursday. Do you think if I wait until I arrive in Paris that I will be
able to easily get tickets for myself and my wife to Brussels? This is in
early March so I wouldn't think it would be peak travelling season.

Also I found booking on the Thalys site a bit confusing. Will I need to
depart from Paris Nord and arrive at Bruxelles Midi stations, or are there
other stations in both of these cities that provide direct routes?

When booking online at thalys.com, it asks where the ticket is issued or
sent to. I am in the US and I'll be taking the train from Paris, so I
assume if I specify Paris for that ticket issuance field that I will be able
to pick it up at some train station in Paris when I arrive there. How does
this work?

thanks,

Aaron

In the message ...
"ADK" not@specified wrote:
Ok I've read a few threads on travel between these cities. I still have a
few questions.

I'm arriving in Paris on Sunday and planning on heading to Brussels on
Thursday. Do you think if I wait until I arrive in Paris that I will be
able to easily get tickets for myself and my wife to Brussels? This is in
early March so I wouldn't think it would be peak travelling season.

The demand for Thalys tickets and hence the availabilty of discount fares
depends largely on the time of travel. Even at the last minute you should
have no difficulty in getting a ticket on *some* trains, but you get a
bigger choice of times and better price if you reserve travel earlier - and
see below.

Also I found booking on the Thalys site a bit confusing. Will I need to
depart from Paris Nord and arrive at Bruxelles Midi stations, or are there
other stations in both of these cities that provide direct routes?

Direct Thalys services between Paris and Brussels operate from Paris Nord,
Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy TGV and Aéroport CDG TGV, all arriving in Brussels
Midi/Zuid. The service from Paris Nord is every hour (every half hour at the
peak travel times); there are 5 departures/day from the other stations -
always with plenty of empty seats).

When booking online at thalys.com, it asks where the ticket is issued or
sent to. I am in the US and I'll be taking the train from Paris, so I
assume if I specify Paris for that ticket issuance field that I will be
able
to pick it up at some train station in Paris when I arrive there. How
does
this work?

At the departure stations mentioned above, there are staffed ticket offices
and ticket machines *dedicated to Thalys*. Using the machines requires
typing in your reference number(s) on a touch-sensitive screen (I don't know
if the keyboard layout switches automatically between QWERTY and AZERTY ),
and inserting the credit card used when making the reservation.

BTW several million passengers travel by Thalys every year, so most people
must be able to cope with the sysytem ;-)

Regards,

- Alan (in Brussels)

try www.nmbs.be

ADK wrote:
Ok I've read a few threads on travel between these cities. I still have a
few questions.

I'm arriving in Paris on Sunday and planning on heading to Brussels on
Thursday. Do you think if I wait until I arrive in Paris that I will be
able to easily get tickets for myself and my wife to Brussels? This is in
early March so I wouldn't think it would be peak travelling season.

It is highly unlikely all trains will be booked out on a thursday in
March. Trains leave Paris for Brussels about every half hour. You could
get a ticket at the station without much trouble. Booking in advance can
sometimes save you money though, but not likely if your'e only
travelling one way.

Also I found booking on the Thalys site a bit confusing. Will I need to
depart from Paris Nord and arrive at Bruxelles Midi stations, or are there
other stations in both of these cities that provide direct routes?

Thalys also runs to other places besides Brussels and Paris. That may
confuse you a bit. But you are traveling from Paris to Brussels, so
departure will be from Paris Nord, and arrival in Brussels Midi. On a
thursday there are 26 departure for Brussels.

When booking online at thalys.com, it asks where the ticket is issued or
sent to. I am in the US and I'll be taking the train from Paris, so I
assume if I specify Paris for that ticket issuance field that I will be able
to pick it up at some train station in Paris when I arrive there. How does
this work?

You can pick it up from one of the automatic ticket machines, or pick it
up at the ticket windown in any major railway station, at any convenient
time. For this you will need the credit card the ticket was paid with,
and the booking reference that will be given to you upon completion of
the purchase.

Krist

As an alternative you can depart Charles de Gaulle as well. I think Nord is
likely your least expensive ride assuming you will need taxi per luggage.
Also likely is the availability of a ticket office near your hotel.
Inquire. Last time in Paris it was an 800M walk from us.

At the departure stations mentioned above, there are staffed ticket
offices
and ticket machines *dedicated to Thalys*. Using the machines requires
typing in your reference number(s) on a touch-sensitive screen (I don't
know
if the keyboard layout switches automatically between QWERTY and AZERTY ),
and inserting the credit card used when making the reservation.

BTW several million passengers travel by Thalys every year, so most people
must be able to cope with the sysytem ;-)

Regards,

- Alan (in Brussels)

As an alternative you can depart Charles de Gaulle as well. I think Nord is
likely your least expensive ride assuming you will need taxi per luggage.
Also likely is the availability of a ticket office near your hotel.
Inquire. Last time in Paris it was an 800M walk from us.

At the departure stations mentioned above, there are staffed ticket
offices
and ticket machines *dedicated to Thalys*. Using the machines requires
typing in your reference number(s) on a touch-sensitive screen (I don't
know
if the keyboard layout switches automatically between QWERTY and AZERTY ),
and inserting the credit card used when making the reservation.

BTW several million passengers travel by Thalys every year, so most people
must be able to cope with the sysytem ;-)

Regards,

- Alan (in Brussels)

"ADK" not@specified wrote in message ...
Ok I've read a few threads on travel between these cities. I still have a
few questions.

I'm arriving in Paris on Sunday and planning on heading to Brussels on
Thursday. Do you think if I wait until I arrive in Paris that I will be
able to easily get tickets for myself and my wife to Brussels? This is in
early March so I wouldn't think it would be peak travelling season.

Also I found booking on the Thalys site a bit confusing. Will I need to
depart from Paris Nord and arrive at Bruxelles Midi stations, or are there
other stations in both of these cities that provide direct routes?

When booking online at thalys.com, it asks where the ticket is issued or
sent to. I am in the US and I'll be taking the train from Paris, so I
assume if I specify Paris for that ticket issuance field that I will be able
to pick it up at some train station in Paris when I arrive there. How does
this work?

thanks,

Aaron
*
'Bruxelles-Midi' is the biggest station in Brussels. If you will
go to 'Bruxelles-Central' near the Grand-Place you can use your same
ticket. Il you will go to the European Center, you must go to
'Bruxelles-Schuman' with a local train. You can find some maps and
others informations on http://www.eurobru.com

*

"ADK" not@specified wrote in message ...
Ok I've read a few threads on travel between these cities. I still have a
few questions.

I'm arriving in Paris on Sunday and planning on heading to Brussels on
Thursday. Do you think if I wait until I arrive in Paris that I will be
able to easily get tickets for myself and my wife to Brussels? This is in
early March so I wouldn't think it would be peak travelling season.

Also I found booking on the Thalys site a bit confusing. Will I need to
depart from Paris Nord and arrive at Bruxelles Midi stations, or are there
other stations in both of these cities that provide direct routes?

When booking online at thalys.com, it asks where the ticket is issued or
sent to. I am in the US and I'll be taking the train from Paris, so I
assume if I specify Paris for that ticket issuance field that I will be able
to pick it up at some train station in Paris when I arrive there. How does
this work?

thanks,

Aaron
*
'Bruxelles-Midi' is the biggest station in Brussels. If you will
go to 'Bruxelles-Central' near the Grand-Place you can use your same
ticket. Il you will go to the European Center, you must go to
'Bruxelles-Schuman' with a local train. You can find some maps and
others informations on http://www.eurobru.com

*

The easiest way is to call SNCF at 33.8.92.35.35.39 (33.08... if you're in
France already). Listen and press the number for English service. Then you
can ask any questions you want and book a ticket. They will mail it to you
if there is enough time. Otherwise you will get the booking reference that
you can enter, as in the other posts.

"ADK" not@specified wrote in message
...
Ok I've read a few threads on travel between these cities. I still have a
few questions.

I'm arriving in Paris on Sunday and planning on heading to Brussels on
Thursday. Do you think if I wait until I arrive in Paris that I will be
able to easily get tickets for myself and my wife to Brussels? This is in
early March so I wouldn't think it would be peak travelling season.

Also I found booking on the Thalys site a bit confusing. Will I need to
depart from Paris Nord and arrive at Bruxelles Midi stations, or are there
other stations in both of these cities that provide direct routes?

When booking online at thalys.com, it asks where the ticket is issued or
sent to. I am in the US and I'll be taking the train from Paris, so I
assume if I specify Paris for that ticket issuance field that I will be
able to pick it up at some train station in Paris when I arrive there.
How does this work?

thanks,

Aaron

The easiest way is to call SNCF at 33.8.92.35.35.39 (33.08... if you're in
France already). Listen and press the number for English service. Then you
can ask any questions you want and book a ticket. They will mail it to you
if there is enough time. Otherwise you will get the booking reference that
you can enter, as in the other posts.

"ADK" not@specified wrote in message
...
Ok I've read a few threads on travel between these cities. I still have a
few questions.

I'm arriving in Paris on Sunday and planning on heading to Brussels on
Thursday. Do you think if I wait until I arrive in Paris that I will be
able to easily get tickets for myself and my wife to Brussels? This is in
early March so I wouldn't think it would be peak travelling season.

Also I found booking on the Thalys site a bit confusing. Will I need to
depart from Paris Nord and arrive at Bruxelles Midi stations, or are there
other stations in both of these cities that provide direct routes?

When booking online at thalys.com, it asks where the ticket is issued or
sent to. I am in the US and I'll be taking the train from Paris, so I
assume if I specify Paris for that ticket issuance field that I will be
able to pick it up at some train station in Paris when I arrive there.
How does this work?

thanks,

Aaron