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Amsterdam - Paris Travel
Paris is the capital of France and a major international tourist hub - located around 425km south-west from Amsterdam. Let's look at options for travel between Amsterdam and Paris on scheduled public transport... |
1. Train
The train is without doubt the best way to travel between Amsterdam and Paris - with the opening of the high speed track between Netherlands and Belgium, the journey from Amsterdam Central to Paris Nord station can be done in 3h 20 minutes.
 | Thalys trains run between the 2 cities making stops at Schiphol airport, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels Zuid/Midi. The cheapest one-way fares (known as "Smoove") start at €35 one-way in 2nd class and €79 in 1st class - you must book well in advance to secure these promo fares. Ticket prices rise closer to travel date - and can go up to €123 (2nd class) and €199 (1st class). |
Seat reservations are compulsory on board the Thalys. Wifi is available throughout the train, free for 1st class passengers who also get a meal served at their seat.
It is also possible to take the Intercity train from Amsterdam to Brussels Zuid/Midi and then take the Thalys to Paris. This is a slower journey (taking 4h 40 minutes total) and the price difference is minimal unless you are making a weekend return, which is good value on the Intercity. This option could be useful, however, if the Thalys is sold out between Amsterdam and Brussels.
[Alternative: If you are in Paris and the Paris-Brussels Thalys is completely sold out you could try the following if you desperately need to travel. Take a TGV from Paris Nord to Lille Europe which takes about 1 hour. From Lille Europe you can either get a TGV or Eurostar to Brussels (35 minutes) and continue from there. Or walk the 500m to Lille Flandres station and get a Belgian rail train to Antwerp (takes 1h 45) where you can connect onto the Intercity to Amsterdam.]
2. Plane
 | KLM-Air France has 12 daily flights from Schiphol to Paris Charles de Gualle (CDG) airport - half the flights are operated by KLM using Boeing 737s whilst Air France uses Airbus A320s for the others. Flight time takes 1h 15 or 1h 25. Expect to pay from €140 for a return ticket. |
Lufthansa also sells flights between Amsterdam and Paris with a connection in Frankfurt. They offer about 10 daily connection possibilities and tickets will set you back from €150.
At CDG you can connect onto the French TGV network or take an RER train into town which takes around 40 minutes.
It should be noted that after accounting for airport transfers, check-in, security and waiting around, the Thalys train is quicker centre-to-centre than flying.
3. Coach
 | Eurolines runs a frequent coach service from its Amsterdam Amstel terminal to Paris (International Bus station Galliéni at Galliéni metro station). Every day Eurolines has 4-6 daytime services and 1 night service. The trip takes around 8 hours. Returns vary between about €28 and €76, and one-ways start at €15. |
Eurolines has sales outlets in Amsterdam at Rokin 10 in the centre and at its Amstel terminal (Julianaplein 5); in Paris the sales office is at Galliéni terminal at 28 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, Bagnolet.
 | Paris
has a wealth of attractions including: Tour Eiffel, the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe,
Sacré Coeur / Montmatre, Notre Dame and Musée d'Orsay. For the best
view of Paris go up the 56-storey Tour Montparnasse. |