Paris is the capital of France and a major international city and popular tourist hub. It is located around 425km south-west from Amsterdam.
Let’s look at options for travel between Amsterdam and Paris by high-speed train, flights and bus.
As France and the Netherlands are members of the Schengen Zone agreement you do not normally need to go through a passport control check when travelling between Amsterdam and Paris.
Amsterdam-Paris by Train (recommended)
The train is without doubt the best way to travel between Amsterdam and Paris. Tickets can be easily booked at the NS International site with prices starting at just €35 one-way.
With large sections of high-speed rail track in place in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, this journey can be made in under 3 hours 20 minutes. You also have the convenience of departing and arriving in the heart of the city – with a generous luggage allowance and free WiFi.
The Amsterdam-Paris train journey is made using the Thalys (operated by Eurostar Group) which runs between Amsterdam Central station and Paris Gare du Nord. The Thalys makes stops at Schiphol Airport, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels Zuid/Midi.
Thalys normally runs up to 11x daily for the Amsterdam-Paris route although service is slightly reduced at weekends.
There are 3 classes of travel on Thalys: Standard, Comfort and Premium.
Standard has 2nd class seating (2-2 configuration) with free WiFi. Food/drink can be purchased at the bar carriage. Standard tickets are refundable and exchangeable up to 7 days before travel; thereafter there are no refunds, but changes are possible for a €15 fee plus the price difference.
Comfort has 1st class seating (2-1 configuration), free WiFi and food/drink can be purchased at the bar. Comfort tickets are also refundable and exchangeable up to 7 days before travel; thereafter there are no refunds, but changes are possible for a €15 fee plus the price difference.
Access is granted to the NS International lounges at Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport or Rotterdam.
Premium is a proper first class product with 1st class seating (2-1 configuration), free WiFi (with more data), complimentary food/drink served at your seat and and free access to an international press app. Premium tickets are fully refundable up to 1 hour before travel; changes are possible right up to departure time with any price difference applying.
Premium ticket holders can access the Thalys lounges in Paris or Brussels as well as the NS International lounges.
All Thalys seats have individual electric power outlets.
Thalys permits 2 pieces of luggage (max 75 x 53 x 30cm, no weight limit) plus 1 item of hand luggage. There are overhead luggage racks and special racks at each end of the carriage for larger items.
Thalys tickets are on sale up to 4 months out and are booked like an airline seat – with a specific seat reservation. Your ticket will have a carriage and seat number.
To secure the cheapest fares you should book as early as possible. Standard fares cost €35-€149, Comfort fares cost €75-€169 and Premium fares range from €150-€220.
If you have a rail pass (such as Interrail or Eurail) then do note that these are only valid for Thalys travel with an additional reservation fee. This currently costs €30.
To sum up the Thalys service between Amsterdam and Paris:
- Fastest journey time between city centres
- Includes seat reservation
- Lowest Standard fares are good value
- Catering available
- Popular – so tickets can sell out
- No competition on the route
Is it possible to travel Amsterdam-Paris on standard trains? Sort of, you can travel from Amsterdam to Antwerp using the Intercity Brussels train – then take Belgian Intercity to Lille Flandres via a change in Kortrijk (2 hours 15 minutes). See our Amsterdam to Lille travel page
From Lille Flandres take a Regional TER to Amiens and then finally take an InterCités (€10 reservation) to Paris Nord. This trip takes around 7 hours 40 minutes compared to the 3 hour 20 minute Thalys. We would strongly recommend just taking the Thalys saving over 4 hours and multiple changes!
The Thalys train is the quickest and most comfortable way to travel Amsterdam to Paris or Paris to Amsterdam.
Amsterdam-Paris by Thalys can be booked here at the NS International site
Flights Amsterdam-Paris
Amsterdam-Paris is a well served air route by Skyteam’s Air France-KLM with non-stop flights between Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) and Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) taking around 1 hour 20 minutes.
Although the flying time is relatively short, when you account for transfers to/from the airports, security and waiting then the Thalys train is undoubtedly the quicker and more convenient city-to-city option.
KLM currently operates 6x daily flights between Amsterdam and Paris using Boeing 737 aircraft. Partner Air France has 6x daily flights using Airbus A319/A320 series planes.
Return fares are priced from around €130 – though you will pay extra for checked luggage.
Schiphol Airport to central Amsterdam is straight forward by train, taking just 15-20 minutes. From Charles De Gaulle you can take the RER train to downtown Paris which takes 40 minutes.
Amsterdam-Paris by Coach
The coach trip between Amsterdam and Paris takes around 7 hours. Although a bit cheaper than the train the journey is significantly slower.
BlaBlaCar Bus and Flixbus normally operate multiple daily coach services between Amsterdam Sloterdijk station and Paris Bercy-Seine. Fares start at €20 one-way.
Amsterdam Resources
Looking for a convenient hotel near Amsterdam Central station? Check out the stylish Kimpton-De Witt which is a short walk from the station. For those on a budget the Ibis Amsterdam Centre is literally on top of the western edge of the station platforms.
The Iamsterdam City Card (1-5 days) offers free entry and discounts to numerous Amsterdam museums and attractions. It also includes a free public transport pass, a canal cruise and bike rental as well. You can order your Iamsterdam City Card online here
Paris Resources
Looking for a hotel close to Paris Gare du Nord? Consider the colourful and well-rated 25hours Hotel Terminus Nord or the Avalon Cosy Hotel Paris Gare du Nord
The Go City: Paris All Inclusive Pass is a 2, 3, 4 or 6 day pass which offers free entry to up to 80 attractions/tours in and around Paris. The 4 and 6 day passes offer the most comprehensive selection of attractions.
This article was originally published in 2010 and has been regularly updated. Last update 14 March 2023.
