Trains from Amsterdam to Paris

We found that Europe is extremely well connected by train and moving around was very easy and convenient. As a result, visiting several cities during our holiday was straight forward and we maximised the amount of time we had in each.

Amsterdam Centraal is perched right at the top of the city with the canal boats, buses and trams all providing easy access from wherever you stay. We took one final stroll through the Bloemenmarkt (flower market) before catching a tram back to Amsterdam Centraal. Amsterdam Centraal or CS as the locals call it is a beautiful station. Its Gothic meets Renaissance Revival architecture took our breath away on arrival, it does the same on departure with it’s turrets, stone reliefs and artwork glistening in the sunshine.

Once inside, look up to the ceiling for more superb artwork in the ticket hall. Almost immediately as you enter, you’ll need to scan your ticket at the gates. We purchased in advance and used mobile tickets on the Trainline app to enter the station. Once inside you’ll need to use one of three tunnels to access the platforms. Train information is shown on large screens across CS titled “Vertrekkende treninen” (which is “departing trains” in English). Helpfully the train, its destinations, platform number and carriage numbers are shown clearly.

Getting to Paris by train we opted to travel in Premium Class with Thalys – the equivalent of First Class. Not only do you get a comfortable seat with extra space there’s also WiFi, power sockets and a hot meal service.

There was a total of four stations called at along the way, Schipol, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels with barely a few minutes between arriving and departing. For window gazers like me there’s plenty to see out of the window along the way, from fields of flowers and windmills as you pass through the Netherlands to the city centre and historical buildings that make up Belgium’s capital.

In what felt like no time at all, just over 3 hours and 20 minutes to be precise we’d left Amsterdam to our north and arrived right in the middle of Paris at Gare du Nord.
Gare du Nord is a big train station, with a lot of trains heading across Europe including to London, Berlin, Lille, and Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport. We wanted to head down into the city so made a beeline for the exit below the Eurostar terminal and out onto Place Napoléon III.

Paris from here is at your feet and ready to explore. We headed to the hotel first, dropped off our bags and headed for the Seine and the Louvre Museum, home of the Mona Lisa. A trip to Paris also wouldn’t be complete without trying macarons and fresh cream éclairs and you’ll find any number of patisseries as you explore this beautiful city.

About Richard

Richard is one of our trusted, hand-picked travel writers. The information for this article was recorded first-hand, based on his own genuine experience of the journey.