Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Köln or Frankfurt),
Rome
(3/day, 17 hrs; from Nord, transfer in
Milan, Zürich, or Paris),
Paris
(fast Thalys trains zip to Paris 2/
hr, 1.5 hrs, from Midi—it's best to book by 20:00 the day before, or
risk limited availability on same day). When booking Thalys (and
similar express) trains to or from Paris, Amsterdam, and Köln,
even railpass-holders need to pay the supplement of €14.50 for sec-
ond class or €20 for first class. The first-class supplement generally
gets you a meal on board. Train info: tel. 02-528-2828 (long wait),
www.thalys.com.
By Eurostar to/from London:
Brussels and London are two
and a half hours apart by Eurostar train (10/day). Fares are reason-
able but complicated. Prices vary depending on how far ahead you
reserve, whether you can live with restrictions, and whether you're
eligible for any discounts (children, youths, seniors, and railpass
holders all qualify). Rates are lowest for round-trips.
Fares can change without notice, but typically a
one-way,
full-fare ticket
(with no restrictions on refundability) runs about
$425 first-class and $310 second-class. Accepting more restrictions
lowers the price substantially (figure $90-200 for second class,
one-way), but these
cheaper seats
sell out quickly. Those travel-
ing with a railpass that covers Belgium or Britain should look first
at the
passholder
fare (about $90-160 for second-class, one-way
Eurostar trips). Eurostar tickets between London and Brussels
include travel to/from any Belgian city at no additional cost within
24 hours of the Brussels Eurostar arrival or departure (not valid on
Thalys express trains). Just show the Eurostar ticket when board-
ing the other train(s).
You can check the latest fares and book tickets by phone or
online in the US (order online at www.ricksteves.com/rail/euro
star.htm, prices listed in dol-
lars; or order by phone at US
tel. 800-EUROSTAR) or in
Belgium (w w w.eurostar.com,
prices listed in euros; Belgian
tel. 02-528-2828). While tick-
ets are usually cheaper if pur-
chased in the US, fares offered
in Europe follow different dis-
count rules—so it can be worth
it to check www.eurostar.com
before purchasing. If you buy
from a US company, you'll pay
for ticket delivery in the US.
In Europe, you can buy your
Eurostar ticket at any major
train station in any country or
Eurostar Routes
