Amsterdam to Antwerp on Eurostar Thalys train in first class
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2024
- The Eurostar Thalys could be one of Europe’s best high-speed rail services. But the new owner Eurostar has to fix 5 things in the first class product. Join me on the Thalys high-speed train from Amsterdam to Antwerp in Premium first class. You will experience the lounge, the seat, the service and much more.
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📝 This video is NOT sponsored. I paid for this trip myself. The airline did not know ahead of time that I was going to make a video, and the views presented are my own. Some product links are affiliate links. If you use them I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
🚄 Trip details:
Route: Amsterdam Centraal NL to Antwerp Centraal BE
Date: Oct. 25, 2023
Carrier: Eurostar Thalys
Class of service: Premium first class
Paid with: Cash
🎬 Related videos mentioned:
@SuperalbsTravels on Thalys: • Why I won’t ride Thaly...
My Nightjet trip: • ÖBB Nightjet: Is THIS ...
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⌚ Sections in this video (Thalys high-speed train in first class: 5 problems Eurostar must fix):
00:00 | Eurostar Thalys in first class
00:56 | Amsterdam to Antwerp tickets
02:23 | Amsterdam central train station
03:19 | NS International Lounge at Amsterdam Centraal
04:53 | Boarding the Thalys Premium car
05:47 | Seat features in first class
06:41 | Badly designed coat hooks
07:32 | First impressions of Thalys Premium
08:07 | Meal service in first class
09:30 | Lavatories are old
10:50 | Is this a smooth ride?
11:52 | Conclusion and my recommendation
12:22 | ÖBB Nightjet disaster
📷 Image credits:
Thalys-kaart.svg: Ninostarderivative work: NNW, CC BY-SA 3.0, creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons
🏢 Companies mentioned:
@eurostarofficial
Thank you for your review. Nearly every week, I travel by Eurostar / Thalys from Rotterdam to Brussels. In your train wifi was not working. This is not an incident, it frequently isn't working. However, what irritates me more is that as soon as the train passes the Belgian border, the speed drops from 300 km/h to 150 km/h. So there is an expensive high speed track from the Dutch border to Antwerp, but it is not being used as such. Unbelievable.
What a waste! I got a few more videos of trains in Belgium on this channel. Some of them are pretty miserable.
its very romantic that you still have hope for eurostar/thalys making things nicer. i think that is not a realistic hope. :) but maybe other operators entering the market will change that.
I gotta stay positive about high-speed rail! Let's see how this one develops in the coming years.
The new cabin layout definitely improved some of these points. But there will never be a hot meal service, because the kitchen equipment isn't suitable for this (and they did not modify this). Only the blue Eurostars (to/from London) have a hot meal service in Business Premier, but that is also for a longer journey. I find the cold meals totally acceptable, and quite decent actually.
The "lurch" that you mentioned is a problem on some parts of the Dutch high speed line (it's not a problem with the trains). In the Dutch Intercity Direct trains you can also feel it very well. I'm afraid that's a design issue of the way the tracks have been built there. I never experienced this on any of the Belgian high speed lines, and neither on other European HSLs, like you said.
@@DrErikEvrard Thanks for that additional explanation! Really helpful!
They put up these signs, since its easier and cheaper than solving the toilet issue😂😂😂
At some point in the process, they should have stopped to think what they were doing!
Small clarification on the accessible restroom: the door has two door handles and one opens the door to the inside (as in the video) and the other one opens the door to the outside. And yes that's massively confusing, a lot of people can't work out how to open and close the door at all and give up. Supposedly if the door opens to the outside, you can squeeze a wheelchair in. I've never seen it done though.
Excellent addition. Thanks for clarifying!
Thanks for your excellent review. A sixth issue would be the speed for a train with a supposed top speed of 186 mph. Eighty minutes averaging 75 mph seems a long time for a "high speed train" to travel 100 miles. More semi-high speed like. In the USA its semi-high speed express service from DC-NY averages 80 mph with afew stops. A non-stop 165 mile better premium ride from Orlando to West Palm averages 77 mph on sale for $99.
Perhaps track conditions (which you did address), the two infill stations, and dwell times are a factor. Otherwise, the trip may have been a hour for a minimum average high speed of 100 mph. Sorry about not converting to kilometers. PS - even were the problems and issues resolved 90 euros for premium seems pricey for the relatively short distance.
I definitely want to try the Brightline train soon!
If you receive a hot drink (coffee) then would think that at least the main meal plate should be hot also. Was that two slices of chicken or turkey? That should be hot.
This was chicken, and I do hope they provide hot meals in the future.
There is another big one. Not being able to select your desired seats before paying. When Thalys wasn't controlled by Eurostar you could check if there were any solo seats at the checkout before you paid. Now they tell people to call them to reserve their seats on the phone for an additional 14 euros. Or cancel the tickets if they don't like their seats. Unethical to the core!!
Oh that's pretty bad!