Thalys Premium Class - Amsterdam to Paris at 300 km/h
Вставка
- Опубліковано 26 лип 2024
- Get Surfshark VPN at surfshark.deals/winginit - Enter promo code WINGINIT for 83% off and THREE EXTRA MONTHS for free!
Check out my Europe by Train Bright Trip guide: www.brighttrip.com/europebytrain
There's only one way to sensibly and responsibly go from Amsterdam to Paris...and that's with Thalys, the high speed train. In this video, I test-drive their top rank Premium product to see what it's all about. Come along for the ride and enjoy this superb European railway trip. Amsterdam-Centraal to Paris Nord at 300km/h and in 3h20m is not to be sniffed at! It's faster and better than the plane...
Missed my video to the Scillies? You can watch that splendid little trip here: • Would YOU fly this tin...
Merch store: teespring.com/stores/wingin-it-3
Follow my trips LIVE on Twitter: @paul_winginit ¦ / paul_winginit
Follow my progress on Instagram: paul_winginit ¦ / paul_winginit
My website: www.winginit.me
0:00 Intro
0:50 Journey overview and alternatives
1:43 Amsterdam-Centraal station
4:22 NS International Lounge
6:26 Arrival of Thalys PKA train
7:22 Boarding Thalys Premium Class
8:04 On time departure
9:38 Seat tour and seat amenities
10:33 Fare breakdown and definition of classes
11:04 Thalys Premium meal service
11:40 Loo on the move
12:50 Leaving Rotterdam and luggage space/accessible loo
14:47 Antwerp, and 300 km/h!
15:30 SECRET Thalys mobile office??
16:30 Brussels
18:08 Arrival announcement, and arriving Paris-Nord!
Join me on PATREON where you'll get perks like AD-FREE EARLY ACCESS viewing of all my trip report videos, my tips and tricks for hacking fares, my "best of the month" airfare rundown, and MORE...support me: / winginit
If you want to find out more about my future plans and join in conversations I have about travel, follow me on Twitter: @paul_winginit.
Make sure you have your notifications set! 🛎
_____________________________________
Do you have any ideas for future trip reports? Something you've never seen on UA-cam before? Why not suggest it to me in the comments? I read every single one! 👍🏻
Enjoy the video, and thanks for watching. If you subscribe, then thanks for being part of the channel!
#paulstripreports #vlog #review #flying #travel #aviation #avgeek #trains
♫ I use Epidemic sounds; give it a try: share.epidemicsound.com/paulwi...
**DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE!**
Merch store: teespring.com/stores/wingin-it-3
Another advantage of train vs plane (that you wouldn't have known about) is for wheelchair users - being able to stay in your wheelchair and not risk it being put in the hold of the plane also makes the trip less stressful. We've always had excellent passenger assistance at Amsterdam and on Thalys in general.
Oh I agree. Virgin broke my daughters wheelchair when we flew to Florida. It was very stressful. The lovely hotel got their maintenance guy to fix it free of charge. My heros.
Yes. Much more dignified and civilized.
Hope they didn't actually put the person in the hold with it. :/
@@BPJJohn 😂🤣🙈
@@andypandy7769 by that logic if man were meant to cross oceans he'd have flippers.
Yay! Paul Lucas is back.
"Belgium has nearly as big a problem with graffiti as I do with the autofocus on this camera" - Mr. Lucas, 2021.
Paul thanks so much for your work producing these wonderful videos. Cheers from Montana, USA
You did forget the "It's all over the place" bit. But yes, that did make me chuckle, too. :-D
That hurt. But he's right, unfortunately. Even if it's not as bad as most of the Balkans or Italy, it's still quite bad, and deserves more attention. Especially when the windows are plastered by spray paint, it's really claustrophobic inside, a d it just looks so very unattended.
we love good graffiti, it's only keeping the trains save for the enjoinment!
how to keep the bad people out? rate them here?
Montana, USA? name one local artist please, or is suburbia killing all creativity?????
@@barvdw Spaniard here. At least you still do something to fight it and clean your trains and streets regularly. Over here, authorities and basically everyone else has competely given up. Graffiti has taken over our trains, roads, cities, and nothing is done anymore. It's appalling and very depressing :(
@@barvdw On normally dull gray concrete slabs next to the rails I really don't mind it as long as it's not offensive and somewhat aesthetically pleasing, when it's on the trains or on actual architecture it annoys me way more
I want to take my grand-children, who have never traveled outside USA from North Carolina, by train around Europe in 2022. Thank you so much for reminding me how swift, uncomplicated, ground level train travel is for newbie-USA teen travelers.
If you enter The UK be mindful our trains would be a bit shocking compared To European Trains that is if you catch them when staff aren't on strike.
@@lorddarlo6194 really?
sncf are always, always on strike. started usng the ferry to hook of holland as an entry to europe or th edieppe ferry because sncf are so uninterested in going to work. and once you are on the old ie non tgv network its all pretty run down.
db are always late, i have a huge pile of stamped and restamped tickets. every london-germany trip seems to require running for totally different trains nd different routes because the train sat at aachen for some reason or didnt turn up at brussells midi or sits on the koln bridge and just wastes time.
sncb are all filthy
renfe are okas are fs for high speed, but then they would be because germany, britain and france built them a swanky new system. the old network in spain was pretty run down last time i used it and the train was cruising along at 70 miles an hour with the vestibule doors open which was novel.
@@andrewyoung749 In comparison our trains aren't that bad
The train travels with my grand parents have been one of the most emotional experience of my childhood. Grand parents with grand children on a train is a very poetical aspect of the life.
6:46 I love those brake squeals.
Watching this video from a Polish Pendolino train with the onboard WiFi :D Great video and the Thalys is how international railway travel should be handled across all of Europe :)
Thanks! I hope to be in Poland sometime this winter 😀
@@Paul_Lucas Very cool, I look forward to watching your videos! Poland is a rather underrated destination :)
Totally agree! Eurostar was nearly as good as Thalys but far more expensive per kilometre.
The 'mobile office' in the premium cabin at 15:30 used to be 'Le Salon', but Thalys stopped selling this product a few years ago.
Aha, thank you!
@@Paul_Lucas I think also on the nomination to be removed when they go for renovation (soon?)
In the 'mobile office' is available a 'secret' door joining the locomotive!
Every time Paul posts videos of amazing high speed rails in Europe, I cry in despair in USA.
I love the unmistakable sound of a TGV pulling into a station, it's timeless!
Ah yes, those typical brakes sound!
Nice to unexpectedly see my picture of the NS icm koploper reddit at 4:11 in this video. Now I can say I have (unwittingly) contributed a little bit to one of your video's. I always enjoy watching, keep up the great work! 😀
Aha! Thank you for taking it! It was the best one I could find 😀
koploper, in House IC 1972 material, comfort above practicality.
I don’t actively seek out train videos like I do flight reviews but I have thoroughly enjoyed all of your rail content! Really nice job, well done Paul.
4:43 I have stayed in that hotel, the views of the lines are fabulous. And the hotel staff were more than glad for us to be in the railway facing rooms than the city view rooms
Having specifically chosen the Ibis in 2017 for it's rather unique location, I can vouch for its coolness. There are rooms towards the ends that oversee the tracks on the far end from the platform, so you can see quite a distance when it's not raining... And the passage-way definitely has some breath-taking views and I've spend more than one rainy evening just musing at the passing trains. Quite amazing, and very affordable. Of course the rooms are quite basic, but that's not the point, is it now? Too bad they don't have direct access to the platforms.
I love traveling by train in The Netherlands! Amsterdam Centraal is so beautiful. I find everything easy to find and signage easy for me to follow. Love seeing this video and makes me wish I was allowed to fly in from the United States. I miss Europe immensely.
Lovely video as per usual. Thanks for wingin' it! On a side note - I did the Thalys Premium Class once between Rotterdam and Paris. An enjoyable ride for sure.
Also, did you know that pretty much all of the electrical energy consumed by the NS is renewable? That's pretty sweet. Another tip - there are 72 hr passes that allow public transport including rail in the greater Amsterdam area including Schiphol, so one can stay in any of the amazing hotels away from the city center and still make it there in record time...
Hey Paul, another great travelogue.....In August 2019 I travelled by train from London to Florence stopping for up to 3 days in each of Antwerpen, Paris & Basel - It is so much easier to travel by train and once I can leave Australia, I'll be back to travel more widely by train. Love the speed, efficiency, convenience and costs compared with, as you have rightly pointed out, the time and inconvenience of travelling by plane.
I used this same trip in 2011! The speed was incredible. Especially when on the way back from 300 kph to zero after we hit the emergency brakes!
Great to see another train video! I just took this very trip last week, with the SNCB/NS Intercity on the return to Brussels; both very good trips and I am planning to return on the Thalys again for trips to Paris and the ICs to various Dutch day trips from Brussels.
Loved the google maps rendering of the stations in this one Paul. Always loved your work!!
I was so inspired about this video that now, at the moment, I'm sitting in Thalys first class from Amsterdam to Paris!! Thanks for great videos Paul!!
I travelled all the way from York to Budapest by train, only 4 trains and 25hrs including sleeping time. York - London Kings cross St Pancras, St Pancras - Paris (Eurostar), Paris - Munich (TGV Duplex) with time to visit a restaruant in Munich for dinner, and Munich - Budapest sleeper. wonderful experience and as a result I now always travel to Europe by train.
Thank you for another *superb* report, Paul. I'm actually impressed by the sound barriers you reference around 12:12 - in that they're transparent. I'd the pleasure of riding the Shinkansen from Tokyo to/from Kyoto 20 years ago - amazing experience, but Japanese high speed lines are surrounded by similar barriers of concrete - I was surprised how little was visible through the windows, for much of that journey.
Also enjoyed your coverage of Platform 2 at Amsterdam CS... that (and the 'secret staircase') was my daily commute to work for several years, *long* before lounges appeared there - and before the Ibis built out.
Which reminds me of one quick anecdote - I checked into the (then) new Wynn Hotel in Vegas, and declined the offer of upsell to a room that looked out over The Strip. "But Sir, our rooms at the back don't have a view!" Nonsense - I'd say I could see more of McCarron International than even the guys in their tower... my wife despaired about ever getting me to leave the window!
Keep up the good work; looking forward to seeing your next adventure.
Whilst the scenery may not be the most striking, I'd sooner be alongside it than above it. Bravo! Your video once again confirms what I've long since supposed, that travel by rail is the most civilised form of transport 🙂 Many thanks indeed.
But the prices are often more expensive on the train.
@@iSimonLyon no doubt. It is just a personal preference 🙂
Maybe in the US people on airplanes go wild for no reason. Because i flew a bunch of times in Europe and there were no karens on my flights.
Hi Paul.
I can't believe how noisy the brakes were when the train pulled into Amsterdam.
But I noticed inside the train it seemed to be definitely alot quieter.
I think, if I was lucky enough to be in Amsterdam, I would definitely take this train over a plane !
Just the simple fact that there is more space to move around would be enough to convince me.
Great to see you back again !
The intercity I get from the Midlands of England down to London has brakes which are scary-noisy outside but can't be heard inside, too.
Great vid as always, did this journey the other way round with my wife and 2 teenage daughters one of the best trips i have had so relaxing and you get to see a bit of the country side as well, think the whole lot for Thalys Premium Class was about €140 for all of us flights were going to be so much more and as you said does not take in to account getting to airport and such, we got on the Thalys at Disney Paris all the way to Amsterdam.
Great to see you out and about again Paul!
I'm stunned to see a practically empty Amsterdam Central Station. I've taken the Thalys several times, never a problem or delay. Thanks for another nice rail video.
The reason that Europe talks up train travel is because intraEuropean air travel is awful - so say MOST European reviewers - not just Paul. (Even more telling, train travel is heavily subsidized - even more than air travel.) Yes - it is everything AMTRAK in the US isn't. However, air travel within the US is everything air travel within Europe isn't. (Again, the opinion of reviewers - including Paul - not me. I have never flown outside the US.) I call it "horses for courses".
@@PGHammer21A err i dont think thats right.
there is a pretty dense network of air routes across europe and its really cheap probably because there are hundreds of airlines. london marseilles (about 800 miles)is currently going for about 12 quid. london split(about 100 miles) about 30 pounds. when i looked at the usa i was amazed how expensive the air travel is.
Thanks for the great video, Paul! I love your train trips!
I enjoyed this video. Thanks for taking the videos of the station and scenery !
I really enjoyed this one Paul which gives me the motivation to do these railway journeys in Europe.
I agree, Paul, taking the train between major European cities (even London to Paris) is a really nice way to travel. Less hassle and, as you pointed out, the total "travel" time is not necessarily longer. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the detailed video and audio. I found it very helpful for planning our upcoming trip.
As always an informative and entertaining report, Paul! Thanks a lot for this.
great to see you back paul lucas
Great journey Paul, loved the video!
Lovely visuals. Thank you for the video!
Love Europe's railway system and the different type of trains
Wow... that's a Palace in Amsterdam, doesn't look like a Train Station. The Main Hall has the same style as that one in Groeningen, which is fantastic. Cool Music and Narration.
The thing with the overhead luggage racks might be related to loading gauge, hence British trains having less space. As for the rolling stock, we could see similar Velaro e320 trains as operated by Eurostar if the Greenspeed merger goes ahead, and the Thalys TGV trains may either be scrapped or soldt to FlixMobility or some other operator.
I don't know if this happeeed on your trip, but usually there's a whole separate trainset standing in Brussels, which forms a double unit with the Amsterdam portion.
At least you seem to have had a better Thalys experience than David Frankal did in 2019 :)
Enjoyed this one. I really enjoy your train videos.
I really like your train pod casts. Thank you for the subtitles!❤ looking forward to more!😊🎉
You sir are as close as I’ll get to travel.😂🤣
Keep on trying on!😊
Awesome as always Paul! Cheers for the video
They have the liveries the Swedish National train operator should have!
the yellow and the blue is different?
Great video. Nice to see you back
Amsterdam Cantral... in my memory, i ve been there years ago... thanks Paul sharing this video
I love your videos especially the train ones! You are very good at explaining things.
Love that old Train station in Amsterdam .
Since you said that the trains need a refurbishment: It's on its way. Originally they wanted to have nearly completed them by now, but the pandemic has delayed the rollout. However, they showed pictures of the first refurbished train about 2 weeks ago. The colour palette remained largely the same, but it's all been freshened up and modernised and they promised that the seats will be as comfortable as the current ones.
Another landmark not to miss on your route: As the train approaches Antwerp you can see the Antwerp Havenhuis on your right. The building is designed by Zaha Hadid and resembles, not entirely coincidental a ship sailing on the horizon when seen from the train.
Ew Belgium.....
she did the transport museum in glasgow. she said it resembles the cities prospects over time. she clearly had a sense of humour because th egraph nose dives on the right hand side lol
Another great video! I loved taking the Eurostar from Brussels to London back in 2019. Hope one day to do more in Europe.
Great double bathroom footage; it made up for the lack of such in the last video. Disableds all the way! Nice trip.
Progress, progress, progress. We had hot meals for any class on British trains in the early 80s. ;) Smooth rides too, and even more space than that in 1st class. BR went downhill very fast and hard. But anyway, it's clear there's a lot to like about this train service, and I'd love to see Amsterdam central station some day. And, as I realised near the end of the video, I'm finding virtual train rides almost as nice as real ones. :)
I liked the graffti/autofocus line. :)
Lovely journey Paul!
Love your train trips. Enjoy the scenery so much. Thank you
More train videos please, Paul! BTW great musical taste and nice trick with the train braking into Brussels and the following music ;)
Love seeing all these trains Europe has to offer. Even with a cold meal, I'd be pleased.
Again great video!!! Paul Lukas is by far the best travel experience reporter on this planet. grtz from belgium
Amazing video as always Paul!😸😸
Thanks Paul. About to do the same trip soon and your video walked me through every step. Much appreciated.
I agree…Amsterdam is one of my favorite train stations. Just stunning, & so well-connected to many modes of transit
One of my favourite Cities in the world
The best thing is that its connected to multiple cycle lanes and has parking space for 1000's of bikes. The parking is free for the first 24 hours and after that only 55 cents a day!
Gare de Liège is more beautifull
Not much to see in Ams, only the Hermitage museum in the past, now broken his relations with the hermitage in st petersburg
Premium class is now too expensive, if you wanna pay 110 euro in stead of 60 euro in first class, you get some food. I usually take 1st class, but why pay 50 euro for cold food. BRING YOUR OWN FOOD WITH YOU ON THE TRAIN.....
Excellent report Paul.
Great to see the Netherlands featured so nicely!
Great to have another top video
It's always good to see you video
I took Thalys from Utrecht to Brussels to Paris. Visited major museums in Amsterdam and Paris. Visited Louvre, Champs de Elysses, Notredame, Monte Matre, Eiffel Tower....
Great video - highly informative
Excellent commentary!!! Thank you for sharing your journey.
great video mate. cheers
Nice report ... thanks for the ride.
I prefer trains to planes, time permitting. My motion sickness is the problem with planes.
You're a very good tour guide Paul! :) Thanks.
Thank you Larissa!
do short trips only then!
i never recommend longer trips on trains! 8 h max! then take your time off!
@@lucasrem I love trains, it's the plains that I dislike because of my motion sickness. Boats and ships are also a no-no for the same reason. I just avoid them whenever I can. Sometimes I can't because I live in Australia and when I need to travel overseas to see friends or relatives, I have to take the plain but now with Covid restrictions that's not likely to happen in a hurry.
Thanks for your concern. 🤗
@@OmniaInNumerisSitaSunt Are you afraid of flying too ?
@@makeachaininthecommentsect7953 I think everybody is afraid of flying to some extent. It's always on the back of your mind when you board a plane. It's the motion sickness that's more debilitating for me. I just stock up on ginger tablets, they work for me. 😀
I just now finished watching a review of the brand, spanking new Thalys upgraded coaches. I don't think they are quite in service, yet. But it was cool seeing you talk about some of the premium features that have been improved in the new upgrade...based on feedback from people just like yourself. Your meal service was more complex...but it was a longer trip. It all looked fantastic.
Pretty sure I was standing next to you at Kings Cross on Monday morning🤣 cracking video as usual.
That was fun!
Yes, this is a train ride I’d love to take!
Loved the 70s cop show music for the seat description. This needs to be a Thing!
Finally a new tripreport!😍 even better its a trip from the Netherlands! I always look forward Watching your videos and I hope you Will once make a video to/from Groningen, a beautiful city in the north of the Netherlands, its very popular Among dutch and European students but unfortunately not (yet) among tourists. From Amsterdam Schiphol AirPort its a 2 hour direct train ride to Groningen with the iconic NS ICMM😁
Great video, Paul!
Not yet refurbished I see and great to see the lounge in Amsterdam from inside. I've been to the lounge in Rotterdam more often, basically the same though.
As always a great review Paul. Thank you.
Thanks for that, did this very trip pre Covid and it’s shocking how empty the stations and trains are.
Our premium carriage was full at the time with perhaps one or two seats not occupied
Great video !!
Great explanation about why trains are in some case the better choice compared to flying. Exactly a point I often make.
It's amazing to see you did the trip report from Amsterdam's historic station to Paris's busiest and oldest station :)
And in very dirty state , feels very unsafe .
except that st lazarre is paris' oldest station, opened 30 years before nord
@@Sydney2217 theyre about to revamp it. some crazy scheme where the mound of land to the east will contain a new ticket hall and youll enter or exit that way. was always pretty dodgy looking out front. has those video shops offering 'zapping' which isnt as porny as my younger self imagined
Noticed you had the right coloured mask on for this trip! Great video as always!
Always like travelling on Thalys
Very enjoyable, Paul - I know it’s Covid time but there were so few people on that train!
A simply superb episode, a group of us are talking about using trains to travel across Europe going forward, this just adds to this idea, thanks.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy it! Travelling Europe by train is great.
@@Paul_Lucas I've used high speed trains in Spain and Italy while on holiday, but looking forward to using them for international trips ☺
Boy was my experience different! We went in early November with our party comprised of a 93 year woman, a woman with Parkinson’s, our one and only healthy person and myself, someone who was feeling horrible at the time. It was very, very crowded! None of us were used to train travel so most of the time getting to the train was spent in mild panic. However once on the train the travel was quite enjoyable. I would do it again IF I can convince my sister to carry a lot less luggage.
Another great video. Thank you!
Thanks for the video 👍
Paul great vlog !
Train is the more relaxed méthode for sure
Those hotels are definitely a necessary visit item in the future item
your video is very useful and your narration is superb with most relevant details. many thanks
I have traveled on this train several times. It was always packed with people.
Love your work!!!
Nice video! Did you know that the first class carriages of the Thalys are always on the 'Paris side'. When you arrive at the Gare du Nord terminus station, you have to walk the least far to the city! ;)
the cabin at the end of the train used to be a space for police/army, usually had places to attach handcuffs as well. Probably repurposed as an office space in first class now.
Much better to travel by train!
Great review - thanks. Trains make so much more sense than planes for trips of this length...both time wise and in terms of the environmental impact.
those older tgv sets look much better than the new ones. mean looking.
Epic train
Perhaps Amsterdam CS is the "most visited.." Dutch Heritage site because it's an active railway station of the nations capital?🚉 🤔😜