Thalys high-speed train

Thalys makes over 50 return trips per day and provides links to 17 cities such as Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Liège, Bruges, Ghent, and Cologne.

The Thalys also connects to the Eurostar routes for speedy travel to and from the UK and makes connections to Dusseldorf airport. Thalys trains make the following direct connections:

• Amsterdam - Brussels
• Paris - Brussels 
• Paris - Amsterdam
• Paris - Liège
• Paris - Antwerp
• Paris - Cologne
• Brussels - Dortmund (via Köln Hbf)
• Brussels - Lille

Reservations on the Thalys high-speed train are compulsory. We recommend you make your reservations as far in advance as possible. For Thalys you can book your seat up to 3 months in advance. Your Interrail Pass has to be valid in all the countries you travel in with Thalys.

How to make reservations for the Thalys

You can reserve your seat on the Thalys in the following ways:

• Through the Reservation Service
• Through the Rail Planner App
• Through the website of the Dutch Railways (NS)
• Through the website of the Belgian Railways (SNCB)

Reservation fees

Starting 18 February 2020 Thalys will introduce new prices for the reservations on their trains. 1st class and 2nd class reservations fees will be aligned, meaning there will be no difference in prices. In addition, the Premium class is now exclusively open for 1st class Pass holders at no extra cost. Please note that all seats are subject to availability. If there are no longer seats for Premium class, 1st class Pass holders will be offered a seat in the Comfort class. 

*When travelling from Paris to Brussels National Airport, you'll need to pay an additional €5.

Travel classes on Thalys trains

There are 3 travel classes on Thalys trains:

• Standard class: available for 1st and 2nd class Pass holders
• Comfort class: available for 1st class Pass holders
• Premium class: available for 1st class Pass holders - this grants you access to Thalys lounges and catering at your seat.

Please note that if you want to travel with an international train, you need to be in the possession of an Interrail Global Pass. If you want to take an international train when you have a One Country Pass, you can go as far as the border of the country where your Pass is valid. From here you'll have to buy a point-to-point ticket to cross the border to your final destination.

Added value to your trip

The Thalys is an exceptionally comfortable train, offering free WiFi, individual power sockets, and free newspapers. This is why reservation fees for the Thalys are higher than average. With your reservation you can also enjoy discounts on museums, exhibitions, car rentals and hotels. For more information, see the Thalys website.