European Railroad Discussion > Masstricht-Paris service

Next week we will be visting Masstricht, Holland (Netherlands) and want to make a side trip to Paris, France.
Can the entire trip be made by rail?  If so, what are the names of the railroads?
Is is best to contact the railroads directly for reservations or go through a travel agency?
Thanks!
Andy
Jacksonville, FL

You should be able to book the entire thing on line using  the SCNF web site. Or just buy a ticket once you are there and hop on.  

twropr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Next week we will be visting Masstricht, Holland
> (Netherlands) and want to make a side trip to
> Paris, France.
> Can the entire trip be made by rail?  If so, what
> are the names of the railroads?
> Is is best to contact the railroads directly for
> reservations or go through a travel agency?
> Thanks!
> Andy
> Jacksonville, FL


Yes, entirely doable by rail. The trip takes 3 h 16 min with one change in the stunning Liège-Guillemins station; departures every two to four hours (additional departures with a slightly longer running time and an additional change in Brussels Midi are also available).

Operators are Belgian State Railways (abbreviated NMBS in Flemish and SNCB in French; the logo is a blue letter "B" in an oval) from Maastricht to Liège-Guillemins and Thalys (a joint venture of NMBS and French National Railways, a.k.a. SNCF) from Liège to Paris Gare du Nord (if you opt for one of the trips with two connections you'll also be on an NMBS train from Liège to Brussels).

The entire trip can be booked on both the NMBS or SNCF websites rather easily (I find the NMBS site easier to use) -- as well as on numerous third-party sites, though that won't save you any money:
https://www.b-europe.com/
https://en.oui.sncf

It's best to book the entire trip in one go, as this entitles you to benefit from the European Rail Passenger Rights in the event of a missed connection.

Let me know if you need any more help.

pennengineer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> twropr Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Next week we will be visting Masstricht,
> Holland
> > (Netherlands) and want to make a side trip to
> > Paris, France.
> > Can the entire trip be made by rail?  If so,
> what
> > are the names of the railroads?
> > Is is best to contact the railroads directly
> for
> > reservations or go through a travel agency?
> > Thanks!
> > Andy
> > Jacksonville, FL
>
>
> Yes, entirely doable by rail. The trip takes 3 h
> 16 min with one change in the stunning
> Liège-Guillemins station; departures every two to
> four hours (additional departures with a slightly
> longer running time and an additional change in
> Brussels Midi are also available).
>
> Operators are Belgian State Railways (abbreviated
> NMBS in Flemish and SNCB in French; the logo is a
> blue letter "B" in an oval) from Maastricht to
> Liège-Guillemins and Thalys (a joint venture of
> NMBS and French National Railways, a.k.a. SNCF)
> from Liège to Paris Gare du Nord (if you opt for
> one of the trips with two connections you'll also
> be on an NMBS train from Liège to Brussels).
>
> The entire trip can be booked on both the NMBS or
> SNCF websites rather easily (I find the NMBS site
> easier to use) -- as well as on numerous
> third-party sites, though that won't save you any
> money:
> https://www.b-europe.com/
> https://en.oui.sncf
>
> It's best to book the entire trip in one go, as
> this entitles you to benefit from the European
> Rail Passenger Rights in the event of a missed
> connection.
>
> Let me know if you need any more help.

+1 to this and a comment on the Thalys - check your service class, as some of them provide a light meal and you can choose your seats with the direction you want. Book early to get the best seats on the train. Note that in Belgium/France trains are on the left hand side, and the A/C is weak. If you're going in the summer, you might want to be on the side of the train that the sun is less exposed to as you can get pretty warm being in the sun for hours :)

I was in Maastricht in Feb 2013 and again in May 2015. Nice town.

1. SNCB two car EMU at Maastricht's main station in 2013. These venerable units were still running around in 2015. Classes AM50 for "Automotrice 1950" up to AM79 for the last units from 1979.
2. Neat looking Nederlandse Spoorwegen double-deck VIRM, full name Verlengd InterRegio Materieel (Lengthened interregional rolling stock) EMU in May 2005.
3. May 2005, The only freight movement I saw while in Maastricht.

...John Reay, Toronto, ON



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/18 20:51 by newtonville150.

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