Thalys

I am planning my trip around europe and was wondering when is the best time to purchase a ticket. I understand that you must book your thalys tickets before the departure date. I will not be going to europe for more than three months,. Right now the fare for the trip to Bru to Par is not listed on the website because it has to be three months before. MY question is: when is the best time to bnuy the fare. I do not know how it works and if the prices are cheapest further in advance or as you get closer. Also I wanted to know what the average price is for this trip. I was loooking for the vcheapest, economy 2 and sometimes i see it for 70 euros and sometimes 45. SO i just wanted to kow what the best time to buy was. Thanks you.

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Ticket prices are pretty much fixed but the cheaper tickets sell out more quickly. So, the sooner you book, the better. If your dates are set you can book the cheap Smilys tickets. Smileys tickets cost 55 euro roundtrip. In case you need a one-way ticket, the Mini ticket at 25 euro is the cheapest. Note that the availability of these kind of tickets is limited, and that it must be booked at least 14 days prior to travel date. Also note that Smilys and Mini tickets are not refundable, nor exchangeable. The cheapest semi-flexible ticket costs 45 euro. A fully flexible ticket costs 82 euro. Both one-way!

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Thanks Ambroseli,

I am not sure what this Mini Ticket is, I do not see it on the website, but 25 Euros seems like a great price, and yes my dates are fixed so i can get it if i find it. As i said beofre i cann ot buy the ticket until 3 months before and i wont need it until the end of may so i ahve to wait until the end of this month to buy it, but i will try to be the first, although i tried to %26quot;pretend%26quot; buy a ticket for another day and i did not see a mini ticket, let me know.......

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Check out the %26#39;fares%26#39; section. The Mini ticket is the last one on the page.

http://www.thalys.com/be/en/fares

Tickets types that are sold out don%26#39;t show when you make a (simulation) booking. That%26#39;s probably the reason you didn%26#39;t see it.

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Thank you for the help, I did find the mini and it looks great I will book it once I can, (3 months before) I see though that you cant get it online (paperless) I think i have to pick it up at the station, I hope that is an easy procedure. I might feel better having the actual ticket in my hand before I leave. Can i print it out myself or is this a mistake I made somewhere .... also, do i have to create an account, i dont really need one because im not going to be a regular customer, I am just doing one purchase/.? thanks again..... especually for the mini tip....

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Some types of tickets are indeed not available for home printing. I have no idea why not. And yes, for home print you need to create an account.

I, myself, prefer to pick up the tickets at the station right before I board. No risk of loosing or forgetting them.

Make sure that when you collect your ticket at the station, you present the same creditcard that you used for your online payment. That%26#39;s for verification purpose. You will also receive a booking reference that you will have to remember.

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THanks, so basically if i go to the station shortly beofre the train leaves i pick up the ticket right? If i buy the tiket from ams-bru can i pick up the ticket to france when i get to brussles even though i am not leaving until the following day? Is there a special place to pick upt he ticket or is it in all the stations? Are the booths clearly labled? Also, can i pick it up at any station even if i designate a specific one? I know there are a few stations in each city, i dont want to accidentally ask to pick it up in one and then arrive at another.... just trying to get all my info so i have a smooth trip. first time training europe..

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Will you be traveling on Thalys for the Amsterdam-Brussels leg of your trip? Usually (not always, though) the regular Intercity train is cheaper (unless they have the Mini tickets now, too). Journey time is about the same as on the Thalys %26#39;cause the high-speed tracks in the Netherlands and Belgium are not yet operational. The price of a ticket on the Intercity train (single fare) is 34.80 euro. Thalys prices vary but are not yet available.

Yes, you can pick up your (RESERVED!!!) ticket Brussels-Paris right after you arrive in Brussels, even if you don%26#39;t need it right away. All three main stations in Brussels (Central, Nord and Midi) will be able to print it out for you, as it%26#39;s in their global computer system. There will probably be a sign %26#39;international%26#39; or something alike at the ticket counters.

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Well that might be cheaper than the thalys..... do you ahve to reserve the intercity, or do youjust buy it when you get there, because i was going to buy my other tickets online beforehand.

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No, you buy it when you get there. You cannot reserve for the IC.

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Amboseli,

May I ask, when you pick up your Thalys ticket at Gare du Midi, is there a Thalys-dedicated desk, or do you have to queue up with the rest of the world at the main international ticket desks? The ticket queues are very often long at Midi and I wouldn%26#39;t want to have to wait in one in case I missed the train! But if there%26#39;s a separate Thalys desk that should avoid the problem.