Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review.
Last summer (July 2023), I enjoyed a phenomenal safari & beach holiday in South Africa and Mozambique, probably my best holiday ever. You can read my trip reports here
- Review: Eurostar high-speed train Premium Class from Amsterdam to Paris (today)
- Review: Air France Boeing 777 new Business Class from Paris to Johannesburg
- Review: &Beyond Tengile River Lodge (Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa)
- Review: Lion Sands Ivory Lodge (Sabi Sand Nature Reserve, South Africa)
- Review: Kruger Shalati – The Train on the Bridge (Kruger National Park, South Africa)
- Review: Kisawa Sanctuary (Mozambique)
- Review: Air France Boeing 777 new Business Class from Johannesburg to Paris
Today: Review of Eurostar’s Premium Class from Amsterdam to Paris
A few weeks ago, I traveled onboard a high-speed train from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Paris Gare Du Nord. Thalys was until recently the commercial name of this high-speed train service between Paris and Amsterdam, but Thalys and Eurostar merged in September 2023. This means there is now one single rail network connecting France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK. Eurostar trains will retain their dark blue livery, while Thalys trains will retain their deep red livery (although Thalys is now branded as Eurostar).
The Eurostar (ex-Thalys) trains are a marvel of technology and reach a maximum speed of 186 miles per hour (300 km per hour). With large sections of high-speed rail track in place in the Netherlands, Belgium and France, the journey from Amsterdam to Paris can be made in under 3 hours 20 minutes. This includes short stops which are made along the way in Schiphol, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels (where passengers get on or off the train). Compared to flying, the Eurostar (ex-Thalys) trains also have the convenience of departing and arriving in the heart of the city – with a generous luggage allowance.
Eurostar (ex-Thalys) offers 3 classes onboard its trains: Standard Class (2nd class); Comfort Class (1st class without food, drinks and lounge access); and Premium Class (fully flexible tickets with complimentary food, drinks and lounge access). Premium Class – which I tried out during my journey – aims at business travelers. My Premiums Class experience with Eurostar (ex-Thalys) felt like a rip-off though: the tired seat, the inedible snacks (and the lack of a real meal) and the underwhelming lounge in Amsterdam were a huge disappointment and did not justify the high cost. I advise to book a Comfort Class ticket with Eurostar since the extras of Premium Class are just not worth it.
Have you ever traveled in Premium Class with Eurostar (ex-Thalys)? If so, what was your experience? Leave a comment.
In this review (more information & photos below my Youtube video):
- Cost of my ticket
- Amsterdam Centraal Station & lounge
- Premium Class carriage and seat
- Meals
- Onboard internet
- Antwerp Centraal Station
- Paris Gare Du Nord
- My verdict (score)
1. COST OF MY TICKET
I paid 155 euro for my one way Premium Class ticket from Amsterdam to Paris. The ticket was booked on the Eurostar (ex-Thalys) website.
2. LOUNGE AT AMSTERDAM CENTRAAL STATION
3. PREMIUM CLASS SEAT
4. MEALS
After boarding, a flyer was distributed by the train crew to Premium Class passengers, stating that “a delicious meal will be served at your seat”. In reality, these were the meals I received: a tiny piece of a salty cake between Amsterdam and Brussels, and a tiny toast with mozzarella and tomatoes between Brussels and Paris.
The food was a total disgrace and rip-off (as I has specifically booked the Premium Class ticket to try out the meal). When I shared my disappointment with the friendly train conductor, he informed me that a real meal is only served during certain times and on selected journeys. I am surprised that Eurostar (ex-Thalys) gets away with this policy since they don’t disclose that information on their website, hereby falsely charging passengers for a meal service that is not offered on more than half of its train journeys (unless you consider the pathetic snack I received a meal).
Because I felt ripped off, I wrote a complaint to Eurostar (ex-Thalys), using the company’s online feedback document. I got a reply with apologies and a 15 euros voucher for a next trip with them. IMHO, it’s unheard of that a company is apologizing for their standard service (even offering a voucher to make up for it). Can you imagine what would happen if all Premium Class passengers would start complaining about this?
The only right thing to do for Eurostar (ex-Thalys) would be to clearly mention on their website (during the booking process) whether a meal will be served or not, and to offer a discount when no meal is included in the journey. I do realize though that chances are nihil that Eurostar (ex-Thalys) will ever read this review.
5. ONBOARD INTERNET
Eurostar (ex-Thalys) offers complimentary WiFi onboard, but the speed is very low, leading to a frustrating experience.
6. ANTWERP CENTRAAL STATION
The Eurostar (ex-Thalys) trains between, Amsterdam and Paris maks a stopover in Belgium’s Antwerp Centraal Station, one of the world’s most spectacular railways stations. King Leopold II spared no expense in building the Antwerp Central Station at the turn of the 20th century. Inaugurated in 1905, the building is a grandiose piece of architecture, consisting of a steel platform canopy and a stone station building. The stone station building was built between 1899 and 1905 by architect Louis Delacenserie, who was inspired, among other things, by the Pantheon in Rome. A handsome antique clock marks the time for passengers waiting to catch a train under the iron and glass vaulted ceiling. Designed by Clément Van Bogaert, the platform canopy is 43 m (141 ft) high, 186 m (610 ft) long and 66 m (216 ft) wide. In 1975, the building became a protected monument, and between 2000 and 2009, the railway hall doubled in capacity to include platforms on two underground levels.
7. PARIS GARE DU NORD
The end point of my Eurostar (ex-Thalys) trip was Gare Du Nord in Paris. Gare du Nord is Europe’s leading railway station and the world’s 3rd largest railway station in terms of traffic flows, welcoming over 220 million visitors a year. The building was inaugurated on 14 June 1846 with the opening of the Paris-Amiens-Lille line. Featuring a modern neoclassical style, the building has a majestic façade decorated with twenty-three statues by famous sculptors. But apart from its façade, there’s nothing particularly interesting about Gare Du Nord and most travelers will avoid spending a lot of time here.
10. MY VERDICT
- Seat: 6/10
- Food: 1/10
- WiFi: 5/10
- Service: 7/10
- Cabin design: 3/10
- Overall experience: 4.4/10 (huge disappointment)
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