Wednesday newsletters at all times function a resort or flight evaluate.
Last summer season (July 2023), I loved an outstanding safari & seashore vacation in South Africa and Mozambique, most likely my greatest vacation ever. You can learn my journey reviews right here
- Review: Eurostar high-speed prepare Premium Class from Amsterdam to Paris (immediately)
- 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
Just a few weeks in the past, I traveled onboard a high-speed prepare from Amsterdam Centraal Station to Paris Gare Du Nord. Thalys was till lately the industrial identify of this high-speed prepare service between Paris and Amsterdam, however Thalys and Eurostar merged in September 2023. This means there may be now one single rail community connecting France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK. Eurostar trains will retain their darkish blue livery, whereas Thalys trains will retain their deep crimson livery (though Thalys is now branded as Eurostar).
The Eurostar (ex-Thalys) trains are a marvel of expertise and attain a most pace of 186 miles per hour (300 km per hour). With massive sections of high-speed rail observe in place within the Netherlands, Belgium and France, the journey from Amsterdam to Paris may be made in below 3 hours 20 minutes. This contains quick stops that are made alongside the best way in Schiphol, Rotterdam, Antwerp and Brussels (the place passengers get on or off the prepare). Compared to flying, the Eurostar (ex-Thalys) trains even have the comfort of departing and arriving within the coronary heart of town – with a beneficiant baggage allowance.
Eurostar (ex-Thalys) gives 3 courses onboard its trains: Standard Class (2nd class); Comfort Class (1st class with out meals, drinks and lounge entry); and Premium Class (totally versatile tickets with complimentary meals, drinks and lounge entry). Premium Class – which I attempted out throughout my journey – goals at enterprise vacationers. My Premiums Class expertise with Eurostar (ex-Thalys) felt like a rip-off although: the drained seat, the inedible snacks (and the shortage of an actual meal) and the underwhelming lounge in Amsterdam have been an enormous disappointment and didn’t justify the excessive value. I counsel to guide a Comfort Class ticket with Eurostar because the extras of Premium Class are simply not value it.
Have you ever traveled in Premium Class with Eurostar (ex-Thalys)? If so, what was your expertise? Leave a remark.
In this evaluate (extra info & pictures under my Youtube video):
- Cost of my ticket
- Amsterdam Centraal Station & lounge
- Premium Class carriage and seat
- Meals
- Onboard web
- Antwerp Centraal Station
- Paris Gare Du Nord
- My verdict (rating)
1. COST OF MY TICKET
I paid 155 euro for my a technique Premium Class ticket from Amsterdam to Paris. The ticket was booked on the Eurostar (ex-Thalys) web site.
2. LOUNGE AT AMSTERDAM CENTRAAL STATION
3. PREMIUM CLASS SEAT
4. MEALS
After boarding, a flyer was distributed by the prepare crew to Premium Class passengers, stating that “a delicious meal will be served at your seat”. In actuality, these have been the meals I obtained: a tiny piece of a salty cake between Amsterdam and Brussels, and a tiny toast with mozzarella and tomatoes between Brussels and Paris.
The meals was a complete shame and rip-off (as I has particularly booked the Premium Class ticket to check out the meal). When I shared my disappointment with the pleasant prepare conductor, he knowledgeable me that an actual meal is barely served throughout sure occasions and on chosen journeys. I’m stunned that Eurostar (ex-Thalys) will get away with this coverage since they don’t disclose that info on their web site, hereby falsely charging passengers for a meal service that isn’t provided on greater than half of its prepare journeys (until you take into account the pathetic snack I obtained a meal).
Because I felt ripped off, I wrote a grievance to Eurostar (ex-Thalys), utilizing the corporate’s on-line suggestions doc. I acquired a reply with apologies and a 15 euros voucher for a subsequent journey with them. IMHO, it’s unparalleled that an organization is apologizing for his or her normal service (even providing a voucher to make up for it). Can you think about what would occur if all Premium Class passengers would begin complaining about this?
The solely proper factor to do for Eurostar (ex-Thalys) could be to obviously point out on their web site (through the reserving course of) whether or not a meal might be served or not, and to supply a reduction when no meal is included within the journey. I do notice although that chances are high nihil that Eurostar (ex-Thalys) will ever learn this evaluate.
5. ONBOARD INTERNET
Eurostar (ex-Thalys) gives complimentary WiFi onboard, however the pace could be very low, resulting in a irritating expertise.
6. ANTWERP CENTRAAL STATION
The Eurostar (ex-Thalys) trains between, Amsterdam and Paris maks a stopover in Belgium’s Antwerp Centraal Station, one of many world’s most spectacular railways stations. King Leopold II spared no expense in constructing the Antwerp Central Station on the flip of the twentieth century. Inaugurated in 1905, the constructing is a grandiose piece of structure, consisting of a metal platform cover and a stone station constructing. The stone station constructing was constructed between 1899 and 1905 by architect Louis Delacenserie, who was impressed, amongst different issues, by the Pantheon in Rome. A good-looking vintage clock marks the time for passengers ready to catch a prepare below the iron and glass vaulted ceiling. Designed by Clément Van Bogaert, the platform cover is 43 m (141 ft) excessive, 186 m (610 ft) lengthy and 66 m (216 ft) large. In 1975, the constructing turned a protected monument, and between 2000 and 2009, the railway corridor doubled in capability to incorporate platforms on two underground ranges.
7. PARIS GARE DU NORD
The finish level of my Eurostar (ex-Thalys) journey was Gare Du Nord in Paris. Gare du Nord is Europe’s main railway station and the world’s third largest railway station by way of site visitors flows, welcoming over 220 million guests a yr. The constructing was inaugurated on 14 June 1846 with the opening of the Paris-Amiens-Lille line. Featuring a contemporary neoclassical fashion, the constructing has an imposing façade adorned with twenty-three statues by well-known sculptors. But other than its façade, there’s nothing notably fascinating about Gare Du Nord and most vacationers will keep away from spending plenty of time right here.
10. MY VERDICT
- Seat: 6/10
- Food: 1/10
- WiFi: 5/10
- Service: 7/10
- Cabin design: 3/10
- Overall expertise: 4.4/10 (large disappointment)
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