Is there a cheaper (slower) way to get by train from Brussels to Paris than Thalys?
I'm wondering if there is a cheaper way to get from Brussels to Paris by train than Thalys. Thalys prices are alright if you book some time in advance, but it can be quite expensive if you book only a few days before. I don't mind if the travel time takes some extra hours.
This is related to the question “What is the cheapest / fastest way to get from Brussels to Paris?” but no one mentioned other options by train than Thalys there. Perhaps going through Lille is a possibility?
Best Answer
@Gilles already has a very nice answer and mine is on the same line, although the route differs. I have travelled a lot between brussels and Paris avoiding the Thalys by train.
The quickest route involves some high speed connection, from Lille Flanders to Paris. Either on Tuesday or Thursday the SNCF publishes last-minute offers. It has been a while I have been monitoring their offers, that is why I can't be precise on it being tuesday or thursday. The connection between Lille and Paris is quite often mentioned as a last minute.
For both of my suggestion you need to get into Lille from Brussels. 1. As Gilles already mentioned you can use ticket, but there is a cheaper solution in the Railpass (>26 years old) or the Gopass (<26 old). These two passes entitle you to 10 unlimited trips in Belgium. As such only relevant if you plan to do more trips in Belgium.
So depending on your age, you can get to the French border for either 5 or 7 Euro. From the Border you need another ticket.
If you secured a "derniere minute" offer from the SNCF you need to buy a ticket from Mouscron to Lille (6,20 Euro). While writing this answer I could get from Lille to Paris by TGV for 25 Euro for tomorrow, so it is definitely worth looking at.
When I didn't find a good offer for the tgv, I went through Maubeuge. There is a train going to Maubeuge from Lille every hour and there are frequent direct intercity's from Maubeuge to Paris (Gare du Nord), which costs 45,80 Euro.
So would I need to travel tomorrow I would pay for 1. 7,10+6,20 + 25 = 38,30 2. 7,10+6,20+ 45,80 = 59,10
As you can see my route through Maubeuge is slightly more expensive then @Gilles route through Amiens if you use the railpasses and border crossing ticket in stead of buying one ticket form Lille to Brussels.
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What is the difference between TGV and Thalys?
Thalys vs TGV The word TGV is an acronym that stands for high speed train in French language and has been an inspiration for all other European countries. Thalys is a type of TGV that operates on the route between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Koln, and a few other destinations.What is the best way to travel from Brussels to Paris?
Taking the bus is the most popular way to travel from Brussels to Paris. While buses may take approximately 2 and a half hours longer than high-speed train, buses traveling from Brussels to Paris are also \u20ac34 cheaper on average.What is the difference between Eurostar and Thalys?
Thalys currently runs high-speed routes between France, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium while Eurostar runs services through the Channel Tunnel from London to Paris Brussels and Amsterdam. Both companies are majority-owned by French train company SNCF.Is Thalys high speed train?
Traveling at speeds of 300 km per hour, the Thalys high-speed train connects 17 cities across Western Europe. Thalys trains are well known for their efficient travel times and their excellent service.Thalys PREMIUM Class WONDERFUL experience from Paris to Brussels
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Answer 2
One of the cheapest ways to visit Europe (including the Brussels - Paris route) is by bus.
Eurolines is one of the most famous.
They sometimes have promotions from 9 euros per ticket. But most of the time it'll be from 32 euros.
You can also try Blablacar which is a website to share a private car and share the fuel/highway price (around 20 euros).
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