Thalys Brussels – Paris – Brussels – Antwerp in 2022

Paris! I haven’t been to the Ville Lumière since my January 2019 visit with Bert and Wim. Also, this March 2022 getaway in Paris marks the first overnight excursion with Thanh since our 2012 visit of the capital of France. Ten years ago!

On Saturday morning we took the Thalys from Brussels-South (Midi) to Paris-North. Thalys has been thé rail link between Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris since 4 June 1996, now 26 years ago.

Thanh and I booked commercially. COVID-19 is an excuse for cutting back on service for many airlines, hotels and also train companies. Thalys is no exception. So as ‘regular first class’ aka Comfort doesn’t provide some complimentary catering, we booked Standard, 2nd class. There is still catering in Premium first class.

Our trip from Brussels to Paris was with a Thalys PBKA which hadn’t been refurbished yet. So unfortunately we can’t review the (re)new(ed) ‘ruby’ Thalys EMU’s.

Standard

I can report the Standard is eponymously standard. The old-style TGV-type seats are pretty comfortable. The tablets have decent size and there power outlets. Leg room is okay. There is a bit of recline possible.

Obviously there’s more human noise in Standard, but the journey is quite short.

Comfort

Comfort class offers first class seats,which are nicers. Human noise is lower. But there is o at-the-seat complimentary catering anymore. Still, it’s a nicer way to travel than Standard. We could stay put to Antwerp-Central, which was nice.

Thalys is and remains a good train product. But over the years it has become more ‘commuting’ and less ‘travel’.