From 14 December 2026, Dutch rail operator GoVolta will begin daily services between Amsterdam and Paris, stopping in Antwerp and Ghent in Belgium, as well as in Haarlem, The Hague, Rotterdam, Lage Zwaluwe, and Roosendaal in the Netherlands, and Arras and Longueau (near Amiens) in France. Tickets for the route, which are available to book from today, start at €19 for journeys to or from Belgium, and €10 for travel to intermediate stations. 

For now, all tickets to Paris for 2027 are priced at €19, though fares will increase as bookings for specific trains rise.

The full journey between Amsterdam and Paris takes just over seven hours, with departures from Amsterdam Central at 07:46, arriving at Paris-North at 14:54. The return service leaves Paris at 15:49, reaching Amsterdam at 23:29. 

Travellers from Antwerp-Central (to Paris at 10:46, to Amsterdam a 20:44) or Ghent St Peter’s (to Paris at 11:42, to Amsterdam a 19:39) can expect a journey time of three to four hours to Amsterdam or Paris.

Rolling stock and future plans

GoVolta currently operates using refurbished Belgian I10 carriages, which are leased from a third party. For its Amsterdam–Paris route, the company has confirmed an option for 11 carriages (eight in economy class, two in comfort class, and one lounge car), with plans to expand to 22 carriages by 2028. 

Additionally, GoVolta has secured an option for an extra lounge car, also to be leased. 

In the long term, co-founder Hessel Winkelman tells Mobilithib, GoVolta aims to purchase its own rolling stock within five years, replacing the leased I10 carriages. 

The company appreciates the uniformity of the I10 fleet and notes that many are still available in Belgium, and similar carriages Italy, with hundreds expected to become available in the coming years. 

GoVolta’s ambition is to eventually operate its own trains, with its own staff, locomotives, and drivers, to maximise efficiency and engagement. The company also envisions ordering new rolling stock two to three years after launching its first train, which would eventually replace the I10 fleet.

Why Antwerp and Ghent?

GoVolta has deliberately chosen to include Antwerp and Ghent on its route, rather than Brussels. The company’s founders, Hessel Winkelman and Maarten Bastian, explained that Brussels already has excellent connections to Amsterdam and Paris via existing high-speed services like Eurostar and EuroCity Direct. 

Ghent, a medieval city with 260,000 inhabitants and a highly attractive destination, previously had no direct international rail links from either the Netherlands or Paris. 

By including Ghent, GoVolta creates new connections for the region.

Antwerp already benefits from direct links to Amsterdam and Paris, but the new service will provide an additional, more affordable option.

Service details

The new route will initially operate once daily in each direction. For early bookers, GoVolta is currently offering a Flex promotion: for €1, passengers can change their travel date or the name on their ticket up to two weeks before departure. Normally, these options cost €19.

Historical context and funding

This marks the first time since 1995 that a classic, non-high-speed train service has operated between Amsterdam and Paris. Since then, the Thalys (now Eurostar) has been the only rail option. Previously, the Etoile du Nord provided a similar route, stopping in Haarlem, The Hague, Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Brussels.

To support its expansion, GoVolta has launched a crowdfunding campaign via Eyevestor, offering bonds with a 10% annual return. The company aims to raise €1.5 million, with an investor meeting scheduled for 4 June in Breda.

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