First Class Adventures in Europe!
On a recent trip to Amsterdam via Belgium, I decided to live a little and splash some cash on first-class travel for my Thalys connections from Belgium to Amsterdam. So off I set on the Eurostar to Brussels, and with a short wait in the exclusive Thalys Lounge at Gare Du Midi in Brussels, soon I was being ushered off to my platform keen to experience first-class travel.
Pulling in right on time, I was already impressed by the huge Thalys train. I jumped on board and stashed my oversized piece of luggage into the luggage compartment, then easily located my seat. As I sat down and looked around the suave carriage, I was pleased so far with my choice of travel class. Making myself comfortable was easily done in the huge seats, and plenty of legroom was a great advantage. Making use of the free wireless internet and being able to use the power sockets to recharge my phone and camera made for an extra convenient journey. All that was left to do was gaze out the huge windows and soak up the beautiful countryside as my train zipped through Belgium and into the Netherlands. I was offered ample food and beverage and made sure I tested the wine on offer. The onboard staff were more than helpful and even offered a taxi service to collect me from the station in Amsterdam and take me straight to my hotel. With ample newspapers and magazines to read, plus the beautiful view to look at, before I knew it we were pulling into Centraal Station in Amsterdam. So there I was, 1 hour and 50 minutes later, relaxed, refreshed and recharged, and ready for the next part of my Dutch adventure.
Surviving 6 nights in Amsterdam, and now (what I consider myself to be) a Professional Museum Go-er, I was excited to experience First Class on the Thalys again. So I jumped on the tram like a true local and scooted my way back down to Centraal Station to begin the short train journey home. The journey back was just as lovely, and as always, all good things must come to an end. Sadly, I bid farewell to my Thalys in Brussels and headed back on the Eurostar to the UK. Investing in first-class travel was definitely a smart move. It added a special little ‘something’ to my trip and made the journey more exciting. So next time you are considering rail travel in Europe, why not spoil yourself – You only live once, right?!
