Train wins by 9 min door to door. Fastest train 3h20 (Paris-Nord → Amsterdam Centraal (via Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam)), ~11 direct trains/day. 5.8 g CO₂e per passenger-km by train. Checked 2026-11-01.
The comparison
| Fastest train | 3h20Paris-Nord → Amsterdam Centraal (via Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam) |
|---|---|
| Trains | ~11 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average 10.9/day)Eurostar (ex-Thalys) |
| Flight | ~1h15 CDG-AMS (pickthetrain typical-for-distance; Air France, KLM, Transavia fly nonstop). Airports add travel, check-in and security time. |
| Door to door | Train wins by 9 min door to door |
| CO₂ | 5.8 g CO₂e per passenger-km by trainTrain: SNCF Voyageurs Info GES 2024, 'Eurostar Group' = 5.8 gCO2e/pkm (use phase only). Plane: the same document cites ADEME use-phase values of 159 g/pkm (<500 km flights) and 123 g/pkm (500-1000 km), without contrails; pick the band by flight distance. Left null here to avoid c |
| Points | Club Eurostar: 1 point per EUR 1 spent (1.2 per GBP 1); status bonus +25/50/75%. Redemptions on the ex-Thalys (continental) network were NOT changed on 29 Oct 2026: Eurostar Standard return 2,000 (Value) / 3,000 (Anytime), Eurostar Plus 4,000/5,000, Premier 6,000; one-way = half; no taxes/fees. |
Roughly a draw. pickthetrain.com door-to-door model (its own assumptions: 1h30 airport check-in/security, 20 min to exit, typical-for-distance flight time, public-transport access estimates): train wins by 9 min (3h51 vs 4h00). Fastest 3h20 (SNCF Voyageurs), 3h21 current open data. Amsterdam-Paris is an EEA TERM 2020 'Train or plane?' city pair.
Questions
Is the train faster than flying from Paris to Amsterdam?
Train wins by 9 min door to door. The fastest train takes 3h20 city centre to city centre; the flight is ~1h15 CDG-AMS (pickthetrain typical-for-distance; Air France, KLM, Transavia fly nonstop). Airports add travel, check-in and security time..
How often do trains run from Paris to Amsterdam?
~11 direct trains/day (pickthetrain open-data average 10.9/day)
Can I earn or use points on this train?
Club Eurostar: 1 point per EUR 1 spent (1.2 per GBP 1); status bonus +25/50/75%. Redemptions on the ex-Thalys (continental) network were NOT changed on 29 Oct 2026: Eurostar Standard return 2,000 (Value) / 3,000 (Anytime), Eurostar Plus 4,000/5,000, Premier 6,000; one-way = half; no taxes/fees.
Which emits less, train or plane?
5.8 g CO₂e per passenger-km by train.
Sources: sncf-voyageurs.com, pickthetrain.com, groupe-sncf.com, help.eurostar.com, eea.europa.eu
Points or cash, or the train?
Tell Points or Cash where you are going. On short European trips it checks whether the train beats the flight before you spend a point.
Get an invite