We all know that impact of travelling by air over short distances is never a good thing – so it is good to see Delta Air Lines join the Air+Rail Agreement with Thalys to provide onwards connectivity from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
Speeding through to The Netherlands and Belgium with Air+Rail and Thalys
The agreement will allow passengers to access connections between Amsterdam and the Belgian cities of Brussels and Antwerp, in a seamless manner on a single ticket booking.
From the train station, located in Schiphol’s Central Plaza, there is convenient access and frequent service to the heart of Brussels and Antwerp with journey times of just over an hour. Thalys high-speed trains offer a comfortable travel experience with power outlets at each seat as well as wi-fi on every train.
When booking the ticket, the train segments are clearly identified throughout when selecting Brussels Midi/Zuid or Antwerp Central as the destination or origin, in the same method you book a flight.
When travelling
Customers can either check-in on Accesrail.com to get their boarding pass, using the Delta ticket confirmation or can obtain the train ticket at the train station ticket window. The train ticket will clearly show the seat and carriage of travel.
On the day of travel, customers arriving in Amsterdam from a flight will go through customs as normal and collect their bags before connecting on the train.
For those travelling on the train to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, the same check-in process applies. Customers will collect their bags from the train before checking for their flight as normal.
In Quotes
Alain Bellemare, Delta’s President – International said:
“This Air+Rail program with Thalys is just the beginning, as we look to offer our customers complete peace of mind with fast and convenient train service to a number of destinations throughout Europe. For our European customers, this also provides a great way to travel to Amsterdam to catch flights to destinations throughout the United States,”
“We have learned from our partner airlines, Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines who offer similar programs, and with the rail infrastructure already in place in Europe we are able to provide our customers with increased choice as well as convenient travel options.”
Filling in connectivity gaps
The connectivity gaps we have to complete journeys in a single-booked ticket have always been a challenge. But Air-Rail links are one way of extending networks, whilst providing passengers with a “one-ticket” ride, without resorting to short air links that are increasingly undesirable.
It’s a start for Delta at Amsterdam, with more than a few possibilities to connect further onwards by rail.
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