Avignon-Amsterdam 2nd May, 2016

We had a taxi booked for 7.15am to take us to Avignon Central Railway station for our train to Amsterdam via Paris. Marie Claire was to meet us at 7am at the apartment for us to check out.  She arrived at 7.10 just as we were about to shut the door and leave the keys inside. Our taxi was already waiting.
The train between Avignon and Paris was very comfortable, as we usually travel 1st class on train journeys, so 3 1/2 hr trip passed quickly.  The train arrived into Gare Lyon at 11.30am, which meant we had 45 mins to transfer to Gare de Nord across town.  We caught a taxi straight away, but the traffic was so heavy, and due to change in access to Gare de Nord, (which we found out later) we didn't arrive at the station until 12.09 - convinced we had missed the train, as it was due to depart at 12.13, and under normal circumstances, you have to be aboard 2 mins before departure time.  To our surprise, there was a queue, due to airport like security, checking all baggage going on the train.  Luckily, an attendant saw we had large luggage, and ushered us to a shorter queue!! We made it with seconds to spare :)

The Thalys train from Paris to Amsterdam Central, again was 1st Class, this train had dining service. Very similar to that of international air travel.  The train itself was marginally more comfortable than the TGV, and quite a bit quicker.  We knew that the TGV was travelling at 299km per hour, but this train was noticeably faster and when travelling beside a motorway, on which cars travel at 130km per hour, we left for dead - quite amusing !!
We caught a taxi from the Amsterdam Central to our hotel, The Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, which is at Dam Square, directly opposite The Palace.  The is the view from or window :)