Paul Corfield wrote:

I'm sure there is but try finding it. Rail Europe's site is singularly
unhelpful - it quoted me a fare of almost £500 for a First Class return
to Amsterdam as apparently only business fares are available. I know
this to be incorrect but there are no options for a first class leisure
fare.

Try booking it in 2 bits, the E* via their site and Thalys via theirs
(or DB). You can always check availability first.

The other issue is that you can get to Brussels but Thalys is often full
and it is impossible (IME) to get a ticket covering the slower service
to Amsterdam via Eurostar's site.

Buy that on the day at Midi if you need to. Reservations are not
required, and IMX, except in the height of summer, they're not even
helpful - the Benelux-Treinen are pretty long, traditional LHCS trains.
As with the Oostende-Koeln D-Zug (though the ICE is still there and is
a good choice, as is the local service), it'll be a sad day when these
are Thalys-ed when the HSL Zuid opens.

I'd much rather do the journey by train but the whole system is so
unfriendly that I won't put myself through the needless complexity. The
only people who lose are Eurostar, Dutch Railways and the tourist
industry in Holland - I'll go on holiday somewhere else.

I do agree with that.

Neil