Thalys train tickets

Hi,

I will be travelling to France, Belgium %26amp; Germany this Sep. This will be my first time travelling around Europe via Thalys. I’ve reserved and printed my ticket online but there are some questions I am unsure about:

1. After printing my tickets online, do I still have to collect a paper ticket at the train station in Paris, Brussels or Cologne?

2. Do I have to validate my printed tickets at the “yellow machines”?

3. Supposedly my train is at 0755hrs, by what time I should be at the train station?

4. I am able to make payment online for my journey from Paris-Brussels and Cologne-Paris. I had problems making payment for the Brussels-Cologne journey when I select the country of issuing as Belgium but when I select the issuing country as France,I am able to pay for my ticket, does it matter if I choose the issuing country as France instead of Belgium?

thanks!

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1. No your printed tickets sre your tickets.

2. The conductor on the train will check your tickets and they will be for that specific train/seat (unless you have purchased fully flex tickets) so no need for any validation.

3. There is no check in for the Thalys or anything like that. IF you get there 10 minutes before to get yourself settled into your seat you will be fine.

4. Should be OK as long as you are printing the tickets yoursel then t does not matter where the issuing country is. Seems a little strange though that it won%26#39;t allow you to select Belgium as the issuing country since that%26#39;s where the journey starts.

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Thanks so much for your advice!

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I am now in Rio and will be attempting to book multi leg Thalys tickets on line for my sister in law and her boyfriend in a couple of days.

1. I think their plans are sufficiently firm that I will opt for the lower priced non-flexible 30 or 15 day advance sale tickets. There seems to be a pretty large price differential. Any caveats here?

2. Can I use my USA issued credit cards (visa MC or amex) to buy paperless tickets on line for them?

3. They will travel from Paris to Bruges on the first leg of the trip. Within 2/3 days after exiting train in Bruges they will need to fly out of Brussels. Is there some special promotion (%26quot;Any Belgium Station%26quot;) that gives them a one time free passage on the regular trains fromn Bruges to Brussels? If so, how do they get those tickets? In any case I understand it is about a one hour train trip. How frequently do the regular trains run from Bruges to Brussles? (could not buy Bruges to Brussels on the Thalys site). I assume they will need to first train it to Brussels to get to the Brussels airport. What is best way to get from Bruges/Brussles to Brussels airport?

4. They will return by air to Brussels and then take the Thalys train to Amsterdam. What is the best way to go from Brussles airport to Thalys train station (sorry if this question is redundant). They arrive around 11am so I imagine there will be several trains going to Amsterdam later in the afternoon.

5. They will return to Paris from Amsterdam on the train. I didnt see any way to buy an %26quot;open jaw%26quot; ticket routing per this itinerary so I figure I will buy 3 separate tickets. Am I overlooking something?

6. I am not good at buying tickets/stuff on line. Should I call a Belgium or Amsterdam Thalys office to inquire and/or buy the tickets over the phone? Any price differential for so doing?

Thanks in advance.Really.

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Incidentally, we don%26#39;t have yellow %26quot;machines à composter%26quot; which exist in France (and Italy). The only place where you will see such machines in Belgium is in Brussels, for the use of CITY (STIB) transport tickets that can be used on buses, trams, metros and trains within the urban network. These machines are orange (red for plastic chipcards), if you see one, don%26#39;t put your train ticket in it!

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Question regarding Thalys Comfort 1 vs Comfort 2.

From what i gather, you are served a meal in your seal in Comfort 1 - and the ticket prices are considerably more.

Would Comfort 1 be considered %26#39;First Class%26#39; - is it different seating, in a different car, from Comfort 2?

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Comfort 1 is %26#39;first class%26#39;, less seats in the carriage than in economy, and yes, it is a different carriage.

Is it worthy it? If you are on business, want a meal and want to work in peace, yes. If just a tourist taking into account that the trip is only 1.22 hours, then I%26#39;d say no.

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%26lt;%26lt;Would Comfort 1 be considered %26#39;First Class%26#39; - is it different seating, in a different car, from Comfort 2?%26gt;%26gt;

Yes for Comfort 1 read 1st Class. Seating is 2 an 1 so more space than the normal carriage and there are power outlets for your laptop.

eurorailways.com/kb/…thalys_seatplan.pdf

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Is there a preference one would have if traveling with quite a bit of luggage?

does that make any difference?

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Well one would always have a preference for 1st class whether it%26#39;s on a plane, a train or whatever.It%26#39;s more a question of cost really.

The luggage racks are at the end of the carriage and there%26#39;s room overhead for smaller bags.

Metro in Brussels

I am going to Brussels in a couple of weeks. Can anyone please tell me the best and cheapest tickets of buy for the underground. We are 2 adults and 2 children. we will be there for 5 days. Thanks

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It depends of the number of trips you plan on the underground. In any case I would recommend you to buy a pre-paid card for about 10 trips, around 12.30 euros. Such a card is valid for a year and gives you access to all the MIVB transport and the TEC and De Lijn busses and the trains within the Brussels Metropolitan region.

If you would make more than 3 trips a day per person, then a 3-day card per person would work out cheaper than a 10 trip card.

There is also the Brussels Card and the Group ticket.

Check out http://www.mivb.be/tickets.html?l=en and then you can the maths in detail.

Day trip to Brussel- Expert guidance

I plan to come at Brussels from Amsterdam for an days trip.

I plan to include following spots and below is list priority wise:

1)Mini Europe

2)Atomium

3)Royal Palace/Grand palace

4)Manniken Pis

below are my queries:

1) out of choice from Royal palace or grand palace if i plan to vist only one which one i should opt for.

2)How should i plan my trip. i mean sequence so that i cover places nearby since i am not aware of Brussels.where should i get down at brussels(which station)

3) Do we get daily pass in brussels and if yes cost.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

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1) There isn%26#39;t a Grand Palace, but you mustn%26#39;t miss the Grand%26#39; Place (Grote Markt)! It is outdoors and free so you don%26#39;t need to do anything special to visit it. You will also find here the Hôtel de Ville or town hall.

If you want to you can also visit the royal palace (palais royale) until 13 September, you can get an idea of what there is to see on www.monarchie.be/en/visit/palace/index.html

2) The Grand%26#39; Place is just 5 minutes%26#39; walk from Gare centrale so if you are coming on the Intercity train from Amsterdam, get off here. The Mannekin Pis is just a few blocks away from there, while the Royal Palace is near the Parc de Bruxelles, at the top of the hill above Gare centrale; from the GP area the best thing to do would be to take bus 95 from next to the Bourse (stock exchange).

The atomium and mini-Europe are both at Heysel metro station, which you can reach on metro line 6 from Midi or, by changing at Simonis, anywhere else.

3) Since a single costs €1.70, if you would be taking more than 2 buses/trams/metros (and it will be 2 trips just out to Heysel and back) it is worth buying the 1-day JUMP card for €4.50/€4.20 with Mobib plastic chip card; you can get it from any metro station and machines at some bus stops.

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Thanks a lot.

I plan first to start with minieurope and then nearby places.

Below I plan things:

1) Get down at Brussel Central station

Go towards Heysel metro station

Once atomium and mini-Europe

get back to Brussel Central station

2) Take 95 bus from same station and visit Royal palace

3) Back to central station and see grand palace and Mineka Pis

Pl. confirm my understanding is right as i made above plan based on your feedback.

I hope so there is no too much walk since i am coming with my son 3 yrs old. For above plan is it advisable to take baby pram(buggie).

Pl. confirm.

Thanks in advance

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1) I recommended getting off at Gare centrale in order to visit the Grand%26#39; Place (as I have already said, there is no Grand PALACE: it%26#39;s a square, not a building!). If you want to start with the atomium and Mini-Europe you would do better to get off at Gare du Midi and take metro line 6 (blue) direction Roi Baudouin to Heysel.

You CAN get off at Gare centrale and take metro line 1/5 direction Erasme/Gare de l%26#39;Ouest, but then you have to get off at Beekkant and change onto line 6.

2) Bus 95 does not pass by Gare centrale, I told you it started from Bourse, which is on the other side of the GP and therefore some 15 minutes walk from Gare centrale. Coming from Heysel, the easiest thing to do would be to return to Midi and take the 27 bus to Place Royale (at Midi, follow bus signs to %26quot;rue couverte%26quot;, which brings you out under the railway bridge, then turn left, this is where the bus starts so easy to get on): get off at the stop Royale/Koning (the one after the Petit Sablon), which is across the road from the fine arts museum; continue walking across/around Place Royale towards the park and just before it you will find the royal palace on your right.

Alternatively, you can take the metro from Heysel to Beekkant and change there onto line 1/5, direction Stockel/Hermann Debroux, and get off at Parc: this is on the opposite side of the park from the palace, but at least the walk would be on the flat (or you can change to a tram to place Royale).

3) From the palace, walk back to the fine arts museum just beyond Place Royale, and take bus 95 from in front of it. Get off at the last stop which is next to Bourse (stock exchange). Right behind the Bourse (so walking the way the bus arrives) take rue au Beurre to the Grand%26#39; Place.

Unfortunately it would be an uphill walk from here to Gare centrale. You may find it easier to take the metro (underground tram) from Bourse to Midi instead: in that case, although you could take any tram with a number beginning with a 3 or 4, direction Gare du Midi, with a pram or buggy you would have to wait for one of the modern, low-slung ones, as it would not be easy to lift a pram into the older trams, they have several steps up and narrow entrances.

If you want to keep things easy, cut out the royal palace. But while in the Grand%26#39; Place area, visit the Galeries St. Hubert also.

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Thanks a lot for such a detailed reply.

I plan to start with Atomium/Mini europe.

I will get down at Zuid/Midi and as advised by you will follow.

I will take return train from Gare(Brussel)Central.

I am starting with Mini europe/atomium to cover by priority . in between if my son does not support much possibly need to leave either of one place.

Lets see how it goes.

Thanks a lot once again.

The best part is the 4.50 pass which is good for metro/bus/tram so it really cheap and good.

thanks

From Brussels to Italy and France

I will in Brussel n last week of August. I would like to go Paris as well Rome %26amp; Venice. Travelling with family of 6, I would like it to be cheap and complete whole trip in 6 days. I have to fly back to my home from Paris. So any suggestions as how I should make my iternery + travel mode. Thanks ...

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With due respect Meero, this itinery is just not %26#39;practical%26#39; in 6 days unless you want to spend most of

your time on trains, or spend a fortune on flights. I would recommend you just stick with Brussels and Paris, and leave another trip for Italy.

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I understand your point dear. But ill be free from Brussels on 27 and I have a flight back from Paris on 2nd. So i waz planning to spend some time in venice and paris.

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Like the previous poster I also think that this is far too much in the time you have. However I’m not going preach to you, it’s your call.

The only way you are gonna do this is to take a Ryanair flight from Charleroi to Rome Ciampino. Flights are 43.48 EUR plus the cost of any bags plus charging for the air you need to breathe. Like I always say Fly Ryanair by all means but read the T%26amp;C’s carefully with regards to baggage allowance (only 15kg’s), carry on, online check-in and printing your own boarding passes etc, etc, etc!! Brussels airlines also fly this route but the cheapest flights on the 27th are around 135 euros.

From Rome you can also fly Ryanair to Venice but I would say that the fast train which takes 4 ½ hours would be quicker. Treviso airport where Ryanair fly to, is around an hour by coach from Venice. My advice would also be to stay in a hotel in Mestre, not in Venice itself as its VERY expensive. Mestre is only one stop on the train and about a ten minute journey.

Venice back to Paris Beauvais is currently 77 euros on Ryanair (plus extra’s) or just under double that on Easyjet depending on the days you wish to travel. If you wish to do these trips then you should book as soon as possible. These low cost carriers will only put prices up.

Good luck with planning your tour of European regional airports

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Thanks so much Ronaldo for your expert opinion. By looking into all this i am seriously considering drop out italy and concentrate on paris. I think its better to enjoy a city than several airports. Thanks again

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No worries. I think you have made the correct decision. There is more than enough to occupy you in Paris for at least the time you have and it%26#39;s a nice time of year to be there.

Spending less than three days in Rome would be criminal anyway.

Bruges or Ghent as a base for day trips

We want to stay in either Bruges or Ghent for 4 days/3 nights (Wed to Sat), and use it as a base for some day trips. We would like to visit Lille, Ghent, Bruges, and possibly the coast.

I was wondering as to the pros and cons of staying in Bruges vs Ghent. I get the impression that while both are scenic, Bruges is more scenic. On the other hand, it is very touristy and seems to have more expensive food and lodging. It may also be very crowded, although we are likely to be out of town during most of the day.

Comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Apologies for cross-posting. I%26#39;m not sure if people read the country forum or just the individual city forums.

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Bruges is a very picturesque city as can be seen in the movie %26quot;In Bruges%26quot; with Colin Farrell (even though it is a ridiculous movie) and very crowded and expensive for accomodaton but if you want something VERY special, you could think of www.kasteeltenberghe.be which is a little outside the city but therefore very quiet and very unique.

I think Americans generally love it, as you can read in the reviews here (it is under %26quot;specialty lodgings%26quot;). For that price you don%26#39;t find much in the centre.

You want to go to Lille? Would not be a city I think of first, but it%26#39;s up to you.

See www.brugge.be (EN , then %26quot;Tourism and seminars%26quot;, %26quot;sights%26quot; and %26quot;sightseeing%26quot;) for all tourist info and printable walks (they also have guided walks). This way I found www.bruges-ballooning.com and had a marvelous balloon ride, but a bit pricey.

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It all depends what you prefer: a very scenic but small and really touristy place (Bruges) or a very nice but more city-like place (Ghent). There is much more %26quot;real life%26quot; in Ghent. You really have to make your choice. Everything is close, you should of vcourse visit both. My personal vote is defintily for Ghent.

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Just want to echo what joop1 said really.

Bruges is lovely, small, beautiful, touristy and very busy. Great bars., great restaurants, wonderful churches and galleries/museums. It is the sort of place I would recommend for a romantic or celebratory weekend

Gent is quieter, more town-like, less touristy, perhaps not as picture postcard pretty as Bruges but that doesn%26#39;t mean it isn%26#39;t a lovely or architecurally intereting. It has some excellent bars and restaurants, great museums (the Huis van Alijn is fantastic!) and a laid back feel.

I%26#39;d probably go to Gent but that could be because I%26#39;ve been to Bruges a number of times and Gent only once...so far!

Whichever you choose I am sure you will have a great time.

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My preference is also for Ghent for the reasons mentioned above. Bruges is a definite must-see but more crowded. Ghent has something more %26quot;real%26quot; about it.

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dutchguy: thanks for the activity pointers. I looked at the castle, and it looks great, but we%26#39;re still trying to get a holiday flat. We were thinking of Lille for the day because one of my kids wanted to spend at least a little time in a third country. Right now our plans only call for Holland and Belgium due to limited time. I%26#39;d love to hear suggestions about some alternative nearby places, in France or elsewhere.

joop1, mightywease, Brown_locks: It sounds like both places are good, but you would all prefer Ghent by a little bit. I confess that we are actually leaning towards staying in Bruges, only because we think we can find a decent vacation rental (holiday flat) and could not find ANY listed at all for Ghent, except one apartment hotel.

I am wondering if all the restaurants in Bruges are fairly expensive. We won%26#39;t have a car, and that will limit our choices. I don%26#39;t know if restaurants in Belgium are just generally more expensive than in the US (which I can blame on the exchange rate), or if Bruges is substantially more expensive than other places in Belgium

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Bruges and Ghent are both very nice. Evenings though Brugges is magical. When the daytrippers go, Brugges is awesome. Antwerp is a lot of fun too.

A great place to get an idea of the what these different cities look like:

www.flickr.com Type city name in search feature. Also do a search Brugge night.

couple of hours in Brussels

Hello,

I%26#39;m going to Bruges in September but will have a couple of hours (4 or 5) in Brussels when coming back to UK. What places would people recommend for me to visit?

Thanks

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When coming back from Brugge get off at Gare centrale, walk 5 minutes down the hill and you will find the Grand%26#39; Place on your left, Galeries St. Hubert on your right.

airport to Marriot hotel near Grand Place

Any advice on how to get from airport to the Marriot Hotel. Taxi or train. There are four of us with luggage.

Thanks

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Taxi is always easiest, as long as you can fit all your luggage into one, of course, rather than needing 2. It would cost about €40 from the airport, around €12 from Gare du Nord if you take the airport train (€3 each), on which this is the first stop.

The Marriott is virtually on top of Bourse (pre-)metro station, which is only 3 stops from Gare du Nord and served by underground trams (any beginning with a 3 or 4, in the direction of Gare du Midi) from both Gare du Nord and (opposite direction) Gare du Midi. However, these are not easy to manage with luggage as the older trams are high up, with narrow entrances, and there is nowhere to store luggage. A single ticket on the metro/tram costs €1.70. You can also buy a 10-trip ticket for use between the 4 of you, for €12.30, which you would stamp 4 times in the orange machine. Slightly cheaper if you go for the Mobib chipcard options.

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Thanks for your help.

Rail travel Brussels to Bruges or Ghent

My wife %26amp; I are going to Germany by rail, from UK, and wish to break our journey on the return for a night or 2. I have little knowledge of the rail system across Europe (although I work on the railways in Britain, and know it well) so any information on times, regularity, cost, etc from Brussels to either Bruges or Ghent would be appreciated. I have made many searches but seem lost by it all. Many thanks in advance.

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Returning to the UK from Germany, you will pass through Brussels as you have to take the Eurostar from there (Bruxelles-Midi; but not Ghent or Brugge, which are on the line between Brussels and the coast - Oostende or Knokke/Blankenberge.

A single from Brussels to Ghent costs €8.10 and to Brugge, €12.90. You will only need a single because your Eurostar ticket from Brussels to London includes free transport starting at %26quot;Any Belgian Station%26quot;, as long as you don%26#39;t break your journey in Brussels for longer than 24 hrs.

There are several trains an hour to Ghent and Brugge from each of Brussels%26#39; 3 mainline stations (Nord, Central and Midi, in that order), timetables on http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en or of course B-Rail.

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Belgian railways are straightforward generally with frequent and regular services. No reservations and no ticket validation. (Turn up and go, like rail travl should be). The %26quot;any Belgian destination%26quot; element of a Eurostat ticket is useful too.

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Thank you both very much for the information. Have now booked my main rail journey %26amp; will sort out stopover in Belgium in day or 2.

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You will not be sorry about taking the time to see Ghent and Bruges!

If you travel on the weekend between Bruges/Ghent and Brussels, you may be eligible for a 50 percent off fare. I just returned and my ticket was 13.80 euros Round-trip from Brussels to Bruges and back. Be sure to ask at the train station.

The trip is about an hour long to Bruges, and trains run every 30 minutes. Most of them are direct, so no need to transfer, as long as you go from a main station in Brussels. Trains go from Brussels Nord, Brussels Centrale, Brussels Schuman and Brussels Midi, along with others.

Just google (B-rail) to check schedules. The Web site is easy and straightforward.

No need to book tickets in advance, you can just get them right at the station (although allow at LEAST 20 minutes for purchasing...sometimes the lines can be quite long and understaffed, particularly on the weekends).

You could also get off in Gent on the way, which is about 40 mintues from Brussels, then continue onto Bruges.

If you were pressed for time, you could probably do both places in the same day. Ghent is beautiful and less touristy than Bruges, but Bruges is magical. I went on a Saturday and although there were many tourists, I didn%26#39;t feel overwhelmed!

Steak needed

I will be in Brussels this weekend and am looking for slab of red meat. The French do a good pork and lamb but the steaks are lacking and I am in need, (must be the little texan part of me). I recall having a good steak last year in Brugges so I know it can be done in Belgium. Ideas? Merci

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I%26#39;m not sure I dare venture to respond to another restaurant question, but supposedly the best steak restaurants in Brussels are up by the abattoir in Anderlecht (e.g. Chez Maria, Avenue Clemenceau 50,

1070 Anderlecht, tel. 02/521 3199; near Clémenceau metro station and not all that far from Gare du Midi; be warned, it is not a very pleasant area).

More accessible, perhaps, I heard from an American that the Midtown Grill Steakhouse at the Marriott Hotel opposite the Bourse does excellent steaks, but can%26#39;t vouch for this myself.

Other than that, if by any chance you would be visiting any of the museums around Place Royale (e.g. the new Magritte Museum), I believe the self-service restaurant at the Musée d%26#39;Art Ancien does steak-frites - which it describes as Belgium%26#39;s national dish - every day. You don%26#39;t have to pay for the museum to go in, just go up the front steps from rue de la Régence, pass the ticket desk into the main hall and turn left. This is not the same as the Museumbrasserie on Place Royale itself, although it is run by the same people.

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Thanks for sticking your neck out. I appreciate it. My belly will thank you later.

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I always think french is good at steaks, am i wrong?

First time to hear steak is national food of belgium.....

Is there other food i can taste in brussels that%26#39;s not seen elsewhere that often?

I%26#39;m looking forward to taste horse meat in amsterdam....

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I%26#39;m not sure what is usual or unusual for you but well-known Belgian specialities include frites (most famous friet-kot is Maison Antoine in Place Jourdan, down the hill from Schuman), especially with mayonnaise; dishes made with beer including carbonnades flamandes and rabbit in Kriek, a beer made with cherries (Belga Queen has an entire beer-themed menu including salad dressing made with beer and beer-flavoured ice-cream...); stoemp, or mashed potato with vegetables, known as %26quot;bubble and squeak%26quot; in England, at least when made with cabbage; chicons or chicory/endives, especially %26quot;au gratin%26quot; in the winter, i.e. wrapped in ham and served in a cheese sauce with mashed or boiled potatoes; %26quot;fondus au fromage%26quot; or cheese croquettes, often served with fried parsley; ditto with shrimp; %26quot;filet américain%26quot; or raw ground beef mixed with seasonings (similar to steak tartare); waffles, the best place for these being Dandoy in rue de l%26#39;Etuve, 2 blocks from the Grand%26#39; Place opposite the Amigo Hotel...

La Taverne du Passage in the Galeries St. Hubert in Brussels is a decent restaurant that serves Belgian specialities.

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Thanks for the Belga Queen suggestion. We are loading up on Belgian beer so might as well eat some too. Even bringing a carrying case to %26quot;import%26quot; our own.

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try this one http://www.metjeaninne.be/ (close to the EU area) or this one http://www.restaurantvincent.com/ (the very citycenter, more traditional belgian restaurant), I have good experience with both

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one question before you buy any beer or wine, can you bring liquid on the plane?

i know in most of the retarded USA, u still cannot bring any form of liquid on the plan.

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Security rules are virtually the same worldwide, except for the territory within which they apply. When leaving BRU, you can only take in your hand-luggage up to 10x100 ml containers in a sealed transparent plastic bag; PLUS anything you buy %26quot;airside%26quot;, e.g. in duty-free shops, at the airport itself (that is, after the security control - goods in airside shops having been through separate security controls).

If changing planes anywhere, note that you can take through any EU airport items bought %26quot;airside%26quot;, on the same day, at other EU airports, as long as these are in sealed bags and you haven%26#39;t broken the seal. But if you change planes at an airport outside the EU (e.g. in USA), items bought outside the country concerned would not be covered by THEIR security rules and would not be allowed as cabin baggage.

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I second the recommendation for Vincent if you want good meat - I had really excellent entrecote there, with lovely frites and %26#39;legumes a la Vincent%26#39; - green beans sauteed in butter, shallot %26amp; garlic - which I%26#39;ve made many times since when having steak-frites and a fine Belgian beer at home!

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Thanks again, written down the lovely suggestions. Full report on Monday.

we get to bring our beer back on the train. I have lots of success with wine in the checked luggage both ways across the atlantic. bubble wrap or lots of clothes around the neck especially.

Budget weekend for beer trip report

We had some Thalys vouchers so a trip was planned. We stayed at the Alma Grand Place hotel, similar experiences to other reviewers and with AC, a super addition. Our focus was for beer, in Paris selection can be downright lousy and very expensive.

Beer Mania was a good place to start. Nice beer selection and the Mea Culpa was a lovely one to find. Visited Delirium and met a British expat with a clear vision on what we should try. Bring your own eats and enjoy thumbing through the list! Several other beer stores visited for glasses and etc. Bier Circus was closed and the Mort Subite was visited without the crowd of tourists it seemed.

We bought the majority of our souvenirs at the grocery store on Anspach. So much cheaper, even the Express Carrefour had the glasses and beer boxes at half what the speciality stores were selling.

I did manage some chocolate, Neuhaus is still reigning champion for me. And like my other post, a good steak. Enjoyed Brussels immensely!

Brussels to Bruges

Hi

We are taking a trip to Bruges via Eurostar and the ticket includes the train to Bruges.

Can anyone tell me what train do we get and is it from the same station.

What platform (if pos).

How many stops to Bruges.

Where can I get a detailed map of Bruges before we go?

Any help will be most appreciated.

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Eurostar arrives at Brussels Midi/Zuid. You can get trains to Bruges from that station. They are local IC trains. You will have to change platforms, you will need to check the board when you get there. There are trains about twice an hour. The journey is approximately an hour. You will have no problem finding the train. Remember it may be spelled Brugge, and Brussels is probably Bruxelles. I found a map in my Rick Steves guidebook. Imagine most guidebooks that cover Bruges would have one.

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Thank you very much for your reply and the info.

x

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The trains to Bruges (Brugge) depart from the Brussels South (Brussel-Zuid/Bruxelles-Midi) station at 5 (direction Knokke) and 32 minutes (direction Ostend) past the hour; there are possibly some other extra trains.

The trains will just call at Ghent, the second stop is Brugge. Other/extra trains might stop also elsewhere.

Please note that in Bruges the train back to Brussels will be indicated as the train to Brussel.

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Also, when we caught a 10 a.m. train to Brugges after transferring in Brussels...the train was packed with people and we had to stand in the aisle the whole way there---along with many many other people throught the whole train!!!. It wasn%26#39;t too bad...we were just suprised by this.

The train back to Brussels had many open seats.

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Thank you both very much, that%26#39;s really useful info.

x

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Hi

Here is a map of the city that you may find useful:

http://foto.brugge.be/dl/mapbruggea4.pdf

Also, here is a link to other useful documents, guides and brochures:

http://foto.brugge.be/dl/downloads.htm

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Hi NWKent

Many thanks off to look now.

x

Flaneries Gourmandes - is it good?

I noticed that the review section has great feedback on this restaurant, but can%26#39;t find much else online (here on on places like Chowhound) about it. Has anyone eaten there and was it good if so? We%26#39;re going to Brussels next week for an anniversary trip, and want to have a meal somewhere special when there. Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

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Hmm, well the lack of replies for a place with so many good reviews on the restaurant area is making me a bit suspicious, tbh. Will try elsewhere.

Left luggage facilities at Brussels Midi

Does anyone know if there is a %26#39;left luggage%26#39; facility at Brussels Midi train station? If so, how much does it cost?

We%26#39;re traveling home from Bruges to the UK via Brussels and would like to dump our luggage somewhere and go get some lunch etc...

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See post below which I believe answers your question:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g188644-i205-k2618…

Piglet

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Thanks!

Getting from Brussels airport to Bruges

How would you get from Brussels airport to Bruges market square (city centre), without a car?

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Train from the airport (station is right below it) to Gare du Nord or Gare Centrale, train from there to Brugge, there%26#39;s a bus from the station to the town centre.

http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/

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If you are traveling lightly it is an easy walk from the Bruges train station to the city centre. The bus runs frequently, but it is also an easy stroll.

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I agree with the previous post ... if you are at all able, the walk from the train to the center is not a problem. Also, as you depart the train station, there is an information room on your left that will help you and you can buy a nice map of the city for 1 euro.

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Just made this trip last week. I took the train from the airport to Brussels-Midi. Midi was suggested as the train to Brugge leaves from the other side of the same track, so no tugging luggage up and down. I think the fare 1-way was about 13E. Depending on where you%26#39;re staying, with luggage it is a bit of a hike to the center. I opted for a taxi for about 8-10 E. I stayed at Number 11B%26amp;B. There are also regular buses from the train station to the center. There is a pretty good tourist office within the train station.

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Hi Guys - I am doing this trip too in October. How long would you estimate it to take from Brussels airport to Brugge?

Thanks in advance,

haze

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Hello HazelK

Depending the hour of arrival you will need between rougly 30 and 45 min to get you luggage and go out to the train station of the airport.

Also again you will need to take a train from the airport to Brussels North, Central or Midi. personnaly I prefer to change at Central as the distances are much shorter (only 6 tracks as it in in the tunnel)

Then you will have the IC (Intercity) which normally only stops at Ghent and then Bruges. Take roughly an hour and a quarter train to Bruges.

To check the rail, see the website given by the first person here above.

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I wish to know how do u get from Brussels airport to Brugg on the local train and how much would it cost for the tickets return pleawe.

Many thanks

Melia

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This may be senseless, since the internet is so useful - and most of the postings here are old. But, working on my own trip to Bruges, this is what I found:

BRUSSELS AIRPORT

• www.brusselsairport.be

The national airport of Belgium lies just outside of Brussels. Its railway station is located under the airport.

First take the train to Brussels ‘Zuid / Midi’ station. There you take the train in the direction of Brugge, De Panne, Knokke or Oostende. The first stop is Ghent, the second is Bruges.

• Schedule From National Airport to Bruges:

- 3 trains per hour / about 85 minutes / € 13.50

- First train at 05:36, last train at 23:52 (on Sat and Sun at 05:33 and 23:52).

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Removed on: 9:05 am, June 21, 2009


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Since this thread is from 2006, I%26#39;m wondering if any of the information has changed since then? Next month I will be arriving in Brussels airport and then going to Bruges by train.

Is there a direct train from the airport to Bruges or is it best to do what is suggested, take the train to Brussels Midi and then transfer?

Also, after getting luggage at the airport (I will be coming from Berlin) where is the best location to purchase the train ticket to get to Bruges?

Thanks in advance!

Bruges or Ghent as a base for day trips

We want to stay in either Bruges or Ghent for 4 days/3 nights (Wed to Sat), and use it as a base for some day trips. We would like to visit Lille, Ghent, Bruges, and possibly the coast.

I was wondering as to the pros and cons of staying in Bruges vs Ghent. I get the impression that while both are scenic, Bruges is more scenic. On the other hand, it is very touristy and seems to have more expensive food and lodging. It may also be very crowded, although we are likely to be out of town during most of the day.

Comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

Apologies for cross-posting. I%26#39;m not sure if people read the country forum or just the individual city forums.

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We%26#39;ve been to both. Bruges is basically an outdoor museum. It%26#39;s beautiful but way too touristy. Ghent is a real city. It has everything Bruges has but less tourists. Ghent is an amazing place and I can%26#39;t wait to go back. If you love beer, this is the promised land. Ghent is also much less expensive and much more real. I can go on and on, but instead, if you have any questions, ask away - I%26#39;m happy to share!!

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Hi there,

I think Brugge is a good base to stay if you want to visite the coast ,Lille and Gent.This weekend went to Gent for a daytrip easy by train.From Gent station it%26#39;s about 1,7 km to the historical centre.

We arrived by train around 11h10 walked true the Citadelpark to St. Pietersplein and then followed the signes Historical centre where we had a lunch ,some special beers and enjoyed the lovely places.Returned to Brugge at 18h03.

Prices in Gent for food and drinks is in my opinion not cheaper than in Brugge(weekly visiter to Brugge)

but this depends what you like and sometime the location where you eat or drink.

Whatever you choose for a base i am sure you have a wonderful stay in Belgium

best regards

DILUCA

Walk to the Windmills

Several years ago my husband and I walked to the windmills and I can%26#39;t remember how or where we did it? We thought that we did this in Brugge, but I%26#39;m not sure. Anyone have any information? Will be going to Brugge in May%26#39;10, just started to plan and could really use the help. Thanks

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You probably walked from Brugge to Damme, which is about 4 km away. You can also cycle, alongside the canal, or go on a paddlesteamer.

Do these photos ring any bells?

www.freefoto.com/browse/03-03-0?ffid=03-03-0

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Thanks for the reply. These photo%26#39;s are really great expecially the night shots. I%26#39;m an amature photographer and I hope to get a few night shots also. One or two like these would be nice!!!

Camping Memling

We are considering making a booking at Camping Memling.

Does anyone have any experience of staying there?

The website makes it look like a very good site, but it%26#39;s always nice to get a recommendation as well.

Thanks!

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Bump!

Anyone?

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Bump again!!

Anyone have any info about this campsite?

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We stayed there for 2 nights June 2008. Efficient booking - confirmation email didn%26#39;t reach us before we left, but there was a little plaque with our name on it on the pitch. They hire out bikes, which are essential if you want to enjoy Bruges, - about 10 mins ride away.

Only thing that caught us out was that they don%26#39;t have toilet paper in the loos;- hadn%26#39;t run out, there was no facility for it at all.Also no soap in the dispenser - whether that was accident or design I don%26#39;t know.

Pitches are quite small, but a nice friendly place.

If you are shopping locally, there%26#39;s an Aldi %26amp; a Lidle just down the road, but the Aldi was useless!

There%26#39;s no shop on site. Reception guy spoke excellent English (but so did virtually everyone else we spoke to in Belgium. French seemed completely useless - all signs in Dutch/ Flemish; never in French)

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Thanks.

Sorry it %26#39;s taken so long to reply, my pc hasn%26#39;t been playing recently!

We%26#39;re staying at Memling at the end of the month.

Looking forward to it.

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Gets very busy at public holidays with motorhomes and camper vans.Try to avoid pitching in a corner if poss. Great spot though if you like a walk, it%26#39;s about 30 mins walk into Brugge and there%26#39;s a McDonalds handy if you%26#39;ve got Kids. Massive Carrefour Hypermarket/Fuel/Restaurant is on main road just after crossroads. Also across from McDs is a great Outdoor shop if you need camping bits and pieces.

I%26#39;d stay here again

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We%26#39;re recently back from a 6 night stay.

I would definitely recommend this site to anyone, whether camping or in a camper / caravan.

It was VERY busy, so I guess it would be imperative to pre book during the summer season.

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In response to post re signs in Flemish not French. French is spoken in the South of Belgium - the area around Bruges is Flemish speaking. We stayed in Belgium for nearly 3 years and were told more than once that if you%26#39;re in the North and don%26#39;t speak Flemish they prefer you to speak English rather than French !!. In the South they seemed to enjoy hearing my %26quot;stumbling-aided by a dictionary%26quot; French so they could reply in perfect English. But we loved it anyway

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I stayed here for a 1 night stop over on my way back from Germany, in a 2 man tent.

It does get very busy, they are quite happy to let tents take up any available patch of grass bigger than a postage stamp, also if you have booked a pitch with no electricity on the %26#39;tent field%26#39; then the chances that someone else has already taken your spot when you reach it are very very high! Perhaps not the best place to stay if you can%26#39;t stand having a stranger snoring all night 2 feet from your tent door! On the plus side a strict 10:30 silence curfew keeps the site peaceful.

Yes it is a bit of a squeeze - so if you have a large tent (i.e. more than a 2 man tent) I would book a pitch with a electric hook up, even if you don%26#39;t use it. At least then it will be easier to reclaim your pitch from any invaders!

Apart from this it is a great little site, showers are hot, staff are friendly, helpful and speak good English. Toilets can get a bit dirty, but then there are a lot of people sharing them! The fairy lights decorating the site are a little old in places but add a nice effect.

They also have some apartments and huts for rent, but I didn%26#39;t see them. The caravan/touring part of the site looked busy but pretty nice.

We walked into Bruges, which took about 30min at a easy pace to reach the market square. There are also bikes to hire and very good cycle paths which are off the main road.

Christmas Markets

We have visited Bruges pre-christmas before %26amp; therefore know that the xmas %26#39;market%26#39; is quite small, however, really enjoyed the stalls, ice rink, decorated buildings etc.

We have only been to Ghent during the summer but was wondering if Ghent has a similar xmas %26#39;market%26#39; as found Ghent much less touristy %26amp; would love to return for a pre-xmas break

Any advice would be most welcome

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Ghent also has an ice skating rink during the winter season and a small Christmas market which really is nothing to write home about...

Don%26#39;t come to Ghent just for the Christmas market, or you will be disappointed.

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Thanks Frisko

As said we know from Bruges that it is a %26#39;xmas market%26#39; in name only so not expecting much it is just that we enjoyed Ghent so much in the summer %26amp; hoped that there would be similar facilities we experienced in Bruges before xmas

thanks again

brussels to paris

am i right in thinking the best way to get to paris one way is by eurostar. thanks in advance

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No, Eurostar only goes from London to Brussels (and London to Paris but not Brussels to Paris). For Paris the only way to go by train is by THALYS, www.thalys.com (1h22) - apart from the TGV to CDG Airport.

And the only other way to go from Brussels to Paris by public transport is by coach, www.eurolines.be (4 hrs).

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NO, from Brussels to Paris you need to take Thalys - http://www.thalys.com/be/en/

Xmas Markets

Have visited Bruges pre-xmas before and really enjoyed the xmas stalls, ice rink, decorated buildings etc

Does Antwerp have a similar xmas %26#39;market%26#39;, ( I know that it won%26#39;t be like the german xmas markets but just wondering if there are stalls etc to wander around)

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Yes, there%26#39;s an open air ice rink in the Grote Market and a few stalls.

Layover from 11pm to 10 am in Brussels

My flight gets into Brussels airport at 11pm from Barcelona on a Saturday night and my connecting flight to New York does not leave until 10 am the next morning. I was wondering if it is worthwhile to find a hostel in the city for the night and wake up early to have a nice, early breakfast and stroll around a bit. Would it be feasible to check into a hostel at midnight? Is it worth my time or should I either (a) sleep in the airport or (b) sleep in a hotel room very close to the airport. Thanks so much for any advice!

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You don%26#39;t have till 10 a.m. if that is the time of your flight! For a flight to the U.S. you are supposed to check in THREE hours beforehand (there are additional checks for the U.S., and believe me, I have travelled out of BRU several times over the last couple of months and the lines are getting longer and longer at boarding pass/passport control and security AND it%26#39;s a long way to walk from departure hall to the gates). This means you must be back at the airport around 7 a.m.!

It would be nice to see the Grand%26#39; Place by night, but the last train BACK to BRU from Gare centrale is at 23:16 so this isn%26#39;t feasible unless you stay overnight in the city centre (or take taxis).

The first train to the airport the next morning from Gare centrale is at 04:52, and they leave at roughly 20 minute intervals (cost €3 single), so you could take the train to the centre when you arrive - from the station below the airport, at 23:27, 23:36, 23:52, or the last train is at 00:27 - and stay very close to Gare centrale, e.g. Novotel %26quot;off Grand%26#39; Place%26quot;, Ibis ditto or the Madeleine (informing them of your late arrival); there are no hostels in the immediate area. In the morning, the last train you should take to arrive around 7 is at 06:52, arr. 07:08 (the one before that is at 06:40). You don%26#39;t need to waste time on breakfast in town, you can get it at the airport after checking in.

If you decide not to go into town, the most convenient option for staying at the airport, if funds allow, is the Airport Sheraton, which claims to be 39 (foot)steps from the terminal. There are other %26quot;airport hotels%26quot; which have shuttle buses, but if you choose one of these, check the operating hours of the shuttle because I think you arrive too late for these and may also be leaving too early. If you had to take a taxi to one of these, it would end up being more expensive than staying at the Sheraton.

Bruges to Ypres

Hi again

How easy is it to get to Ypres from Bruges on public transport?

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I did this last month. There is one change of train, in a town called Kortijk(sp?) the man at the ticket counter told me the name of it when I bought my ticket. Frequent trains. Trip took about two hours including wait time. I went to see the Flanders Field museum, which I really enjoyed. Wished I could spend more time in the area to visit all the WWI sites. I very carefully wrote down the times of all the trains back, to make sure I could get back to Bruges that evening!

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Thank you WarriorJan, was it 2hrs there and 2hrs back please?

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Each way takes about 1.45 minutes, the trains run hourly and the change stop is Courtrai.

http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/

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Thank you KVKFan, I will try to fit that in to our trip.

X

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You should try to visit Ypres if possible but whatever you decide have a great time.

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Yes, I really would like to visit the Menin Gate as I have a reli named there.

I have noted the Last Post ceremony at 8.00 and wondered about availabilty of transport in the evening.

We are so looking forward to the trip, I am sure we will have a nice break.

X

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hari.b-holding.be/hafas/bin/query.exe/en…

train at 20.39 one change, train 21.39 2 changes

From Menin gate to the station about 20 minutes brisk walk.

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You change trains at KORTRIJK: you are unlikely to see the French version (Courtrai) in station/train destination signs in Flanders!

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Very proud of myself that I was able to decipher my handwriting and spell it right! Most definitively Kortrijk was the name of the station, not the French spelling. I was writing notes at the different stations we passed on the train, i.e. this town looks cute, wish I could stop. After being at the museum, many of the towns had been mentioned as being under German occupation, or the site of this or that battle, or how many times it changed hands, etc. which put a different perspective on my ride back.

According to my notes, the last train out of Kortrijk to Bruges was at 10:02. I never checked into the two transfer alternative, and actually didn%26#39;t stay into the evening, so have no personal experience on that. Make sure to check the current board in the station for the track numbers, the permanent one tacked on the wall was usually different than the one the train actually used.

This reminds me that I%26#39;ve been lazy and never wrote my trip report, so have to get cracking today!

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good point, Kortrijk = Courtrai

Transport from Charleroi Airport to Bruges

What would be the best method of transport from Charleroi Airport to Bruges?

Travelling with Ryanair from Prestiwck, arriving airport 14.35pm. Returning to Prestwick 11.00am

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You can get a special train ticket to anywahre in Belgium for 22 euros return which includes the local bus from/to the airport to Charleroi Sud station. Train to Brussels, then change at Midi for the train to Brugge. It%26#39;s gonna take around 2 hours each way.

Is the steen castle closed?

Hello can anyone tell me if the steen castle (antwerp castle) is still open for the public to look inside? i just read that the museum part is closed until 2010 %26amp; it would be a shame if you cant look inside.

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Yes, the museum is indeed closed. Its contents will be moved to the brandnew %26#39;Museum aan de Stroom%26#39;. The latter will be opened in April 2011.

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Ah thats a pitty! i will still take some pics of the outside thou :).

Temploux flea market

Hello, just wondered if anyone here has been to the big flea market in Temploux in August- I%26#39;m trying to find out if it is open all night on the first night. It%26#39;s supposed to start at 6pm on Saturday 22nd and continue the next day. Is it better on the first evening or the next day? Thanks in advance for any info.

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Never been, but this says it%26#39;s non-stop from Saturday morning till Sunday evening:

plusmagazine.be/fr/loisirs/hobbies/artikel/1…

This says the brocante (rather than marché aux puces) is from 7h on Saturday till 18.00 on Sunday: www.temploux.be/brocante/index/index.php?l=fr confirmed by the more detailed programme on temploux.com/brocante/edition/edition.php…

However, I see that there is in fact a %26quot;collectors%26#39; market%26quot; on the Saturday only, which finishes at 18.00 on Sat., while the %26quot;brocante%26quot; proper starts then and continues supposedly for 24 hrs. Consequently, if you are more interested in bric-à-brac than collectors%26#39; items (postcards...), that would be the time to go, and this seems to say the best items are available between 18.00 on Saturday evening and 01.00 on Sunday morning: www.objectifmag.be/…

Normally the best items are always available at the beginning of any such market. But as it covers 6 km, I%26#39;m sure there will be plenty there whenever you go.

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Thanks Gaminari- that%26#39;s very helpful. Looks like I%26#39;m going to need a lot of strong coffee...

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Hi Lucy - can you tell me how to get to Temploux and have you managed to fine a b%26amp;B or hotel. I am thinking of going along with a friend for a couple of days. I can get the eurostar to Brussels and then what? Hope you don%26#39;t mind me asking but I left everything a bit late. Thanks, Jeannie

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hi jeannie,

i%26#39;m afraid it%26#39;s too late to get a hotel anywhere very near to temploux- it%26#39;s all fully booked. we%26#39;re sleeping in our van. sophisticated, eh? we always drive to flea markets so i don%26#39;t know about public transport- sorry. you may be able to stay in a hotel in brussels and then get a combination of train/taxi to get you to temploux. hope you manage to make it there!

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Hi there

Many thanks for your reply. I think there is a bus service from namur every 30 minutes whilst the flea market is on. If I can%26#39;t find a hotel, I might have to camp out or hire a van. How big is your van? Only joking. If I buy anything that needs transporting back to London I may have to track you down!

Thanks again. I%26#39;ll let you know how I get on.

Kind regards, Jeannie

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Hi ya

Getting fed up now. Can%26#39;t find out exactly where the special shuttle bus services departs from in Namur and I don%26#39;t want to book a hotel in Namur which is miles away. Now thinking of hiring a car/van or going to Lille instead. Sorry to be a pain but I can%26#39;t google any longer. How are you getting there by car/van? Cheers, Jeannie

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hi, we%26#39;re driving thru eurotunnel with our van, straight to temploux. if you%26#39;re hiring a car/van, you%26#39;ll have to make sure the hire firm allows overseas travel. we always do it with our own van [this is what we do for work].

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Hi there

Just to let you know that we%26#39;ve managed to find a hotel (well, I call it a hotel , it%26#39;s * star - I didn%26#39;t know such hotels existed!) in Suarlee which is a couple of km from Temploux. I%26#39;m still not quite sure what to expect. It sounds like all the fun starts at 6pm on Saturday and goes on round the clock. This will definitely put our shopping skills to the test. Good luck with your purchases. Jeannie

Bruges to Nieuwpoort

We (me, husband %26amp; son) need to get from Paris to Nieuwpoort for a boat holiday this month. We have rail tickets from Paris to Brussels to Bruges. But how do we get from Bruges to Nieuwpoort? The boat rental company quoted 125 Euros one way for a car to pick us up in Bruges. Alternatively, they suggested we could go from Bruges to Ostend by train %26amp; they could pick us up there for 65 Euros. What they are quoting amounts to about 3 Euros per km, which seems quite high to me. I can%26#39;t find information about public transportation or taxis from Bruges to Nieuwpoort. Anyone have ideas?

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Train to Oostende costs €3.70 single. From there you could take the coast tram that stops at Oostende Station (NMBS = Belgian Railways), look just above the photo on this map: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Coast_Tram (it would be 24 stops to Nieuwpoort Kerk or church, for example - it must be about 20 km). However, the tram is really not intended for transporting people with large amounts of luggage, and I don%26#39;t know whether there is a stop near the exact address you need to get to in Nieuwpoort, so you might have to take a taxi.

The costs you have been quoted sound about right to me. There is a fixed amount per journey (€2.40) and then it costs up to €2.30 per km, different rates apply depending on the Region the taxi belongs to and those of the departure and destination (plus a night surcharge). I would have expected a taxi from Oostende to cost at least €50 but I might well be underestimating.

Here are some taxi companies if you want to ask for a quote:

Oostende:

Taxi Bond NV - 0032 (0) 597 028 88 website: www.taxibond.be, e-mail info@taxibond.be

Nieuwpoort:

Taxi Charlie - +32 (0)475 586 229

Taxi Merlijn - +32 (0)475 680 311

Taxi Marc Nieuwpoort +32(0)486 716 230

Child car seats in taxis - legally required?

Is it illegal in Brussels to travel in a taxi without a car seat if your child is under 3? My husband and I are deadlocked on whether to bring the car seat with us.

|||

I can%26#39;t find any information, but have never seen any, maybe taxis are exempt the same as buses and trains?

|||

For taxis Belgian law requires only that children smaller than 1.35m in height travel in the back seat. Taxis are exempt from the law on child seats.

If you read French, see: www.jesuispour.be/content.aspx…

If you travel in your own car, you are right that you would be legally obliged to use a child seat for children under 3.

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Okay, thank you. Seems he%26#39;s right. I don%26#39;t feel very comfortable with not using one, but I suppose it%26#39;s only to the hotel and then when we go home again.

Many thanks for the help!

Antwerp vs. Brussels?

Any suggestions on which one to do? I only have time in my trip for one of these places and I%26#39;m not sure which one would be better. Traveling will be two friends one male and one female 30 years of age. Looking for great architecture and excitement.

|||

hi,

all depends on what you are looking for.

No doubt there are interesting things to see in Brussels as well I can only tell you that visiting Antwerp serves you great features for architecture sightseeing and, quit important, practically all within walking distance.

Many old building construction in the historical center, like eg. the cathedral OLV (14th century), city hall, %26quot;guild%26quot;-houses on Grote Markt (square in front of city hall), house of the painter Rubens, pittoresque streets, many museums and...good shopping and dining availabilities to. Last but not least a beautiful zoo.

Enjoy your stay

welcome to Belgium

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Personally I preferred Antwerp much more than Brussels. Both have the architectural details, but Antwerp seemed more relaxing and pleasing to the eye.

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I used to work for a long time in Antwerp, followed by another job in Brussels. I am still working in Brussels now but I am convinced that I will hardly go back to this town after my retirement. There is a lot of fake and a lot of false romantism about this town which more and more has sold out its identity. Take my advice, visit Antwerp, you won%26#39;t regret.

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I can%26#39;t speak for Antwerp but having been to Bruges, Ghent %26amp; Brussels I have to say that Brussels was a disappointment for us.

Outside of the main Grand Place %26amp; the area where the market is held, this is a large, modern bustling city (it is the european parliament capital)and did not really appeal to us as a short break destination

We did find a really great war museum in the city, however the majority of marketing pictures for the city seem to concentrate on the Grand Place %26amp; we were really surprised how small this was.

Ghent was, for us, in a different league as a long weekend visit

Best Town for Food and Drink

I am looking for a really nice town in the Ardennes to go for a nice meal and drink is beautiful surroundings. The more peaceful the better. Any suggestions?

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Not sure what would qualify as the best but there are several good restaurants in La Roche-en-Ardenne and nearby Houffalize, e.g. www.restaurant-statuquo.com (I haven%26#39;t been there but a colleague recommends it), or www.coeurdelardenne.be/lacledeschampsresto/… Also some in hotels like http://users.skynet.be/MoulinHideux, www.aubergedalle.be/index2.php?sm=aube_fr-1, paysdescastors.be/moulindeboiron/index.php, or in châteaux such as www.mylord.be.

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Hi

I%26#39;d go to Givet on the river Meuse.Fabulous setting with cafes and restaurants adjacent to the river.Shoudn%26#39;take you long from Brussels.

Bob

www.frenchpedals.co.uk

great cycling holidays in Normandy

Ams-Brugge-Paris

Hi-

I know this topic is played out and I%26#39;m sorry for bringing it up yet again.

I%26#39;ve been reading all the back posts and now have no clue what I%26#39;m doing wrong! I%26#39;m going from AMS-Brugge and understand I have to go thru Antwerp to get to Brugge. But, I would like to take the IC from Brugge to Paris via Lille. What I can%26#39;t figure out is how to actually buy the tickets. I%26#39;ve been all over the different sites....EuroRail, Thalys, EuRail, some other ones I found links to within old posts...and I%26#39;m just stuck. I can%26#39;t get any of these sites to get me where I%26#39;m trying to go! They%26#39;ve got me into Midi, into Brussels etc.. Is there any website that you use that I can just go buy 1-2-3 done? Or am I just better off buying the tickets when I get there?

Thanks so much!

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I found connections through Lille on both the TGV website and on the Belgian railways site. It looked like on the TGV one it didn%26#39;t give the option of printing out the ticket but only of delivery. Didn%26#39;t get far enough on the Belgian railways site to see. Seat61.com is a good resource for figuring out buying rail travel tickets without going through Raileurope. It looked like the train to Lille is a Ter and the train from Lille to Paris is a TGV.

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Is there a reason why you want to go via Lille? To do this you need to take the train Brugge to Kortijk then Kortijk to Lille Flanders then the TGV to Paris. Kind of makes no sense which is why the booking sites route you through Brussels and on to the Thalys.

With the Thalys you can buy a ABS (any Belgian Station) option which includes your IC train to Brussels. There is also a direct train (Thalys) from Brugge to Paris Gare du Nord at 06.25 every day.

If you really want to go through Lille then just book the TGV from there to Paris (which requires reservations) and buy the ticket for the Brugge to Lille IC train when you get to the station.

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Thanks so much for your replies. I almost have it worked out. I did go to the RailEurope site and it gives all the options while being easy(ier) to navigate. I like the direct from Brugge to Paris, but 6:25am for me, on vacation, probably ain%26#39;t gonna cut it! I don%26#39;t have to go to Lille, it just looked like a straight shot on the map so we thought it was a better choice than going thru Brussels. Now I see.

Again, thanks so much for your help!

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Just know you will pay a premium for the raileurope site and it may not list every option. I booked my ticket through the Thalys website this summer but I did pickup in France, so if you can book through them with the print-your-own option or if there is an option for pickup in Belgium that would be best for you. I did the Brugge-Brussels-Paris trip last month and you will have no trouble with the transfer, it was very easy. My one recommendation would be that if you can get a Thalys that starts in Brussels as opposed to in Amsterdam it will be easier to store your luggage on the racks at the end of the car as opposed to above you, if that is an issue, as there won%26#39;t already be people on the train.

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As Warroirjan says book through the www.thalys.com site. You have the option to print the tickets out at home or pick them up at the station. Smoove fares (the cheapest) are available from 12 weeks before departure but go fast so if your plans are set then book as early as possible. Aslo sign up for Thalys special offers on the site. Sometimes you can get one way fares for as little as €19 + the ABS (any Belgian Station).

One correction though. No Brussels to Paris train start in Brussels, they either start in Amsterdam or Cologne.

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I need to head back to reading-train-schedules school.

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Let me know which school you get in b/c I%26#39;m applying at the same one.

We ended up booking on Thalys and it was cheaper...thank you! We did AMS to ANTWERP and will get connection tickets to Brugge at the station once we arrive. Then, did the BRUGGE-BRU-NORD. Comfort 1 was cheaper than Comfort 2. Surprise!

Now, I%26#39;m off to figure out a rental car for Iceland....should be about as much fun as booking these tickets!

Thanks so much for all your help. God send really.

How to contact B & B King in Ghent??

Please advise as to how to contact the B %26amp; B King in Ghent Belgium?

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Hi,

You can contact B %26amp; B King or Mrs Sarah Vandendriessche at Brouwersstraat 22 - 9000 Gent, info@bbking.be, +0032 489 572 909

They have also a website and in English, www.bedandbreakfastking.be

1 day/night in Belgium

My husband and I will have 1 day and night to spend in Belgium in October between our stays in Paris and Amsterdam. We were going to stay in Brussels but on other posts I%26#39;ve read there isn%26#39;t much to see and it is more of a business center. Which is recommended most; Antwerp, Brussels or Bruges? Does the train go to Bruges? And do Antwerp and Bruges have public transportation?

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Public transport is superb across Belgium, and in all the towns/ cities. Having said that, Bruges is very compact and you don%26#39;t really need transport. There are horse and carriages and canal boats if your feet get tired.

2 trains an hour go to Bruges, and probably more to Antwerp. Both are about an hour from Brussels, and you can get to Amsterdam from them, too.

What other posts say there isn;t much to see in Brussels? Its the capital, and of course the business centre, as well as having Royal Palaces, Parks and National Museums. So I can%26#39;t agree there is nothing to see.

The main %26#39;sight%26#39; is the huge medieval Grand Place.

As said, Bruges is a small, well-preserved mediavel town with canals; Antwerp is a bustling city with an ancient centre, lots of works by Rubens (and his house is well worth a visit!) and many top shops. It%26#39;s railway station was voted one of the best in the world, along with Grand Central in New York.

I%26#39;d suggest you see the Grand Place and surrounds in Brussels; take the train to Bruge and wanderround before spending the night there; then train to Antwerp and see some of that before heading for Amsterdam. Or spend more time in Belgium.

Or tell us what you want to see and do, so that somewhere can be recommended.

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Thanks for your help. We may try to see all of them while we are there. I forget how close everything is in Europe!

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I think we%26#39;ve decided to go to Brussels from Paris by train and spend part of the day there then to Bruges to spend the rest of the day and night there. Adding the train ticket to Bruges makes the cost significantly higher. Is there another way to get to Bruges from Brussels that may be cheaper? Would it be cheaper to buy our train tickets once we are in Europe? (I%26#39;m using the raileurope.com site)

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There is no way to get to Brugge from Brussels by public transport other than by train. However, Raileurope being a resale agency, it is certainly likely to be cheaper to buy from the train operator, i.e. in the case of the train from Brussels to Brugge, Belgian Railways.

The cost is €12.90 single, €25.80 return (in second class), unless you would be making a return journey on a Saturday or Sunday, in which case you can use the weekend rate of €13.80 return (single costs the same as on a weekday).

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P.S. That%26#39;s assuming you want an add-on journey from Brussels to Brugge and back, on top of your Paris-Brussels and, presumably, Brussels-Amsterdam tickets (where the first has to be Thalys but the second could be Thalys or IC, so I don%26#39;t know whether you have organised this as a single journey - with a 24 hr break in Belgium - or not).

An alternative would be to purchase a Thalys ABS ticket, which will include Brugge in the cost. I presume you have looked on www.thalys.com, or that Raileurope mentions ABS. The only thing is that as you will be buying a single ticket from Paris to Brugge, you will still have to buy a ticket from Brugge to Brussels or wherever you are continuing your journey from (Antwerp?).

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Raileurope adds sometimes significantly to the cost of the ticket. Check the website seat61.com for advice on buying rail tickets without using raileurope. I bought mine from Thalys.com with the option of pickup in France and then picked up my ticket in Paris from an SNCF office, no problem. You do need to show the exact credit card you purchased the ticket with. As previously suggested, you do not need to go Thalys from Brussels to Amsterdam, but the advance purchase price may in fact be competitive with the IC price. You certainly do not need to purchase Brussels to Bruges ticket from Raileurope, worst case scenario you buy it when in Belgium. I didn%26#39;t stop in Brussels, but I loved, loved Bruges.

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I%26#39;ve been to both destinations and liked the equally..Bruges is easier to get around as its heaps smaller.

For additional info on Bruges and what to do for a day click on the thread below.

tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i19667-Getting_…

Happy Travels,

EM.

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With just one night I wouldn%26#39;t visit both Brugge and Brussel but stay Antwerpen. Our favorite Belgian City (with Gandt).

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We spent a week traveling through Belgium a few years ago. If I had 1 night and 1 day it would be Brugges. Its absolutely lovely and evenings when the daytrippers go... magical. Easy to walk around, gorgeous, great food, beer, friendly folk.

Check www.flickr.com type city name in search feature. You%26#39;ll be amazed at how beautiful Brugges is. Also try Brugge night.

Day trip to flanders from Brussels

I am staying in Brussels for 4 days. Would like to take a day trip fromBrussels around the World War sights in Flanders. Any good companies to use or would i be safer to get a train to Bruges and take it from there? Thanks

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There are no companies doing tours like this that leave from Brussels. Unless you are actually staying in Brugge, from which there is one company operating tours to the WWI battlefields (Quasimodo), you would do better to go by train straight to Ieper (Ypres).

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If i go to Yeper will there be organised day tours for me to go on from there. Thanks for your help. I have noticed you have left a lot of information on the forum for Belgium. They are all very informative and helpful.

Many thanks

Janie

sunday market

am I right in thinking there is a big sunday market in Ghent ? and if so where is it ?

Thanks anyone

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There is a flea market on Sundays by St. Jacobskerk (the café Den Turk is nearby) and a flower and bird market at the Kouter, the square where the royal opera house is. Also a crafts market on Groentenmarkt.

But I think the biggest market is actually on Fridays, in the square called Vrijdag(s)markt.

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thanks very much for that info..sunday will have to do..am staying sat - wed !

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If you are coming from this Saturday, well, since today till Saturday evening (11 pm) we have a new market, an European market where you can taste and enjoy European region specialties. It%26#39;s at the Kouter.

Like qaminari said, there is a flea market at St.Jacobs, a hand-crafted products market at the Groentenmarkt and a flower market at the Kouter but the bird and fish market is at the Vrijdagsmarkt. And there are more than those markets, on Sunday we have 7 markets, there is also a second-hand book market at the Ajuinlei, a small farm animals market (chickens, ducks, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigeons, ...) at the Oude Beestenmarkt and a fresh foods market at the Sint-Michielsplein.

Alle markets, except the small hand-crafted products market, are ending at 1 pm.

This Sunday (till 4 pm), there is also a flea market at Patershol (nearby the Castle of the Counts) because of the Patershol festivities.

So enjoy the markets! ;-)

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thank for all that great information...we don%26#39;t arrive until sep 12th..so a little while to go...are all the markets quite close to each other ? within walking distance ? thanks again

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yes, they are all in the centre and within walking distance.

You arrive on Sep. 12th? It%26#39;s OdeGand that day and it is ending with a very beautiful bonfire at 11 pm at the Graslei/Korenlei. So a very nice day to arrive ;-)

You can read more about it at festivalgent.be/Programma/…Default.aspx

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oh fantastic...thanks so much for your help

nearest airport?

Hi can you tell me what is the nearest airport?

Im planning a trip for the in laws and know nothing on the area!!

Would it be Brussels? If so how far is it? How much in a cab?

Thank you!

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Brussels airport - BRU: I would against going to CRL, which Ryanair calls %26quot;Brussels South%26quot;, as it is in Charleroi, an hour away on the opposite side of Brussels.

From BRU you would normally go to Brugge by train, from the station below the airport but you have to change at Brussels (Nord, Central or Midi in that order - central is reputed to be the easiest to change at), from where it takes an hour on IC trains bound for Oostende or Knokke/Blankenberge.

I guess a taxi would cost you more than €100.

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To answer your question: the nearest airport is %26#39;ostend-bruges airport%26#39; www.ost.aero (approx.20 miles from Bruges)

but...there are no u.k. flights anymore.

Brussels airport is the best option for you.

I think there are direct flights from Newcastle towards Brussels (BMI/Brussels Airlines).

Have a nice stay in Bruges!

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Surely your in-laws are meeting you at the airport?

What ever happened to hospitality? :-)

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Surely it%26#39;s the in-laws that are travelling? Trip is being planned FOR, not TO the in-laws!

I assumed %26quot;airport that receives flights from the UK%26quot;, I must admit.

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You are probably right (as ever) qaminari!

So, are the in-laws living in the UK, and travelling to Bruges?

We are going to Brugge, Ghent and Antwerp from Holland.

We are traveling to Belgium by train and would like to stop in Brugge, Ghent and Antwerp. Is it easy to travel between those cities by public transportation?

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Hi,

Yes, the rail network in Belgium is excellent. http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/ for some idea of the times/duration of the trains. Bruges to Brussels is around an hour in duration, Bruges to Antwerp is around an hour and 20 minutes.

Rob

Hotel Heritage - BEST option for a Luxury Hotel in Bruges!

My wife and I stayed at the Hotel Heritage for 2 nights. We were staying in Amsterdam for a week and wanted to take 2 nights to visit Bruges. I booked the hotel months ago online directly at their website. Communication was excellent as they confirmed the booking via email very quickly. I paid via credit card and they emailed me a confirmation.

We took the train from Amsterdam and arrived in the afternoon. Our room was ready for us upon check-in. I believe it was one of the owners that checked us in. She was extremely friendly and courteous giving us a map, explaining some can%26#39;t miss things to see as well as where we were. She also gave us a certificate valid for a free walking tour. We didn%26#39;t end up using it as Bruges is so easy to explore on your own via walking and taking a Canal Cruise.

We were extremely happy with our room. It was a Suite on the 4th floor. It was on the back of the building so there was no great view but it didn%26#39;t matter. It was very quiet. They did a wonderful job renovating the hotel. It%26#39;s very charming and it maintains its classic decor yet had modern conveniences as well. For example, they had a HUGE 42%26#39; LCD TV, a work desk with a computer/keyboard there. Also, they had a Bose Wave Radio Alarm clock as well as a DVD player. There was also an electronic safe (although keep in mind it%26#39;s not bolted down but I doubt that would ever be a problem). There was also a spacious mini refrigerator.

The room was very big by USA standards and HUGE by European standards. Keep in mind this was a Suite. I%26#39;m sure the regular rooms are smaller. The bed we had was a King size bed and very comfortable. They AC system worked very well and was a modern system controlled with Thermometer like any big modern hotel.

The room itself had a living room area with sofa, desk area, the bedroom and the bathroom was HUGE! There was a separate shower stall with great water pressure, a double his/her sink and a very large modern bathtub with Jacuzzi jetted tub. They didn%26#39;t spare any expense as they are using Hermes Paris soap, shampoo/conditioner. The room also had an iron and ironing board which we appreciated as sometimes when we travel in Europe they don%26#39;t give you one. (For example when we traveled throughout Italy 2 years ago the hotels didn%26#39;t allow you to get an iron).

We are with our 1 year old and had booked for the hotel to have a crib in the room and they had it all set up. Keep in mind they charge €20 a night for a baby crib. It was amazing to see so many families with babies walking around. The city was full of them.

The friendly doorman brought our luggage to our room. In our room we had a basket of fruit for us which was a nice touch. Also, the first night they left us some red and white wine. We don%26#39;t drink alcohol but again it was very classy.

It%26#39;s clear to see the owners of the hotel have really thought things out. The renovations were very nice. I%26#39;m not sure how long ago it was renovated but I do tons of renovations in properties and it looks like the bathroom was recently done within the last few years. The windows have black out shades on them if you want to sleep in (but that is very doubtful as you%26#39;ll want to explore the city).

The same woman that helped us at the check in also helped us with train times back to Amsterdam. She was always so friendly and always had a smile on her face. I can%26#39;t say the same thing for some places around town. In some of the shops some of the people seemed unfriendly or didn%26#39;t smile much. It%26#39;s VERY evident that the city thrives/survives on tourism and sometimes in those types of towns people can get a bit bitter about the vast amounts of tourism but its clear the owners of the Heritage Hotel aren%26#39;t that way.

And one of the biggest advantages of the hotel is the amazing location! You are literally 1 block from Market Square which is the heart of the city and where all the life is at. It%26#39;s so great! Bruges is truly a remarkable city. I travel around the world frequently and have visited literally hundreds and hundreds of cities but Bruges was amazing! The easiest way to explain it is to imagine yourself magically putting yourself in a fairytale. It%26#39;s almost like a fairytale being in Bruges. So beautiful, incredible architecture and all so well preserved.

We got lucky and had wonderful weather. It only briefly rained a few hours our last day and the hotel had nice big umbrellas in the lobby to use.

I%26#39;d highly recommend a visit to Bruges and if you come I can%26#39;t think of any hotel that would be better than Hotel Heritage. It was literally a perfect visit! The owners do a great job and everyone is so friendly. The maid did a terrific job as well.

Also, something really great was that the website said they charge for internet access but at the check-in they told me they stopped charging for Internet access. It worked with a code they gave me. I used my own laptop not the one in the room.

Third day in Belguim, homebase of Brussels

Hello again folks.

Will be staying in Brussels for 3 days.

day 1 will be exploring Brussels.

day 2 will be Brugge

That leaves day 3 open. Am considering Ghent.

Can I do Ghent in say, half a day?

as far as what i am looking for, i have no idea, since i%26#39;ve never been. Brugge sounds enchanting, and i just watched the movie In Bruges, so i%26#39;m ready for that.

Just don%26#39;t know if we should venture out of Brussels for day 3 or not.

Perhaps not Ghent, but somewhere else (Antwerp) ? or nothing at all. - or maybe back to Brugge a second day?

thanks for any tips!

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Depends on the weather, depends on what you like to do, depends on what you will have already seen in Brussels, and what you may still have left to see. If on your first day you are taking one of the hop-on, hop-off buses, you may have a better idea of what you want to go back to - e.g. the oriental arts complex of the Japanese Tower, Chinese pavilion and (tiny) oriental art museum.

In the Ghent forum, you can look up %26quot;things to do%26quot; as rated by TA members in the list on the left of the page. Depending on whether you want to do the boat trip and/or visit the castle, it is more likely to take a day than half a day, and the same applies to Antwerp if you want to see Rubens%26#39; House, the Cathedral, etc.

If you were going to go back to Brugge for a second day, I think you would do better to stay there rather than in Brussels.

Car rental

Afternoon, does anyone know if it is possible to hire a car and drive from Brussels to London? If yes, which car hire company does it? Thanks!!!

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As far as I am aware, only if you are returning to the continent: you can%26#39;t leave a left-hand drive car in the UK as it can%26#39;t be rented out there, and if there is an agency that does would allow you to do this, it will probably cost a fortune as you would be paying for someone to bring it back.

In addition, I really would not recommend you drive in London anyway. For that reason, if you are going into London it is a lot easier to go by train (Eurostar) or by air, and if you are not staying in London you can hire a car at e.g. Heathrow or Gatwick.

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Thanks for the info. I am moving as was hoping it was an easier and cheaper way that flying back and forward a few times.

Belgium in 5 days

I am looking to do Belgium in 5 days and was wondering if this is possible. I%26#39;m flying into Brussels and doing at least 1 night in the following; Antwerp, Gent, Bruges, and Brussels. Is this too much? I figured with these cities being so close together it would be possible. I%26#39;d love some insight. Thanks.

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It%26#39;s perfectly feasible, although you might just as well stay in one place and visit the others from there: Ghent would be the most central (exactly half-way between Brussels and Brugge, 30 minutes each way by train) but if you are flying into and out of Brussels, you could also stay there and do day trips to the other cities.

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Its certainly better than trying to %26#39;do%26#39; it in 2 days...

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Hi Funky_Tee

I home-based in Brussels and day-tripped to these 3 cities. I had 7 days but it can be done in 5 and it%26#39;s well worth it.