Shuttles

Has anyone used romepickup.com for a shuttle pickup from the FCO airport to a Rome hotel, or from the hotel to Port Civitavecchia? Are they reputable?

Thank you!

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How on earth did you select the forum for Belgium - Flemish Brabant - Diegem? You should be in the one for Rome or Civitavecchia (or at least Italy)!

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My apologies, I didn%26#39;t realize it till after it was posted. I wondered how in the world I got to the Belgium website instead of Italy%26#39;s. My computer just did a number on me. I corrected my mistake.

Please to hear your response, thank you, appreicated it.

Brugge to Paris

Hi all

Need some advice re: travelling from Brugge to Paris. We%26#39;ll be making this trip from Brugge to Paris in December 09. However, I can%26#39;t seem to find any Thalys timing in the early afternoon. The trains seem to leave only either at 6am or 5pm.

Any sugg how we can reach Paris before sundown (approx 4pm Paris time?)

Thanks!

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I don%26#39;t know what website you are looking at, Thalys trains leave Brussels for Paris every half-hour! The 6 a.m. train from Brugge is a direct Thalys, but these are few and far between, at other times you have to change in Brussels: just because you (will) have a ticket from Brugge (ABS) to Paris does not mean you have to take a direct train!

If you look at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en you will see that you can leave Brugge at 13:31 and arrive at Paris-Nord at 16:05, with 1 change at Bruxelles-Midi. Note that you won%26#39;t have assigned seats on the Brugge-Brussels IC train, as it isn%26#39;t possible to reserve on domestic trains.

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Hi qaminari

Thanks for your response! I was trying to use Thalys%26#39; website to make some bookings. The options available to me are only the 6am and 5pm ones. I wonder what have I done wrongly!

In any case the info you have provided is extremely useful! I didn%26#39;t know that Thalys trains leave Brussels for Paris every half hour! That would be most useful for planning our trip!

Thanks again. :)

Special request to Qaminari

coming down to the wire now, and we%26#39;re all booked, ticketed and reserved.

Brussles has it narrowed down to one day and one night, in between Brugge, then off to Paris.

So I am in need of a very special dinner place.

Money no object, food types - something unique to Brussels (and not something i can obviously get here in the states)

So far i think i have the choices of t%26#39;Kelderke or the Village Idiot.

Seriously i ask you where you would have us eat dinner for our one and only night. It can be an absolute hole in the wall - i don%26#39;t care.

If I were Qaminari, where would i eat dinner.

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Sorry, but no way am I going to be responsible for your choice when I don%26#39;t know your likes and dislikes and whether they bear any relation to mine, and in any case, how am I supposed to know what you can and can%26#39;t get in Phoenix, Arizona? Except that I wouldn%26#39;t advise Mexican, Chinese or Indian, simply because they are not what Brussels does best.

Maybe somebody else will be prepared to stick their neck out but you may have discouraged them by personalizing the question!

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grrrr.i had a feeling you would reply with something like that..

i%26#39;ll just have a go on my own then. at least you told me to avoid %26#39;restaurant row%26#39; in a previous post, so thank you for that at least :)

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try in%26#39;t Spinnekopke or chez vincent

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Thank you BB.. chez vincent looks like a winner.

Is there a train from the airport to the Schuman Station?

Anyone can tell me if there is a train from the airport to the Schuman Station and also if the

Schuman Station is near the European Commission

Building our hotel is the New Hotel Charlemagne that is located at one block of the European commission but we are not sure if the train stop is nearby. Thank you

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Yes Schuman railway station is next to Avenue Charlemagne (the European Commission has buildings all over Brussels, but 2 of them flank that avenue, one of which is the Berlaymont) but no, the airport train doesn%26#39;t call there, Schuman is on a different line. Airport train calls at Bruxelles-Nord, Bruxelles-Central, Bruxelles-Midi; trains to Schuman start at Midi and call at Central and Nord on the way to Schuman, final destinations are e.g. Ottignies, Namur, Luxembourg (Ville).

So, you can buy a ticket from the airport to Schuman but you have to change trains at Gare du Nord and also change directions.

For timetables put BRU (this is the airport code but it will give you full name of airport to select) and Bruxelles-Schuman into http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

Incidentally, the airport express BUS stops at Rond-Point Schuman, next to the metro station (rue Archimède). Both train and bus cost €3, in the case of the bus though only if you buy the ticket from the machine, if you buy it from the driver it costs €4.

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Thank you very much for your information,it really helped. Maria

Transportation from Brussels to Bastogne

OK...I%26#39;ve researched the train/bus schedules between Brussels and Bastogne. Not something I%26#39;m comfortable with. While we have sufficient time on the Brussels-Bastogne segment, our schedule is pretty tight for our return. Our flight leaves BRU at 1200 and if we don%26#39;t make it we%26#39;re SOL. Does anyone know if there%26#39;s a taxi/limo service that%26#39;ll get us from Bastogne to Brussels faster than the train?

Yeah...yeah...I know ...$$$$$

Any assistance will be appreciated.

Mudge the researcher

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brusselsairport.be/en/…taxi-limousine

Or in Bastogne itself: Taxi Marcelle : [+32]/ [0]61/21.10.60.

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Thanks...exactly what I needed.

Mudge the appreciative

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We are renting a car because of this. Just looks like you need one to get around the area.

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OK...next question. For those of you who are familiar with Brussels National Airport.

We arrive on British Midland at 1030am on a Sunday. We%26#39;re taking the train/bus to Bastogne. We were planning to catch the 1217 train %26#39;til I discovered that it doesn%26#39;t run on Sundays. Any possibility of getting through baggage claim and customs in time to make an 1117 train or should we just relax and get the 1317? Should I buy our tickets online or at the station?

Also...Am I correct that since we arrive from a non-EU country (UK) and depart for a non-EU country (USA), our arrival AND departure will be Pier B?

Mudge the prepared

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I think you should know that Britain IS a EU country but it is NOT Schengen country. So terminal B is for departure anywhere except Schengen countries.

You might catch the earlier train if the luggage is not delayed, or if you have only hand luggage. But I would not worry if I miss it, just take the next train. No need to buy tickets in advance, just buy it on the day.

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To put what is said above another way around, both the UK and USA are non-Schengen countries, even if the UK is in the EU. BUT, many if not all U.S. flights are now leaving from the very end of the Schengen pier (A), where passport control windows have been added, and which is called area T: you will see signs to A/T.

So normally you will arrive at Pier B (non-Schengen) from the UK but most likely leave from the far end of Pier A; so after check-in you have, first, boarding pass control, then (after going down escalators and along a moving walkway) handluggage security controls, then (after going up escalators/elevators) walk all the way through the Schengen flight area, then through passport control and possibly additional security controls after that, when they feel like it. This is why it is recommended to arrive at the airport 3 hrs before a flight to the U.S.

You%26#39;ll find a lot of references to the distances involved in getting to Pier A (let alone the T end) on here: airlinequality.com/Airports/…bru.htm

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Thanks for the info. That helps a lot.

Mudge the mollified

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Now that we have the %26quot;Schengen%26quot; or %26quot;non-Schengen%26quot; thing

resolved...anyone know where I might find a floor plan of Brussels North station?

Yes...I sometimes %26quot;over-prepare%26quot;.

Mudge the OC

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No, and if you are only changing trains there, I can%26#39;t think why you would need one: the railway lines all run parallel to each other so the platforms are also parallel to each other! Gare du Nord has 12 lines running overground, North-South, and these are linked by an underground corridor running perpendicularly, so East-West, I THINK with platform 1 being on the West (canal, if you have a map of Brussels) side and 12 on the East; trains from the airport are travelling North-South so East is on the left if you are facing in the same direction as the train. Assuming that your train isn%26#39;t leaving from the same platform, or line next to it, you will come down the steps from the platform you arrive at, into the connecting corridor, walk along this a little way and go up the escalator to the platform your connecting train departs from. There are large yellow timetable boards both on the platforms and in the connecting corridor, and the next train from the platform concerned is shown both on a sign above each platform and on a monitor at the bottom of each escalator. I think there are now also departure/arrival monitors in the corridor but if you want to see the big departure board you would have to go to the ticket office beyond the platform 1 end of the station.

If by any chance you are not changing trains but going elsewhere, the exits are signposted, but basically walking to and beyond platform 1 brings you to the ticket office, after that you arrive in a small shopping area and would turn left for the city centre (also toilets), right for taxis. Straight ahead you would see the metro station ticket office and escalators down to the bus station at ground level (0) and metro - in fact, underground tram - station on level -1.

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That%26#39;s great info...Many thanks. Yes, we are merely changing trains and I was concerned that we might be going from the %26quot;far reaches%26quot; of where the IR arrives to the farthest reaches of the IC departure. I guess if one couldn%26#39;t make the transfer in the 14 minutes they indicate on the routing, they wouldn%26#39;t schedule it that way. I%26#39;ll assume it%26#39;ll be the same with our 7 minute connection to the bus in Libramont. Although Libramont looks small enough that you could get from anywhere in the terminal to the farthest point in not more than about 3 minutes.

Thanks again for the assist.

Mudge the prepared

p&o mini cruises

hi

i have booked a standard outside cabin for a mini cruise to bruges,has anyone any idea if these cabins have an electric sockets so i could use my hairdryer.

and travel kettle.

marnie

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Wouldn%26#39;t this question be better addressed to P%26amp;O itself? It%26#39;s not only an issue of whether there is a socket (read this review http://travel.ciao.co.uk/P_O_Ferries__Review_5804006), but what type it is (UK or continental), and/or whether there isn%26#39;t in any case a hairdryer already. If, as seems to be the case, P%26amp;O don%26#39;t put such detailed information on their website, you can phone them on 08716 645 645, or e-mail help@poferries.com.

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thank you for your help

regards marnie

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i%26#39;m going on one in december and from the pictures of the boat i have seen they already have kettles and tv%26#39;s dont know about hair dryers though sorry.

Kris

Village of Chimay

We are a fan of Chimay beer and aware that we cannot visit Scourmont Abbey, however would like to visit the village of Chimay.

Any recommendations on sights to see, places to eat and drink?

How esy is it to access by train from Bruges? I am under the impresiion it would take approx 2 hours to get there.

Are there any options for accommodation?

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I suppose your visit has to be seen as a kind of pilgrimage to the hometown of your favorite beer but do not expect too much. Have a look at his : visithainaut.be/informations/…53259.html

and judge if this is worth a 3 1/2 trip by train and bus.

Best way to get from Brussel to Munich

Going to Belgium next year and would like to combine Oktoberfest with Brussels. Any suggestion on the best way to combine

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Fly (1h15): brusselsairport.be/en/…munich

It takes around 8 hours by train, the most comfortable way being by City Night Line from Cologne at 23:46 (arr. 07:16); to reach Cologne you have direct ICE train from Brussels e.g. at 18:18 from Bruxelles-Midi (18:27 from Bruxelles-Nord). This is not a cheap option, however, it costs around €140 and reservations are essential but you can buy your ticket at any station in Brussels before date of travel.

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

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Direct flights with Lufthansa (or at least now, too early for next year%26#39;s schedule) are coming in at under €100 return. Its a long train journey so that might be your best bet. Otherwise train to Cologne and then Airberlin to Munich. If you book well enough in advance you shoud get a decent fare.

Transport from Zeebrugge to Brugge

This summer I will be arriving in Zeebrugge on board a cruise liner. In an effort to avoid the cruise-sponsored tours, I would like to travel on my own into Bruges for the day. What is the easiest way to get to/from Bruges? If by train or bus, how close are the docks to the station(s)?

I would be grateful for any advice anyone cares to share. Thanks!

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There are certainly buses to Brugge from the ferry terminal which I think must be next to where the cruise ships dock, although I don%26#39;t know whether the local bus 791 (Zeebrugge to Brugge) goes out that far. Brugge station is about 8 miles away from the port, and unless things have changed since I was last there, there is a railway station right by the ferry port - many years ago I came off a boat and got straight on a train that stopped at Brugge and Gent on the way to Brussels. There is a map on here: www.aferry.to/Zeebrugge-ferry-belgium.htm

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We think the railway-station %26#39;Zeebrugge-Strand%26#39; is +/- 1km from the docks.

The ticket one-way to Bruges costs 2,40 € . There is train every hour, in the morning and evening every half hour.

You can tcheck on site www.nmbs.be (available in english)

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HI

A similar question - is it easy to get a taxi from Zebbrugge to Bruges as we are travelling there by liner in April - with elderly parents.

Any info on taxis and or on public transport would be welcomed. Thanks

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see other post...

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How did this work for you? We will also be on a cruise in August and was wondering how you got to Bruges.

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Firstly, the cruise ship docked nowhere near the ferry terminal. It was in the dock near the start of the canal by Zweedse Kaai. There appeared to be a tram runing along Kustlaan (a road also called N34a) at the end of the dock.

The shuttle bus ran to Blankenberg where you could get a train to Brugge (or beyond). Taxis are available and cost €45 to the centre of Brugge, 4 of us shared one and it took about 25 minutes, very convenient as I had my mother with us and it took us right to the main market square. If you go by train the station is about 10 minutes walk from centre of Brugge.

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Thats helpful. We are arriving in Zeebrugge on the Q. Victoria on 7th December- is there any way you can pre book a taxi to go to Bruges and for the return?

Belgian Chocolate

I%26#39;ll be visiting Brussels/Bruges for 5 days and would like to bring some chocolate gifts back to the United States. Prefer the truffle type, but open to suggestions. Not sure what is best way to go about it. I%26#39;ve read that its better to buy at airport on way out, but not sure what brands/styles would be best. Prefer something unusual that I wouldn%26#39;t be able to easily find back home. Plan to spend $20-30 for each gift. Also, if there is something similar to truffles - would pralines fit this category? - I%26#39;m open to suggestions. Thanks.

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I don%26#39;t know what brands are available in Dallas, so it is hard to say what would be unusual there, but I believe Godiva has outlets in the States. The specialist chocolate shops at the airport stock Godiva, Neuhaus and Corné Port Royal. Neuhaus certainly do truffles, you can check out their offerings on here: www.neuhaus-online-store.com/index_en.htm…

Corné Port Royal is one of my favourite brands, you can see what they do on here: http://www.corne-port-royal.be/homeen.php

%26quot;Praline%26quot; is the general Belgian word for filled chocolates, which includes truffles. I%26#39;m not sure what you mean by %26quot;similar%26quot;, but if it%26#39;s anything with a soft filling, you will be spoiled for choice.

If you have the time, in Brussels you can check out the fine %26quot;chocolatiers%26quot; Pierre Marcolini and Wittamer, both in the Sablon (where you will also find branches of Godiva, Neuhaus and, in the Petit Sablon, Côte d%26#39;Or), and another of my favourites, Frédéric Blondeel next to St. Catherine metro station opposite the Welcome Hotel. You can have a cup of coffee there with a selection of chocolates which you get to choose from the display, see frederic-blondeel.com/en/…index.html.

Really I don%26#39;t think you need suggestions, just see what appeals when you get here. The Belgians%26#39; own favourite (but industrially produced) is Léonidas, they have shops all over the place and also the Chocolates Café in rue des Tongres (Mérode metro, not far from the Cinquantenaire museums), where you get a free %26quot;praline%26quot; with any coffee, from a choice of 3 (plain, milk, white).

Reasons for buying at the airport are: BRU has the highest turnover of Belgian chocolates in the world, and a fast turnover is a good guarantee of freshness; if you are buying the ones with fresh cream fillings you need to buy as late as possible; and since chocolates are semi-liquids, you could run into trouble if you have them in your hand luggage before security (not a problem if you buy them on the %26quot;airside%26quot; of the airport - or, of course if you put them in your hold baggage). On the other hand, the selection can be limited (although the duty-free shop has other brands than the ones that run the shops that only sell chocolates) and you may see - or taste - something you have to have when you are in town. Don%26#39;t expect free samples, btw.

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Wow. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge. I won%26#39;t lack for a proper chocolate experience in Belgium now. As for the chocolate gifts, it sounds like the best choice is to make BRU purchase on the airside and carry them on the plane with me.

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I love Wittamer on the Sablon mentioned above. They always made for great gifts when I lived in Brussels and was going back to The States. They were always my favorite and are not available in the US.

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There is so much wonderful chocolate in Brussels that it%26#39;s hard to say which brand is a can%26#39;t miss personally I liked just exploring the different little chocolatiers picking out which ones that look really appealing.

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For very good friends/relatives you could visit Marcolini%26#39;s or Mary%26#39;s - they are fantastic.

Christmas in Antwerp

I%26#39;ve seen a really good deal on hotel and transport to Antwerp over the Christmas period. Christmas Eve and Christmas day to be precise. However, only having been to Antwerp once before, I have little idea of what is open, restaurants etc ovet this period. A little help would be much appreciated.

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Hi there,

Christmasmarket takes place at the GROENPLAATS and goes from 9 to 27 december.It is open from

vr-za : 12.00 to 22.00

zo-do : 12.00 to 20.00

24 dec : 12.00 to 18.00

26 dec : shops are open

Maybe for restaurants better make a reservation

Food and drink possible on christmasmarket

hope this help

have a nice stay

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Xmas Eve might be pretty quiet in the city. Most Belgians celebrate at home with the family. No problem, though, to find a restaurant. Reserving ahead of time might be a good idea. There will be restaurants that offer special Xmas dinners only.

Brussels Help!

Hi,

I am going to brussels for the Christmas markets 27th Nov. Can anyone help me with the best way to get from the airport to Leopold Hotel, Rue Du Luxembourg 35 B-1050?

Also we are thinking of doing a day trip to Bruges on Sat 28th Nov. I have read here that you can get the train %26amp; its about an hour journey. Does anyone know the cost of this?

I have tried to look up the STIB website but havent a clue where I%26#39;m looking for!

Also what would be the best stop to get off at in Bruges to see the Tower in the Market Square? Oh an another one are there Christmas markets in Bruges?

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

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Oh I%26#39;m flying with Aer Lingus, I dont know if there is more than one airport.

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Well you will arrive at Brusels international if you are travelling Aer Lingus so the quickest way is the Airport Express bus (line 12). Get of at Luxembourg and walk about 5 mins to the hotel.

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hari.b-holding.be/Hafas/bin/query.exe/en?

Check this site out, it%26#39;s our national railroad company, so you%26#39;ll find all information on rail travel and costs. The best stop to get off for visiting Brugge: simple: at Brugge. It%26#39;s not this big, there%26#39;s only one railroad station, no mistake possible. There will be christmas markets on Market square and Simon Stevin square, but not that exceptional.

Can%26#39;t help out on the hotel question, sorry.

Enjoy your holliday!

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It would help if you said which airport you were arriving at or which airline you are coming with. While there is only one Brussels Airport (BRU) - and that is its official name, not Brussels national or international - Ryanair uses Charleroi (CRL) which has baptized itself %26quot;Brussels South%26quot;, and of course directions for getting to your hotel from there would be somewhat different (Ryanair shuttle to Brussels Gare du Midi and 27 bus from there to Square de Meeus, or local bus to Charleroi-Sud railway station and trains from there).

For your train trip to Brugge (end destination of these trains is Oostende or Knokke/Blankenberge) you can start at the Gare du Luxembourg near your hotel and change trains at Gare du Nord, or if you prefer take a bus to Gare centrale or bus or metro (from Trône) to Midi: trains to Brugge, stop at Nord, Central and Midi in that order. Cost is €12.90 single, €25.80 return, or €13.80 return if you travel on a Saturday or Sunday.

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Sorry I see you did subsequently say which airline and airport!

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Thanks so much for all your help.

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Sorry for butting in, but the trip to Bruges also interests me.

is it really only 13.80 for a return to Bruges at the weekend? I%26#39;m thinking about going on Sat 5th Dec - could I book the train in advance?

We are staying at the Dominican Hotel, but unfortunately I am flying in to Charleroi and not Brussels international airport. How do I get from the drop off point of Ryanair to my hotel, is taxi my easiest option? Many thanks.

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Where%26#39;s the Ryanair drop-off point?

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Brussels Midi is the Ryanair stop

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Weekend return trips are discounted -- and they%26#39;re a great deal. No real need to buy in advance.

Bruges train station is a bit odd -- instead of being right in the middle of a seedy part of town (which is ordinary for most train stations) it%26#39;s on the edge of the old city, separated by a really beautiful park. You have about a 10-minute walk to the market square.

Christmas in Ghent

For the past few years we have been to Bruges for Christmas and New Year and we are looking for a change.Does anyone know if all the restaurants and bars are open on Christmas Day in Ghent as they are in Bruges ?

Would be a shame to travel there and find everywhere closed

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we too usually go to Bruges for an overnight stay before christmas. stock up on cheese and pate from the saturday market and beer.. then wine in france on the way home.. Im interested in replies too as we were thinking of trying Ghent this year or wondering whether to stick to what we know.. is there a food market in Ghent on a Saturday like Bruges??

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Many restaurants will be open on Christmas Day, many will be closed too. However, you should be able to find a restaurant to your liking, but I would suggest booking a table in advance.

This is a useful link : www.visitgent.be

Feel free to contact me if any more info needed.

new years dinner 2009

Hello !

My husband and I are going for the first time to Brussels from Dec 30th-Jan 2nd.

I know is still a bit early, but I wanted to know if anyone have suggestions for a restaurant for dec 31st.

Also planning on going to Bruges on January 1st. is everything going to be closed?

Any help will be much appreciated,

Thanks

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Bruges will be fine on Jan 1st!

I have been to café Vlissinghe on a 1 Jan and it was great, if you like local atmosphere, all locals.

In Brussels, it all depends what you like: organised %26quot;reveillons%26quot; (expensive and %26#39;group%26#39; minded - dance together !) or something quite.

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For dec. 31st we%26#39;re looking for a place to have a nice dinner (budget between 50-75 euros per person). A place with good ambiance, not a big party.

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I would also be interested in reading if you get any replies, so I am bumping your post. Hope someone will come along with some tips.

Bruge in November 2009

Hi All,

First time to Bruge for partners birthday, we are staying at OUD HUIS DE PEELAERT hope we have chosen well?(chose because central).

Please can you forward must do Trips, things to see, shops to visit etc etc.

Also i have read some previous articles on forum stating eatery%26#39;s tend to be a bit pricey round tourists area%26#39;s.Please could anyone forward name%26#39;s of eatery%26#39;worth trying further away from square.

Pub%26#39;s worth trying for local Beer,best chocolate shops and the most important best proper coffee shops.

I am lucky to live in a village where our local coffee shop and eatery has won first place in the BEVE AWARDS for the best coffee in the UK.

SO please all info greatly recieved.

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My wife and I have stayed in this hotel twice. The first time was April, 1997 and again in April 2001. The name at the time was OUD HUIS but it was the OUD HUIS RELAIS AMSTERDAM. I pulled up the website and it is the same place. You are in for a TREAT. It is wonderful. Maybe the best breakfast that I have ever had (several great cheeses, different breads, meats, boiled eggs, etc). Also has a small but real cute bar.

We again visited Brugge for one day (from cruise ship) about three weeks ago. It is wonderful town. I am afraid that the clerks and restaurant owners in Brugge may have a little %26quot;tourist%26quot; fatigue as they are not quite as nice as they used to be, but at any rate it is a great town and you will enjoy.

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Sorry, I forgot the beer request. You must visit the Straffe Hendrik DeHalve Maan brewery. They can give you directions from the Hotel. Here is the website:http://www.halvemaan.be/index.php?id=14%26amp;L=2

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Hi

Just for clarity Oud Huis De Peelaert and Oud Huis Amsterdam from the previous poster are different hotels.

Oud Huis Amsterdam is at Genthof 4, 8000 Brugge

Oud Huis De Peelaert is at Hoogstraat 20 - 8000 Brugge

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I am sorry. The last poster is correct. I checked the photos and they do resemble.

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Back to your original post of what to do:

I agree with Jim the brewery is certainly worth a visit.

Bars, here are a few to get you started.

De Garre

tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g188671-…

Cambrinus

http://www.cambrinus.eu/

Brugs Beertje

http://www.brugsbeertje.be/index_en.htm

Eateries:

De Republiek - Sint-Jakobsstraat - Cafe (Lunch \ early dinner)

De Gastro - Braambergstraat - Restaurant (Fixed price menus for lunch and dinner)

Den Dijver - Dijver - Restaurant with dishes that incorporate beer

Den Gouden Karpel - Huidenvettersplein - Great fish restaurant

Sites

Walk up The Belfry - get there when it opens, easier getting up and down the stairs.

Canal Boat Trip

A good way to see the city

All of the trips follow the same route, just starting at different parts of the circuit.

Horse Drawn Carriage

Very touristy, but romantic and again a good over view of the city.

Coffee

The basic coffee is European in style. Very short and strong, which is generally done well. With varying amounts of extras, biscuits, chocolates etc.

The more %26quot;adventurous%26quot; types - cappuccino, lattes etc can be hit or miss.

In short the cafes are better for their ambiance and watching the world as opposed to spectacular coffee, but the cakes \ pastries are generally good.

Following are all very pleasant:

Prestige on Vlamingstraat

De Medici on Geldmuntstraat

De Taverner (spelling may be off) opposite Acadamie Hotel on Walplein

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

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

Generally walk around and see what takes your fancy, there are plenty of gems of bars and restaurants tucked in the streets through out the city.

Enjoy your trip.

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The Windmolen on Carmerstraat is a bit out of the way, out by the windmills near the ring road, but is a lovely old cafe.

Two bars with a great beer selection not mentioned so far are t%26#39;Poatersgat, a cellar bar on Vlaamingestraat and the Kelk on Langestraat.

Which weekend in November are you going? There is a beer festival taking place on the weekend of the 14th/15th.

Restaurants - Erasmus v. good but a wee bit pricey, De Stove and Pepermolen are both favourites of mine.

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Thanks All for your replies, we are going the weekend of the 28th November, will use great advice.

Travel from Amsterdam to Ghent at night

Could anyone advise me about the possible problems of travelling from Amsterdam to Ghent in the evening. I had planned to travel with a friend but they have had to cancel the trip. My plane lands in Amsterdam at 15.45, and we had planned to take a train from Amsterdam to Ghent. As I understand it I will have to take a train from Amsterdam Centraal to Antwerp and from Antwerp to Gent-St. Pieters. I am not sure how long it takes to get through customs and hence what time I will get to Ghent. I am not sure how safe it is to travel alone at night as a lone woman, and if I get into Ghent very late whether there are available taxis to get to the hotel and if the hotel will be open. I expect that it will cold at the beginning of November, and I would not like to find myself without accommodation. Has anyone done this trip who can advise me about whether it is ill advised to travel at night?

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Hello, I live in Ghent. If you land in Amsterdam at 15.45, I would say you would be able to catch a train from Amsterdam Airport at 17.10 hrs (or 18.10, 19.10 and so on, there is an hourly departure). This means you will arrive in Antwerp around 19.00 and depending on your connection to Ghent around 20.00. There are taxis waiting outside the station exit in Ghent (at your right side). I do not know the name of your hotel in Ghent, but all major hotels here have day and night reception. Ghent is quite safe. I have several Australian friends, feel free to send me a personal message if you need more information.

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Thank you for this information, I am most grateful as I have not visited Europe previously. I am going to stay at the Erasmus Hotel. Is it an ICB train that I should catch from Schiphol station?

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Yes an IC train is the one you should take, not Thalys, as Thalys can only be booked in advance.

Getting the correct price for AMS to Belgium train tickets

We%26#39;ll be traveling from Amsterdam to Bruges later this month.

I%26#39;ve been looking at web sites, and the Belgian Rail web site continues to come up with a lower price than anyone else for the tickets (31 EUR Optiway), sometimes much lower than what I see on other pages.

And I%26#39;m not able to find an online booking page for the Netherlands rail site.

Can I trust the information that I see on the Belgian Rail web site when I go to purchase the ticket at the Amsterdam Centraal train station?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

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Of course you can trust the Belgian rail site jeez, you can also buy and print out your tickets online, there is no financial advantage however it is more conveniant to have your tickets, and here is a link for the the Dutch rail site :-

http://www.ns.nl/cs/Satellite/travellers

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The Belgian one came out at 34 euro when i tried a test,for the 12th October, 2nd class single, for that journey though :- http://www.b-rail.be/int/E/

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Unless you wanted to take the Thalys to Antwerp then you do not need to prebook these tickets as no reservations are possible on the IC trains. You can buy tickets from the machines at Amsterdam Central or at the ticket counters.

However on the Belgian rail site the full fare price for this journey is € 44,40 one way, the €34 price is only with an SNCB reduction card.

I can see your confusion though as if I check the Dutch www.nshispeed.nl site it gives me a one way price of € 56.60 for the Amsterdam to Brugge journey which I don%26#39;t think is correct. If you buy a ticket to Antwerp its €30. If you then get another ticket in Antwerp to Brugge It%26#39;s €13.60 so approx €43 in total.

If it is showing an Optiway fare then likely this is utilising a Thalys train to Antwerp. If you can get a €31 fare then snap it up. I checked the Thalys site for a couple of dates at the end of the month and could only get a fare of €43 for Antwerp ABS (any Belgian station) which covers the journey to Brugge.

Be aware though that if you purchase a ticket using the Thalys then you have to catch that specific train.

Charleroi to Lille ?

Hello All,

Am I right in thinking that the bus transfer from Charleroi to Lille is gone ? If it is then am I right in thinking that my only option is to get the train from Charleroi to Lille ? If this is my only option then how easy is it to do ? Many thanks for any help.

Regards,

Supervanman.

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http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/ - check your connections on this Belgian railways website, trains from Charleroi to Lille are direct, run approx every hour, journey time about 1.5 hours.

Bus from the airport will take you to the railway station in Charleroi.Check the airport%26#39;s website.

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Here is the timetable, turn left out of the Airport and walk down a few yards to pick up the bus they run every 30 mins take 18 mins to Charleroi sud and cost 2.50 euros single.

infotec.be/PDFtemp/PDFgen-H-CA--74c91be20c4b…

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Actually frequency of the bus depends on the time of the day just check the timetable.

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Monday to Friday buses run each half an hour regardless of the time of the day. On the weekends, i.e. Saturday/Sunday, they run every hour.

The weekend schedule is on the last two pages of the above timetable.

www.infotec.be/index.aspx…

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search for Bus Line A

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Many thanks for your replies.

Regards,

Supervanman.

Train from Brussels Airport to Bruges

Hi there,

Just wondering is there a direct train from the airport in Brussels to Bruges and if not where do we change trains. Also is it best to buy return train tickets in advance and what stop would we get off at in Bruges - there are a few, i.e. Bruges (B), Bruges Sp and Bruges-Sint-Pieters and Bruges-Saint-Pierre (B). Any help would be appreciated. Thanks a lot.

Selbeep.

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sinfin.net/railways/stations/sta-belgium.html - sint pieters and saint pierre are one and the same station one is in Flemish, one in French. But you will get off at Bruges (B)

There is no direct train from Zaventem, you change either at Nord, Central or Midi. To find the timetable look at Belgian railways website.

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

Buy the ticket at the aiport, no advantage in buying it in advance.

|||

But maybe you are arriving on Ryanair?

|||

Thank you very much for your reply. We won%26#39;t be travelling Ryan Air but with Aer Lingus who fly into the main Airport.

Thanks again.

Selbeep.

Between Christmas and the 1.January

Hi everyone,

I searched this and found outdate info from previous years. I am planning on either spending New Year in Paris or Brussels. Brussels has the added benefit that for the dates I may be arriving 27/28 December I may still be able to see some Christmas spirit in Brussels, Brugge, etc.

So I would like to know, if there normally is fireworks at the Grand Place or elsewhere within a walking distance.

Also, I found the reference to the Winter market and http://www.plaisirsdhiver.be/en/index.aspx with the light show, but the website is outdated. However in brusselsinternational.be/wabxlint/… it says 27/11/2009 - 03/01/2010. Can someone confirm this?

How is the weather normally that time of year? Snow or heavy rain?

Is it pleasant out on the streets (I know cold)?

If I use Brussels as a base, where would you suggest I visit? Brugge (was there already, and loved it, so will definitely be back). Other suggestions?

Should we rent a car? There will be 4 of us. Or is it more convenient to get one (or 2) rail carnet with 10 journeys for about €70 and split the tickets?

Also, we will most likely fly into Charleroi with ryanair. On the shuttle bus website they seem to be working on the 1.January.2010. Should I assume they will be working since they show ticket availibility or should I expect public transport not to work that day?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this very preliminary plan.

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I think we might stay a couple more days and only leave on 3.January. Any clues as to what to do on 1.Jan or will everything be closed? I hope that the xmas markets that are advertised as running until 4 or 5 January will be open.

This website lists some of the markets open beyond New Year.

http://www.christmasmarkets.com/Belgium.html

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I know I am pushing my luck now, since I have not received any reply to my earlier request, but just wanted to add a quick question: will the trains be running on the 1-January?

Thanks.

|||

To answer last question first, in Europe public transport runs on public holidays, according to Sunday timetable; so of course, there will be trains and buses, metros etc. on 1 January. The Charleroi shuttle, however, is not part of the public transport system, it%26#39;s a private coach contracted to the airlines that use CRL, however of course this must be running on any day when there are flights.

There will be fireworks on New Year%26#39;s Eve, usually from the Albertine Gardens, people gather to watch them on Mont des Arts and also in the Grand%26#39; Place (if you go to the latter, watch out for stupid drunken youths setting off firecrackers behind people).

The dates you mention are those I have seen for the Winter Market, the Plaisirs d%26#39;Hiver site itself may not be updated until just before it starts, as Christmas does not get underway here (thank goodness) until after St. Nicolas on 6 December.

I can%26#39;t advise on what would be the best way to travel as you don%26#39;t say where you want to go except Brugge; as single tickets to Brugge would cost more than €7.30, unless you are going at the weekend (when weekend return is cheaper) it is worth doing this using 8 of the 10 trips on a €73 railpass. However, if you were going to, say, Leuven or Antwerp (or even Ghent), it would be better to buy individual tickets as they cost less than €7.30.

Regarding renting a car, consider where you are going to put it - parking is difficult and expensive in Brussels, and not all hotels have a garage. In Brugge you will have to leave it on the outskirts: there%26#39;s a free car park at the station (but then you might as well have arrived by train). If you just want to go to towns and cities, you can do this perfectly well by train, but if you wanted to visit WWI battlefields around Ieper, or small villages in the Ardennes, a car would be useful.

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qaminari, you are really an expert!! I thank you for your patience and for helping me with all my questions.

Charleoi airport

Could someone please tell me how much a taxi might cost from the above airport to the centre of town - we haven%26#39;t booked hotel yet but will try for Grand Place area.

Many thanks.

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From mention of Brussels I presume you mean centre of Brussels, not Charleroi. A taxi from CRL to Brussels will cost about €120.

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Take the Tec bus, picks up right outside arrivals a few steps down to the left at Charleroi,runs every 30 mins and takes 18 mins, it drops you off at the side entrance of Charleroi sud (train station), then get a train into Brussels from there.

They run approx every 30 mins and the jourrney takes about 55 mins, then get your taxi from there.

Someone else can tell you which station you want brussels Midi, etc for that hotel.

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Oh there is a special ticket 22.00 euro return, which includes the price of your bus to/from Charleroi, you can buy it at the Airport to save you the hassle of buying tickets at the station.

It will not really save you anything but you will not have to go and buy your tickets at the station and you can go straight to the platform.

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Thank you so much, that%26#39;s really helpful.

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But if you wanted information on other ways of getting to Brussels, why didn%26#39;t you say so?! You will find all the different means of transport (including Ryanair coach to Brussels%26#39; Gare du Midi) set out on CRL%26#39;s website.

in Brussels1st time< 24hr, Nov13-Christmas markets open/shop

I plan to stay at airport and train downtown(from tripadvisor forum suggestions).

will arrive late afternoon. What station do I get off at? are stores open late friday night? best restaurant to have dinner? are Christmas markets open?

Can I taxi back to airport hotel? How much?

Thank you..

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The airport train (€3) stops at Nord, Central and Midi, it%26#39;s best to get off at Central, which is only 5 minutes walk from the Grand%26#39; Place. No, stores are not open late on Friday night, most close at 18.30; nor does the Winter Market start until 27 November. Of course you can take a taxi back to the airport, there are stands at the stations and elsewhere (Pl. de Brouckère), it will cost around €35.

I would strongly advise you to avoid the tourist trap restaurants in the rue des Bouchers, petite rue des Bouchers, rue Grétry area (with some exceptions given time and time again on this site); those in the Galeries St. Hubert, on the other hand, are fine.

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Thank you. Amazing help.

Brussels transportation questions! Help!

Hello!

We will be in Brussels on Nov 6th (Friday) for one night and leave Brussels on Nov 7 (Saturday). Few questions regarding transportation:

#1. Our hotel is located @ Rue Dassaut 15. Hotel NH Arenburg. I%26#39;ve looked at the metro station map, but need further clarification. I understand from the airport we can take the train or bus. From my Google map search looks like nearby train station from the hotel is Central Station. Do we have to change trains to go to Central Station from the airport? Also, what%26#39;s the name of the route-line or train that goes to Cent. Sta. from the Airport?

#2. From the Central station is it walk able to our hotel? Rue Dassaut 15? Or should we get a taxi or bus?

#3. If we decide to take bus from the Airport to our hotel will someone be able to give me some exact direction as to which bus to take and where it stops? Also, with 4 luggage- 2 medium sized and 2 carry on sized which one would be best to take bus or the train (from your experience) from the airport to hotel?

$4.. And last but not least, our flight next morning, which is a Saturday leaves @ 9.25 a.m....if we take the train when should we leave the hotel?

Many many thanks for the help!!

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1. The train from the airport (Airport Express) stops at the 3 main train stations in Brussels, including the central station. So no need to change trains.

2. I%26#39;d walk. It isn%26#39;t very far.

4. The train takes about 30 minutes from central station to the airport, so between the walk to the station, purchasing tickets, and waiting for the next train, I%26#39;d leave the hotel an hour before you need to be at the airport.

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Good policy: Buy your ticket to the airport when you arrive, BEFORE you leave the train station. That way you won%26#39;t be panicking about lines on the day you have to head for the airport.

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Better still, buy it when you buy your ticket to Brussels (ask for a return ticket), or else pass by Gare centrale later!

You can%26#39;t take the airport bus to the centre of Brussels, it doesn%26#39;t go there. You could take it to Schuman and change there for the metro - included in the price of the bus, although you have to stamp your ticket in the machine again - but the advantage of coming out slightly closer to your hotel than from the railway part of Gare centrale (if you take the steps at the end of the metro platform you arrive on, which bring you out below the cathedral) is outweighed by the walking needed to change from bus to metro.

As you have a map you can see that to get to your hotel, when you come out of the station you walk to the right (if you come out by the taxi rank, turn left towards the main boulevard before you turn right), and take the street directly opposite the cathedral, which goes downhill. Your hotel is just a little way down on the left.

If you feel the need for a taxi direct to the hotel, they will not take you from Gare centrale, it%26#39;s too close; so either get off at Gare du Nord (taxi will then cost less than €10) or take one all the way from the airport (+/- €35).

For a 9.25 flight you need to be at the airport by 7.25 if it%26#39;s short haul, 6.25 if long haul, e.g. to the U.S. (ask your airline if you don%26#39;t believe me!). You can check the timetable for yourself by passing by the station, but airport trains start before 5 and run roughly every 20 minutes.

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Hi,

Many thanks for all the replies! It is so very helpful! I guess, we will be taking the train directly to Gare Central and then walk! Our flight next morning is to Vienna.

I%26#39;m thinking (I%26#39;ll have to research this more) of leaving the luggage at the airport locker and then retrieve it next morning. We%26#39;re there only for a night. Any opinion? Will this be better or more hassle to retrieve those next morning?

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It%26#39;s definitely what I would do in your circumstances and would save you the hassle of lifting them on and off the train - as long, of course, as a) there are lockers left and b) you get to the airport the following morning with enough time to collect the bags before checking in. There are lockers near the bus station on level 0, one level down the escalators from %26quot;arrivals%26quot; and one up from the train station on -1, see brusselsairport.be/en/…baggagelockers.

If by any chance there aren%26#39;t any lockers left at the airport, the next best option would be to leave the big cases at Gare centrale: follow signs to the %26quot;consigne%26quot; which is on level -1 behind the big staircase up to the ticket office level (lockers plus staffed left luggage facility).

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Thank you very much qaminari for your opinion and information! It’s set then…we will be storing luggage either at the airport or train station! Hopefully, all works out well! Thanks!

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Thank you very much qaminari for your opinion and information! It’s set then…we will be storing luggage either at the airport or train station! Hopefully, all works out well! Thanks!

Hotels with refrigerator.

Hello,

We are going to Brussels for a weekend and we require an empty fridge in our hotel room to store kosher food and medicine.

Can anyone recommend -ANY- hotel in central brussels with an empty fridge? (Not a minibar stacked with goods you can buy).

Any hotel please,, any stars.

Thanks in advance.

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You will only get an empty fridge in what is called an aparthotel, e.g. citadines.com/en/…toison_d_or.html - this one near Louise metro station which is convenient for metro from Gare du Midi, where the airport train terminates: they have another property next to St. Catherine metro station downtown.

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Why don%26#39;t you just ask the hotel to have the mini bar emptied then you can store what you like in there. Normally any half decent hotel will do this no problem but you can always say that you don%26#39;t want alchohol in the room for religious reasons or something.

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contrary to what is written in reply, many hotels now provide an empty minibar! they are costly and time-consuming to replenish so a lot of hotels have removed the drinks from them. if my memory serves me right, the crowne plaza le palace has recently done this...but as suggested you just ask the hotel to provide you with an empty minibar

better to buy a rail pass or individual tickets at each stop

Hi, I%26#39;m trying to book a trip for multiple city visits. The hotels are the easy part! I am not sure what is the best most economical option for travel.

we need to go from

London-Brussels-Brugge-Amsterdam-Berlin-Prague-Vienna-Bern-Paris-London

There is a global rail pass: 10 days in 22 days £330.00 each, but I have no idea if it includes the trip to and from London. Also, if it includes all the cities I need to go to.

In anyone%26#39;s experience was it a better idea to get a pass like this or wait and buy your ticket at each train station? Is it cheaper? What about bus service? Has anyone taken a bus from and to any of these destinations?

Thanks in advance for any help.

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From the UK (or within Europe) you can only buy an interrail pass. Is that the one you mean?

I don%26#39;t think you can use this pass on the Eurostar (certainly with the Eurail pass available outside the EU you can%26#39;t) or within your home country so that would be an additional cost. Also supplements are payable on high speed trains and these can be substantial. Reservations are also compulsory for the likes of the TGV in France, The ICE in Germany and the Thalys between Belgium %26amp; Amsterdam.

£330.00 is quite a lot of money and you may get the trips cheaper by booking in advance. Also some of the sectors might be cheaper and easier by air. Amsterdam to Berlin by Transavia and Basel to Paris by Easyjet comes to mind. By train it is always better to book as far in advance as the system will let you (normally 10 to 12 weeks prior to travel). For some trips though like Brugge to Amsterdam there is the option of taking the normal IC train to Antwerp and then to Amsterdam. One way fare for this is 44.40 euros and you do not (actually cannot) make reservations and the tickets can be bought at the station giving you some flexibility.

You can check out these websites for an idea of how much point to point journeys are and seat61.com is a good site for info about train travel in Europe.

www.nshispeed.nl/en

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

www.bahn.de/international/view/en/index.shtml

The German BAHN site is probably the most user friendly. www.raileurope.co.uk are agents for SNCF %26amp; TGV in the UK. You can also Google the likes of Austrian rail, Swiss rail etc for the individual countries.

If you do decide to travel to Berlin from Amsterdam by rail then there is a night train citynightline.de/nachtzugreise/…index.shtml

The only bus service I know of is Eurolines however journey times can be VERY long and they are not always the cheapest option.

Hope this helps, regards, Ron

P.S. you may not be aware that there is atrain travel forum on TA where your questions might be answered by more posters. This forum is really only to deal with Brussels/Belgium etc

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Only the segments London-Brussels-Brugge-Amsterdam fall within the remit of this particular forum! You CAN use a multi-country rail pass for the Eurostar, assuming of course that it covers the countries concerned, but you have to pay a supplement. Wherever you found the information on global passes (Rail Europe?), you must also find the conditions. It is up to YOU to research which countries and trains are included, and whether this is better than the cost of point-to-point tickets, although I believe all the agency websites include a calculator; a pass covers specific countries, not cities. In any case you would have to pay extra for those trains requiring supplements, which include Eurostar (London-Brussels and Paris-London), Thalys, TGV and any overnight trains. The official advice from Rail Europe is that passes are not worth it for one international trip into and out of a country, but it may be in expensive countries like Switzerland.

Note that if you buy a Eurostar ticket from London-Brussels, this includes onward travel to Brugge, as long as you continue your journey within 24 hrs. As you don%26#39;t say how long you would be staying in Brussels I can%26#39;t tell whether this is the case. For Brugge-Amsterdam you will have to change in Antwerp and if you are using a pass, make sure to take an InterCity train between Antwerp and Amsterdam (not the faster Thalys unless you are prepared to pay a supplement and make a reservation).

Even if you buy point-to-point tickets you don%26#39;t have to wait to do it until you arrive at the station you want to leave from, you can buy online from the national railway companies concerned, e.g. for Brugge to Amsterdam, b-rail, for Amsterdam-Berlin, www.ns.nl (but try the d-bahn site recommended above also, and use this for Berlin-Prague). You may also be able to buy tickets from a local office in the UK, e.g. French Railways has an office in Piccadilly.

For buses see www.eurolines.com (in the UK you would be using National Express coaches) but note that between London and Brussels and Paris and London this will take virtually all day. I don%26#39;t know how much time you have.

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the simplest and probably cheapest way to do this in advance is to speak to people who know what they are doing. call railbookers.com if you want service and people who know what they are doing or if you want to be confused raileurope.co.uk. point to point tickets will almost certainly be cheaper

How long needed to visit Ghent?

We are traveling to Belgium, we are staying two

days in Brussels and the third day we would like to

go to Ghent, but that same day we have to be at

the cruise ship in Antwerp. We found out there is

a train from Brussels to Ghent taking about 1 hour

and a train from Ghent to Antwerp for an hour too.

But we wonder how long would it take to see the

main attractions in Ghent, would 4 hours be too

short? or how many hours would be enough? Taking in consideration we are going in our own not in a tour.

Thank you for any advice. Maria

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4 hours will only give you the opportunity to have a general impression. Maybe a guided tour would be a good solution http://www.visitgent.be/smartsite.dws?id=7237

I hope you will have the time to visit Anwerp as well.

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I live in Ghent and I regularly have friends over to visit. 4 hours will give you a general impression of the old city, which is compact and can be done on foot. Depending on your interests, I would suggest a boat trip on the canals (weather permitting). Feel free to ask me for more information by sending me a personal message.

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You will need to pick few places to visit like St Bavo Cathedral,The Belfry Tower and town hall.

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4 hours should do just fine to see the Gent highlights.

Some anti American sentiment in Brugge.

My wife and I, as well as three other couples visited Brugge September 7, 2009. We were on a cruise and took a taxi from Zeebrugge for the day. This was my third visit to this very beautiful city. We were there for 3 days in 1997 and again for 3 days in 2001. I saw quite a difference in some of the merchants’ attitudes. The first restaurant would not seat us because we wanted a table for eight. We understood and we stated that we would be happy to split up. He said “no that would not be possible”. I would like to say that we found a very friendly restaurant owner just a block away. We were walking in the very crowded streets and my wife “edged” into the bike bath at which time a man riding a bike came by and “hit” her on the shoulder with his fist, leaving a small bruise. He was gone before we could retaliate. I recall on our previous visits how nice the clerks and hotel owners were, but this time I felt as if they resented having to deal with all the tourists. Perhaps they forget that tourists represent almost 100% of their income. Maybe we should just send our money. I do want to be fair that most that we dealt with were “OK”, but only the above mentioned restaurant owner was really nice and appreciative.

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I%26#39;m sorry you didn%26#39;t enjoy your trip, but I cannot for the life of me see how the attitude you found is %26#39;anti-American%26#39;.

Were you wearing Stars %26amp; Stripes?

Many tourists might be rudely treated - I don%26#39;t think it has anything to do with their nationality, more the attitide of the other person.

Did that cyclist attack your wife because she was American? I doubt it.

Maybe if you had titled your post %26quot;Disappointed with Brugge experience%26quot;?.......

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Sorry you were treated rudely, but have to agree with peterscot.

After my first visit I learned to always look and listen for the bikers.

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I%26#39;m sorry you had a less-than-satisfactory experience too. We were in Bruges last month and had a very different impression. We found the majority of the people we encountered to be great. I guess part of it is probably just a matter of luck.

Since I wasn%26#39;t there with the bike incident - obviously - I don%26#39;t know exactly what happened. However, I have been known to push pedestrians while on my bike. Sometimes when they step out in front of you, it is a choice between pushing them out of the way or running them over.

Not sure how what you described was anti-American though. Sounds for the most part like rotten luck and perhaps a bit of not watching where you are going.

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I was on a solo trip to Bruges in July and people couldn%26#39;t have been friendlier. Sorry that you had a different experience.

Like the above posters, I fail to see the anti-Americanism in what happened, though. I also note that you mentioned two incidents, one by a restaurant owner and one by a bicyclist, but then complained about the clerks and hotel owners resenting the tourists, yet you were on a day trip so presumably didn%26#39;t deal with any hotel owners. So just wondered if there were some other incidents as well. I hope that everyone in Bruges isn%26#39;t being criticized because of the actions of two people.

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Let me reply to all the people that replied. I was wrong. I am sure that I misjudged the very friendly people of Brugge.

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Do I detect a bit of sarcasm in your response? Hmmm...

Perhaps you were wrong. Or rather than being entirely wrong, my guess is that you were just a little overzealous in your conclusions about the motivation behind the negative experiences you had with a few people.

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Anti American no, anti padestrian yes, there are more and more cyclists emerging each year in Europe, you have to be constantly aware of them and if you let your concentration dip just for a sec, sods law says just at that precise moment one of em comes flying round a corner, and as you found out if you get in their way they will let you know about it in no uncertain terms.

You have obvoiusly never been to %26quot;Holland%26quot;, so you see the fact is that American or not they will just treat you as an object that should not be in their way, because it is their god given right to go flying round the streets at 40 mile an hour, oh and don%26#39;t forget how eco friendly cycling is he he.

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Lovejumping, wow! 40 mi/hr ... I%26#39;m not telling that to my husband %26#39;cause he%26#39;ll be soooo jealous. He can never do 40 mi/hr (unless he%26#39;s downhilling) and he%26#39;s a pretty good cyclist. A mannered cyclist, too. He has a bell on his bikes and will never yell at people, nor hit people when they are in his way. So please, do not lump all the cyclists together.

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Well whether they are all like that or not, if people are aware of it while walking around, it will be generaly safer for padestrians and cyclists alike, unless there are loads of psycopathic cyclists in Brugge looking for American tourists to mow down he he

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I just got back from a trip to Bruges.

Have to say that the attitude of all the restaurant and bar staff i encountered was as friendly and efficient as ever.

Everyone i had dealings with was a credit to the town.

Antwerp / Ghent with kids

Hi. Am travelling to Ghent and Antwerp with my wife and kids (9 and 5) at the end of October. We are driving. Is it best to spend 2 nights in Antwerp and 1 in Ghent or vice versa? What are the best things to do for kids in each location? Finaly, re Antwerp, is it best to stay in the Old Town or near the Zoo? I need a hotel with parking and am considering the Hilton and Blu Astrid at present. The former sounds a bit bland and is v expensive. The latter looks to be located in a bit of a grotty area. Any suggestions for a child friendly place? For Ghent we are staying in the SHeraton unless someone can tell me somewhere better! Many thanks!

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the best hotel for you in gent is the marriott. has it%26#39;s own parking (payable) underneath and is very central - the hotel is also very comfortable, has a good restaurant and can accommodate children

the hilton antwerp is in the %26quot;old town%26quot; on groenplaats and is the best location for sightseeing. the radisson blu astrid is easier to get to and has parking underneath. the area is not grotty now it has been renovated. the hilton is bland but then all hilton%26#39;s are! rooms are a decent size and the restaurant is good - staff are professional and there are enough of them - the same cannot be said of the radisson

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Many thanks - Marriott and Hilton booked!

Antwerp or Brussels

Hi,

We have 1 night free and wonder if we should spend it in Antwerp or Brussels. Does anyone have suggestions on which one would best to spend the night? We will be coming from Gent.

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If you are asking about practicalities, you should perhaps indicate where you would be going to next! If you were going North, e.g. to Amsterdam, I would be inclined to spend it in Antwerp, if South or West (or East, e.g. to UK by Eurostar), or if you are leaving from BRU airport, in Brussels.

If you want to know which city would offer you the most activities that are to your taste, it would be an idea to indicate what you like. Otherwise, from either forum (Brussels or Antwerp) if you click on %26quot;Things to Do%26quot; in the list on the left of this page, you will find information on what there is to see and do, as rated by TA members, from which you should be able to see which would appeal most to your particular interests and tastes.

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Antwerp sounds more interesting,morning visit to Cathedral and Rubens House museum then buy chocolate from Leonidas the best where the best belgian chocolate is made.

Affordable B&B / Appartment in Bruges

Hi all,

Need some help.. we are on a very tight budget.. but would love to stay in Bruges for a couple of nights at the end of this month.

Can anyone reccommend a nice - affordable accommodation to stay in - close to the centre?

Will appreciate any ideas

Thanks x

|||

What sort of budget are you looking at? %26#39;nice, affordable%26#39; doesnt translate to euros.

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We are on tight budget too and looking to spend few nights in Bruges.Any suggestions?

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The cheapest i have found so far is Snuffel packpacker and on its description it is written that it is few minutes from Markt square.Have you found any thing yet?

Please Don't tell me to take the Train....

I have read the forums and know that the generally accepted and recommended way to get from Brussels National to Bruges is by train, but I will be traveling overnight with six year old twins, who may or may not sleep, thus their crankiness level upon arrival is yet to be determined.

Is it possible to go to the airport taxi stand and get a car to Bruges, or must that be arranged in advance? We will be arriving on a Sunday morning. I realize that taxis are expensive, but may at that point door to door transportation to our hotel may be worth its weight in gold....

Many thanks for your help.

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Yes of course, there are always taxis at the airport and you can get one to go anywhere as long as you can pay. It doesn%26#39;t have to be arranged in advance and from information in a recent question it may not even be cheaper to do so (I think they said it cost €146 from Brugge to Brussels Airport: however they said it in a question about transport from Oostende to Brugge). However, I%26#39;m sure you could google brussels airport limousine or something to find companies you could get a quote from.

|||

Many thanks for your help.

|||

I used this one here at a reasonable price:

http://www.taxi2airport.be/

Amsterdam port to Bruges

Is it easy to travel from the port at Amsterdam to Bruges?

|||

I don%26#39;t see why not: you just need to get yourself to Amsterdam Centraal Station, and from there by IC train to Antwerp, where you change for Brugge. It should take 3 1/2 - 4 hrs in total, for exact timetable put your dates into http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

As to whether or not it is easy to get from Amsterdam port to the station, that would be relevant to the Netherlands/Amsterdam forum not the one for Belgium/Brugge.

Tram to De Konink brewery

I%26#39;m hoping to do the De Konink brewery tour this coming Saturday at 3pm, and while I%26#39;ve been able to gather vague directions/transport info from emailing them (my fault for the vagueness, as I don%26#39;t speak Flemish to be able to converse fully with them) - I was hoping someone on here might be able to firm up a few details.

The address is Mechelsesteenweg 291, and I believe I need to meet the tour guide at the brewery tap pub beside the brewery.

The website says I can get trams 7 or 15, but when I%26#39;ve tried to use the De Lijn journey planner to find out, again my lack of Flemish has hindered me:

1) Where I can get on these trams (Vlasmarkt? Groenplatz?) not sure where stops are, or how I%26#39;ll know it%26#39;s going in the right direction

2) How frequent are the trams on a Saturday

3) How long will it take to get to the brewery on the tram

4) How will I know where to get off / how can I indicate to the driver where I%26#39;ll need to get off, so he can alert me when we get there? I believe if I get off near Koning Albertpark it would be right - is it easy to spot this or is there a better method for ensuring I end up at the right place?

Any help appreciated, I%26#39;m keen not to miss the tour!

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Have a few %26quot;bollekes%26quot; this will seriously improve your knowledge of the Flemish language.

Anyway, you want tram 7 or 15 direction Mortsel, and you need the stop %26quot;boomgaardstraat%26quot;. The stops are announced on the tram. Frequency about every 15 minutes, the trip will take less than 30min.

I do not know in which part of town you are staying but you can indeed take the tram from Groenplaats.

If problems ask a real %26quot;Antwerpenaar%26quot;, he or she will be glad to help you.

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It says tram 7 or 15 to the Boomgaardstraat stop, and that this is 50 m from the brewery: Boomgaardstraat is a cross street of Belgieleï.

You need the direction Moortsel and the 15 is probably more convenient than the 7 as it passes close to the Central Station at pre-metro station DIAMANT. %26#39;Boomgaardstraat%26#39; is the stop before %26#39;Harmonie%26#39;.

Here%26#39;s the bus and tram map: delijn.be/images/netplan_antwerpen_042009_tc… Starting from Diamant the 15 (white line) goes - downward on the map - to Lange Kiewitstraat, Plantin, Charlottelei, Lange Leemstraat and Harmonie, where it turns left into Mechelsesteenweg (street the brewery is on), with a park, Konigin Albertpark, on the right-hand side; Boomgaardstraat is the next cross street at the end of this park, before the stop at De Merode, so get ready to get off after Harmonie.

The 7 is the royal blue line, most central place to catch it is probably Meirbrug, next to Meir. The brewery is on the corner of Boomgaardstraat and Mechelsesteenweg (the street the tram runs down): if you put Mechelsesteenweg 291 Antwerpen into google, you should get a map (I do, anyway) although this is a better one, if it works! http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=Belgium+++++++++++++++++++++++++%26amp;address=Mechelsesteenweg+291+%26amp;city=Antwerpen%26amp;state=%26amp;zip=2018

Good luck!

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Thanks to both of you - very useful info, I should be fine to get there now!

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Correction: it%26#39;s Mechelsesteenweg that is a cross street of Belgielei; Boomgaardstraat is a cross street of Mechelsesteenweg!

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... and I see I said %26quot;before%26quot; Harmonie when I meant %26quot;after%26quot;. Sorry!

Can anyone recommend what we can do in Bruges on a Monday,

Many people have told me everywhere is shut in Bruges on a Monday, is this true ?

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Not exactly - municipal museums are closed on Mondays (open on Sundays). Private museums like the Diamond Museum, Choco-story, Lace Centre, Lamp Museum and Frietmuseum are open on Mondays. 3 of these are on here: http://www.frietmuseum.be/

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Thank you for that information x

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It is also a good time for just wandering aroud - perhaps take a walk out to the windmills - combine that with a bit of shopping and maybe a visit to the frites mueseum (which we loved!) and you%26#39;ll have a good Monday.

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Although the municipal museums will be cloded I believe that the majority of shops bars and restaurants will be open.

There%26#39;ll be plenty to fill a day, boat trip, bell tower, cycle ride, horse and carriage ride, foot tour, beers, coffees, cakes. Pick any of these for a guaranteed great day.

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Eat, drink, eat some more............

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Thank you all for your replies, cant waitx

Special trip to Brussels in December

Hi

I am planning a trip to brussels for myself and my boyf in december. I want to make it a really special weekend away - I%26#39;ve only booked our travel there - haven%26#39;t booked any hotels or anything yet but would be really keen to get any tips on how to make it extra special. I don%26#39;t mind paying a bit more for luxury or doing slightly different/quirky things. We are there in early december from Friday to Sunday evening - plan to make a trip to the Christmas markets but any tips or pointers on where to stay/eat/ things to do would be much appreciated!

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The Amigo is supposed to be the best hotel in Brussels, but check out the Dominican - which is very close to Belga Queen, a restaurant you might want to try: http://www.deltaweb.be/restaurant-Belga-Queen+4455+e.

I always recommend a visit to the Musical Instrument Museum, the arched window (in the dome) you can see in this picture belongs to the rooftop café: http://www.mim.fgov.be/

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you better get on and book if you are going the weekends of 4th or 11th december. christmas markets mean it%26#39;s busy. amigo has the best staff to customer ratio so if it%26#39;s service you want then go there. dominican has nice rooms but you would be well-advised to book an upgraded room category - the standards are small. for large rooms and a classic feel at a better price try le plaza

dusseldorf to brussels

i want to do a day trip to brussels from dusseldorf, i have been looking on the bahn site and the prices quoted seem quite high.

am i reading them properly?

one quote was about 200 euro for two of us return!

too expensive for a day trip, my flight to dusseldorf is costing 148 euro for two.

any info appreciated.

|||

the price you quoted looks about right to me, dont%26#39; forget you would need to take a fast train with least connections to make a day trip to Brussels worthwhile.

Discounted airfares cannot be compared to train tickets.

trains

Hello all,

My friend and I are going to Lille for the christmas markets for 2 days in December. We have decided to spend one day in Bruges for their markets and canals. Do we travel from the same station we arrived at, how often do they run return, how long a journey and how much? We would also like to fit Gwent into the trip too, or would this be too much. Can we get a train there, how long and how much would that be?

Does anyone know how we get to the old town, markets and canals from the station?

Sorry for all the questions but we haven%26#39;t got long so it would be very helpful to know roughly where the main areas are.

Grateful for any help.

Barbara

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I think you would have to go from Lille to Brussels and change trains there for the Gent - Bruges train..it is a bit of a journey from Lille but I would think do-able...I am sure someone with more knowledge will come along to help more.

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http://www.bahn.co.uk/db_uk/view/index.shtml - there are some direct trains from Lille to Bruges, check it on this website

Will it be too late to get to Maastricht ?

Hi all,

My Eurostar train is due to arrive at Brussels midi at 17:33 on the 18th November. I was wondering if I will have enough time to get to Maastricht that evening ?, or would I need to travel there the next day ?.

Many thanks

JWAR

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You will make it easy here is the link if it works https://be-internet.bene-system.com/selfservice-nmbs/express.do?shopId=2%26amp;locale=en_EN%26amp;origin=BEBMI%26amp;destination=BEMTT%26amp;date=18-11-2009%26amp;returnDate=%26amp;priceCategory=2%26amp;firstPage=http://www.b-rail.be/int/E%26amp;comfortClass=2%26amp;returnComfortClass=2%26amp;passType1=A%26amp;pax1=1%26amp;pax2=0%26amp;timeType=1%26amp;returnTimeType=2%26amp;hour=19%26amp;minute=00%26amp;returnHour=07%26amp;returnMinute=00%26amp;__utma=1.135562997.1253513552.1253513552.1254904488.2%26amp;__utmb=1.6.10.1254904488%26amp;__utmc=1%26amp;__utmx=-%26amp;__utmz=1.1254904488.2.2.utmcsr=google|utmccn=%28organic%29|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=belgian%20railways%26amp;__utmv=-%26amp;__utmk=136527664

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Yip it works just copy and paste it then add your dates.

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Of course it is not too late, the journey only lasts about 1.5 hours. There is a direct train from Midi at 18.24 arriving in Maastricht at 19.50.

Dont forget that your Eurostar ticket is valid to any belgian destination, which on this route will be Vise, so you only need to buy a ticket from Vise to Maastricht on the train.

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Thank you so much for that information it is a great help :).

trains

Hello all.

My friend and I are travelling from Bruges on day trip to Ghent by train in December.

Does anyone know which station we travel from, how much is it return, how long is the journey and train time in morning and one to return late afternoon.

Thank you for your help.

Barbara

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You travel from Brugge station to Gent St. Pieters, it takes 30 minutes, costs €5.90 single, €11.80 return on a weekday, €6.60 return on a Saturday or Sunday, and you can hardly expect someone to give you the entire timetable - there are several trains an hour!

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

Gym near Schuman

Can anyone tell me of any gyms/fitness centres near Schuman metro station? Moving to that area next week and I wanted to plan ahead...thanks!

Best place for tobacco in Bruges

Thinking of going to Bruges in December and wondered if anyone had been recently and could give me an idea of the price of rolling tobacco and if its easy enough to get in Bruges.

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tobacco prices are controlled in Belgium, so any shop will do.

Train from Bruges to Amsterdam

How much will the train cost from Bruges to Amsterdam (2nd class, cheapest possible)? I just bought my tickets from Paris to Bruges for tomorrow morning on the Thalys and paid €112. This seems like a lot. We are leaving Bruges 10/8 for Amsterdam. Thanks!

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It%26#39;s a lot because you have no choice but to take the expensive (unless running a promotional offer!) Thalys between Paris and Brussels. Between Brugge and Antwerp on the other hand, you have no choice but normal Belgian Railways train (IC = InterCity) and between Antwerp and Amsterdam you have a choice between IC and Thalys.

Price for the IC option from Brugge to Amsterdam - changing in Antwerp of course) has been given in a previous question, from memory it is about €45. And being IC, this does not require booking in advance, and neither is it cheaper when purchased in advance, just buy the ticket from Brugge station on day of travel or whenever convenient.

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Your Thalys train cost so much because you didn%26#39;t book it in advance. Those tickets are cheaper the farther out they are bought. Assuming you don%26#39;t want to take the Thalys from Antwerp to Amsterdam, as you would run into the same thing, it is a fixed cost and you don%26#39;t need to buy in advance.

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I paid 44 euros last month on the Intercity 2nd class.

Bought a ticket on the spot.

brussels for 1 night !

We will be staying in Brussels for one night next week on our way to Luxemburg - our plane lands at 6.20pm.What is the easiest (cost effective) way from the airport to the city centre - we are staying at Le Grand Colombier Hotel ( Rue Du Colombier No. 8) ?

Also can anyone recommend any nice traditional bars %26amp; restaurants near to the hotel.Many thanks

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Your hotel is between Rogier and De Brouckère metro stations, if you don%26#39;t have too much luggage the easiest way to get there would be to take the airport train (€3) to Gare du Nord and then the underground tram to De Brouckère (+/- €1.70), where you come up from the tram station to an exit into Place De Brouckère.

However the most cost-effective way (just) would be to take the airport bus (€3 if you buy ticket from machine at the airport bus stop, €4 if you have to buy it from the driver) to Schuman and change there onto the metro to De Brouckère, in which case the cost of transfer to metro is included (but you have to put your ticket in the orange machine at the entrance, to mark the transfer). If you do this, when you come up the escalator from the metro platform at De Brouckère, look for the signs to the trams and take the walkway to the tram part of the station, because if you exit directly from the metro part you will have further to walk.

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Many thanks that%26#39;s great. Can you recommend any restaurants or bars near to the hotel. Cheers

I want to visit Lancaster Cottage cemetery

How can i best travel to Plugstreet .I will be travelling from Ypes or Lille whichever is easies

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LANCASHIRE Cottage Cemetery is 13.5 Km south of Ieper (Ypres), on PLOEGSTEERTstraat, about 1km from the village of that name.

I don%26#39;t know of any public bus that goes out that way, so you may have to take a taxi from Ieper or contact one of the battlefield tour companies: www.ieper.be/default.aspx?SGREF=98%26CREF=13035

Cigarettes

Hi everybody

Can anybody tell me how much a 20 packet of Silk Cut are or if they have them in Belgium?

Thank you in advance.

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not sure about Silk Cut, but as a price guideline, a packet of Marlboro costs 4.6 euros.

Train from Antwerp Centraal

Dear all,

Need some help on train tickets. I will be taking the train from Antwerp Centraal. I am still contemplating whether to go to Frankfurt or Amsterdam. I am actually taking a flight home from either FRA or AMS about 1pm flight, that means I will need to leave quite early on that day to catch the train. Are the trains direct to airport or the city? Which website am I supposed to go to purchase the ticket (quite confused)? Thanks!

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Hereby the link to belgian railways : http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/index.php. Check connections and purchase tickets here. Trains to Schiphol (AMS airport) every hour. Trip to Frankfurt Flugh. (airport) takes +- 4hr. Change in Brussels North, you have to book a seat for Brussels-Frankfurt.

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Amsterdam Schiphol is much closer so for a 1pm flight you would not need to leave until 0900 which gets to Schiphol at 10:51. Also its a direct train, no need to change.

If you are travelling after the 13th December then the Thalys will use the new high speed track and will do Antwerp to Schiphol in 56 minutes however this requires a reservation and you would need to take the 0831 Thalys to get you there really early or the 1030 train which get to AMS at 1127.

Before the 13th December just take the normal IC train.

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Thanks for the replies. Just to re-confirm. I checked the nshispeed website and I got a 9.31am train which takes 1hr 12 mins from Antwerp Centraal to Amsterdam Centraal. Is this the right one? Thanks!

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Sounds like the correct train but like I say the train stops at the airport around 17 minutes before it gets to Amsterdam CS.

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Sorry need some help here to purchase the ticket online. I tried to buy on the nshispeed website with my HK credit card and the payment cant go through as it%26#39;s said most overseas credit card other than europe are not acceptable. is there other way that I can purchase the ticket? thanks!

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That site is really frustrating. Did you try the Thalys website direct or even the Belgian SNBC site. They both have online purchase available.

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I tried purchasing from Thalys website but when I key in the dates (which is Dec) the following page indicates that I have chosen an Aug or Sept date. That%26#39;s weird. Maybe it%26#39;s still not available yet. Not sure.

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The Thalys ticket should be available, strange you are having problems.

I

Overnight ferry from Hull

This may be a bit of a silly question!!!! Do people %26quot;dress up%26quot; or the evenings on board the P %26amp; O ferries? I know it%26#39;s hardly a med cruise, but with a theatre and casino on board? No I don%26#39;t get out much!

Also the few people I know who%26#39;ve been, have had very rough crossings. Is it always rough!?

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Most of the people on the boat will be truckers, it%26#39;s not usual for people to dress for dinner etc, but some people do. If you want to then go for it.

It%26#39;s impossible to say in advance what the crossing will be like, but we went two weeks ago and the sea was like a mill pond both ways,just down to luck of the draw, could be calm, could be stormy.

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His is not a silly question. Most people on the boat will be tourist just like you. As for Rough crossings. It as to be very rough for the boat roll but you are going on the smaller boat. If it%26#39;s your first time you will love it.The boat is now 100% no smoking inside but you can smoke outside .Have you booked meals if you have you have 2 choices 1/ you go into the reastaurant, carvery type meals as much as you can eat it is very good but can get busy.Meal time 18-00 to 22-00 I think. Choice 2/ As you board the ship next to the pursers desk you will see a waiter for Langhams A%26#39; la Carte restaurest. You can book a table with him (It is best to this as you board as it can fill up) After you have had your meal there they give you a bill but will take off your meal vouchers. It will cost you about £10 or os each more then the cavery but well worth it.And of corse this is the Dressie up restaurant if you Want to. If you have not prepaid for your meal you have 4 choices the 2 above plus 3/ cafe with sandwitches hot snacks ect. 4/ Bring your own. If you play bingo . there is usually a game in the concert room at 9-30pm deck 8 I think or deck 9?there is a Piano bar on deck 10. As for truckers on the smaller ships (when I say smaller i do not mean small.) The turckers will just stand at the bar or be in bed. On the big ships the truckers have there own restaurant and bar/tv rooms.If you want any more info get back. PS The Ship usually as a lot of scottish on board.

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PPS If you book in Langhams when you book ask for a window table. You will be on the starboard side (right)and see the lights ect on the south bank.We usually use it one way every time we go. Have fun and do not loss too much in the casino.

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Hi

Thanks for the reply- it was very useful info. I actually had a courtesy call from P %26amp; O too which answered aload more questions! We are very much doing this trip on a budget, so didn%26#39;t book any meals at all. Our main reason for going is the Ice SCulpture show so we don%26#39;t intend to shop, just enjoy the sights of bruges. I%26#39;m not the best traveller on the planet and have endured some bloody awful ferries both in the Channel and the Ionian sea. Not to be out off! Thanks AGain

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Hi MOOndancer. P%26amp;O are good like that we go about 10 times a year, we live to close to them.If you do not know were the ice sculptures are it is dead easy to get to. As you get off the P%26amp;O bus Turn right on the pavement to the main road. Do not cross but turn right with main road on left walk passed multi story car park on right and your there, all of 200 yards. For the City Centre retrace your steps then cross the main road on your right by the lights take the road in front slighty to the left and it is a short walk to the centre. Let us know how you get on. have fun ian480.

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M00ndancer - to assist with the crossing, I would recommend wearing Seabands, the accupressure anti-sickness armbands. I used to get seasick looking at the waves, long before actually getting on the ferry, but now can happily travel on even the roughest crossing without problem. And before anyone says it%26#39;s all in the mind, I really don%26#39;t care - I put them on and I don%26#39;t feel sick, the reason is irrelevant.

|||

I find beer does the same!

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Hmmmm maybe I%26#39;ll try both!!! Seriously thanks for the tip about seabands- will invest. I%26#39;m really a Yorkshire Lass in exile- Sheffield born and bred.

Ta for the directions too- will make dure I have them when I travel.

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Hi Moondancer. AS a Scottish Yorkshire woman take your own drink in your handbag, buy a drink at the bar and just keep topping up. But go careful be sensible about it. You can tell I%26#39;m a true Yorkshireman. And you most let us know how it went.

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Just to let %26#39;all know- had agreat time- crossing not bad at all, the Ice Sculptures were ab fab and well wotrh the visit. Thanks for your advice everyone!