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
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