Thalys train tickets

Hi,

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

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

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

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

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

thanks!

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1. No your printed tickets sre your tickets.

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

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

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

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Thanks so much for your advice!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks in advance.Really.

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

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Question regarding Thalys Comfort 1 vs Comfort 2.

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

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

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

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

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

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

eurorailways.com/kb/…thalys_seatplan.pdf

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

does that make any difference?

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

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

Metro in Brussels

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

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

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

There is also the Brussels Card and the Group ticket.

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

Day trip to Brussel- Expert guidance

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

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

1)Mini Europe

2)Atomium

3)Royal Palace/Grand palace

4)Manniken Pis

below are my queries:

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

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

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

Thanks in advance for your answers.

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

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

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

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

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

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Thanks a lot.

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

Below I plan things:

1) Get down at Brussel Central station

Go towards Heysel metro station

Once atomium and mini-Europe

get back to Brussel Central station

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

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

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

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

Pl. confirm.

Thanks in advance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Thanks a lot for such a detailed reply.

I plan to start with Atomium/Mini europe.

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

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

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

Lets see how it goes.

Thanks a lot once again.

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

thanks

From Brussels to Italy and France

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good luck with planning your tour of European regional airports

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

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

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

Bruges or Ghent as a base for day trips

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

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

Comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Just want to echo what joop1 said really.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

couple of hours in Brussels

Hello,

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

Thanks

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

airport to Marriot hotel near Grand Place

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

Thanks

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

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

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Thanks for your help.