Please help with the rail system in europe and a few questions re: Belgium.
I hold a pass for eurail-france benelux along with my husband. We are coming from Paris to Brussels, and then going on to either bruges or antwerp. Undecided as to what order right now. How do I reserve trains and what is the cheapest way to do so?
I think I already made a mistake in paying the higher supplement for thalys from paris-brussels when I should have taken the tgv since it is cheaper? Rail europe US site does not make this very intuitive.
On trains that don't require a supplement, do I need to make a reservation before I head to europe, or is it okay to make the reservation a few days before the train while I am in europe already (can I reserve a train seat going to bruges from brussels from a train station in france?)
The other question I have is 4 days in belgium--which cities should I try to visit, since antwerp/brussels and bruges are close together, and what amount of time would you spend in each?
Thanks!
belgium rail and trip
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No trains in Belgium require reservations save for Thalys trains from Paris, Cologne and Amsterdam.
And on such short journeys i don't even know if you can make them - anyway i wouldn't do it from here as in Europe reservations cost a few euros and are easily made on these type trains. I've ridden Belgian trains for years and have never really seen any seats reserved - and except at rush hour rarely full. First class especially never full. Even if you have a second-class railpass you can sit in first class and pay the difference on the train between first and second class fares - in case you do discover a full train in 2nd class - very unlikely however. Just relax and show up for your trains.
I would base myself in a place like Bruges and day trip to Antwerp, Gent and Brussels or two of them. Brussels to me lacks the dreamy old world flavor folks revel in in any of the other three ancient Flemish towns.
Yes the cheaper way from Bruges to Paris is to go from Bruges to Lille and then hop TGVs to Paris - same time but no high supplement on TGVs to worry about. Do need TGV reservations Lille-Paris but should be a snap to get in Bruges or any Belgian station.