TinaLee204

We will be arriving from Amsterdam into the Midi station and our hotel is very near the Central station. I understand the transfer is fairly simple, but my question is where we purchase a ticket for the Midi to Central train? Thanks in advance!

clarkgriswold

Your train most likely stops at Centraal first, what is your train number?

janisj

I was thinking the same thing --

TinaLee204

Thalys 9340

PalenQ

Thalys trains do not stop at Brussels-Centraal but only Midi where there is a dedicated part of the station for these trains. Take the constant shuttle train back to Centraal - buy a ticket for that in Amsterdam or once at Midi or just take the trams outside Midi to the town center, about a mile away, and these may put you closer to your hotel.

IC trains do stop at both Brussels Nord and Centraal but these take about 90 minutes longer from Amsterdam - I presume OP is going by Thalys. Actually with Thalys tickets from Holland I believe you can get an ABS fare - Any Belgian Station fare for a 5 euros or so that lets you hop any train from your Thalys stop to any station in Belgium - but a local ticket probably would cost just a euro at most

Whathello

Totally correct info from PQ !

Thalys doesn't stop at Centraal. ICE does stop (from Frankfurt or Koeln).

As said, no prob finding a train to Centraal from Zuid, nearly half the trains going north stop at both stations.

For clarification
Bruxelles Midi = Bussel Zuid = Brussels south (not Charleroi, that's only valid for the airport).
Bruxelles Central = Brussel Centraal = Brussels center

Midi means normally noon or south in old french, like in Midi de la France (southern France). (These are the 2 only occurence I know in which Midi means south)

And welcome in Belgium - btw you'll have no problem finding somebody who speaks english in case it is needed.

PalenQ

Midi means normally noon or south in old french, like in Midi de la France>

I always thought Midi in the France context meant middle but I do not question your take - I think flemish Belgians seems to speak more English than French-speaking Walloons? right or not?

Merci/dank u wel

socialworker

We made the HUGE mistake of thinking midi and centrale must be the same....DUMB on our parts--not sure how that happened as we travel a lot, but 3 days in Bruges of languages having 2 different words for the same thing lulled us into stupidity, I guess. Anyway, we got off at a station that was not the right one and only by sheer luck and some very kind employees at the station and on the local commuter rail that took us to the correct station, did we manage to get to the station where we needed to be running and literally jumping on our outbound train as it was starting to pull out....

TinaLee204

Thank you all so much for your help! PQ, you were exactly right, we are coming in on Thalys. Would the tram be doable with luggage? (hopefully just one medium bag and a tote each).

PalenQ

I assume unless you have a ton of luggage trams would be fine -have not taken the tram - WhatHello who lives in suburban Brussels (Waterloo!) may be able to give more insights or Pariswat - who also lives near Brussels. If your hotel is very close to Centraal station I'd take the train and be sure of room for luggage - trams anywhere at times can get mobbed during rush hours - not exactly sure where the trams go - you may want to google the Tram system - assume they go into the centrum or town centre but they may go straight by your hotel, who knows?

TinaLee204

I do know our hotel is very nearby the Central Station, so I think probably just jumping on the local train for the quick hop back will be our best bet. Thanks again so much for your help!

Whathello

I take the tram once every 10 years... they seem to me always crowded.

'I think flemish Belgians seems to speak more English than French-speaking Walloons? right or not?'

Couldn't tell to be honest. Most people I know in Brussels region speak the 3 languages. Now most workers I knew when working in Wallonia spoke only French, whilst most workers I knew when working in Flanders spoke only Flemish.

The older Flemish spoke a lot more French than their wallon counterparts spoke Flemish.

Nowadays ? most go for English, regardless of community, I'd say. (Unless they go for both...).