iamles

Any opinions about changing to Thalys train in Brussels or Lille from Bruges?

Thanks,
Les

111op

Interesting question -- I was actually just looking at the schedules earlier. Wouldn't the Brussels option provide tighter connections (and it looks like there're more of these)?

iamles

Hi 111op,

At the moment I'm confused. I've emailed raileurope and the reply hasn't been very helpful. I'm still researching.

baldrick

The belgian rail info system shows the itinerary via Brussels (Bruxelles-Midi / Brussel-Zuid). It takes 2 hours 31 minutes to get to Paris Nord from Brugge.
The Brussels-Paris part requires seat reservation.

iamles

I've decided that I want to change trains in Lille than in Brussels. Looking at the Begian rail website, I could find schedules BUT when I wanted to book, I couldn't do so with the Lille connection. Does anyone know if I have to book 2 separate ticket one from Bruges to Lille and the second on the Thalys train to Paris?
ttt

111op

Hi Les, I'm not sure about the booking (I've never done this), but I was looking on the SNCF website, not the Belgian website. But presumably the schedules are the same.

Any reason as to why you want the connection in Lille? When I checked some random times and dates (as I did earlier) on SNCF, the Lille connection seems less convenient. But Lille is one of the two European capitals for 2004, so perhaps there're lots of interesting stuff to do there.

MyriamC

If you want to change trains in Lille you will not be traveling on Thalys, that's why you don't find any information.
The first leg of the trip (Brugge to Lille Flandres) is on an intercity train and sometimes involves one change in Kortrijk (Courtrai) - journey is 1 hr 51 min. The second leg of the trip (Lille Flandres to Paris Nord) is on TGV (reservation obligatory!!) and takes 1 hr 4 min.
Total journey Brugge-Paris is 2 hr 31 min.
I don't think it's possible to buy tickets online for the first leg of the trip.
The international section of the Dutch Railways (www.ns.nl) gives very clear schedules if you make a few simulations.

PalQ

Mon-Sat there is a direct Thalys train running between Brugge and Paris via Brussels, but it leaves around 6:30am! On Sat and Sun a Thalys train leaves Brugge about 4:30pm going direct to Paris (travel time2.5 hrs). The schedule I'm looking at is not current so check on this via www.thalys.com. Otherwise the Brugge-Lille-Paris via TGV will save you money as you won't pay the surcharge Thalys trains charge.
lv brugge 8:30 ar Lille 9:50 lv Lille 11:00 ar Paris 12:04 and similar links later in the day. About the same time as Brugge-Brussels changing to Thalys there but cheaper.

elberko

We've taken the Brugge-Lille-Paris route because it's cheaper than taking the Thalys, and it takes about the same 2.5 hrs.

We bought our tickets on the French rail site:www.sncf.com.

~Liz

111op

I see -- I didn't realize that the Lille connection is cheaper. But in the example given by PalQ, the trip is 3.5 hours (and not 2.5) if you change in Lille because of the layover. I don't know if this is the usual pattern. So it does seem to me that Lille takes longer. But since I'm not an expert, I'll defer to the experts here.

usbeauty

PalQ's schedule seems right. Just remember that Bruges-Paris via Lille more often than not, as Myriam points out, involves a second change in Kortrijk (at least for weekdays.) The 11:33am and the 3:33pm involve only the change at Lille Flandres.

111op

Ok, so if the schedule is right, wouldn't the change in Lille have taken 3.5 hours? (I mean, the train leaves at 8:30 and arrives at 12?) Maybe I did my math wrong. So I don't see how the train ride is only 2.5 hours long as claimed. But of course there could be other shorter connections in Lille. I've no idea.

usbeauty

Oh, right 111. I meant the schedule was correct in abstract terms; there is a direct Thalys train twice a day. The rest of the journey involves changing in Brussels, Lille and/or Kortrijk. But in all cases, the trips takes 2.5 hours.

111op

I guess I'm still confused. Do you mean the train rides themselves (without the layover times) take 2.5 hours? So with the layovers, the trips could take longer? Or am I missing something?

usbeauty

From point to point, it's 2.5 hours, tout compris, as they say in French.

usbeauty

Maybe I'm not understanding the issue correctly?

111op

Maybe I'm just dense:

PalQ wrote: "lv brugge 8:30 ar Lille 9:50 lv Lille 11:00 ar Paris 12:04"

So the train leaves at 8:30, but with the one-hour layover Lille, you don't get to Paris until 12. Isn't this 3.5 hours point-to-point?

I guess I was under the impression that usually you've to wait about an hour in Lille to connect. Maybe that's wrong. In any case, I don't see how the PalQ example is 2.5 hours point-to-point.

usbeauty

That part of PalQ's post was not correct in the current schedule. The IR train 8:33 arrives in Kortrijk at 9:12. You depart K. at 9:22 for Lille Flandres, then depart for Paris on TGV at 10:00am arriving at Gare du Nord at 11:04

111op

Ah ok, thanks! (I didn't check the schedules online.)

I guess in my random example I made for myself, I also noticed a lengthy layover in Lille -- so I assumed (wrongly) that it was always a lengthy layover.

Thanks! I hope jamles isn't too confused.

iamles

Thanks for all the help. Bruges to Paris via Brussels is indeed 2 1/2 hrs pt to pt. However, The times midweek are either too early or too late for me. I have decided to change in Lille, departing Bruges at 7:30 (still time for a quick breakfast)because you don't have to change trains in Kortrijk. There is a 1 hr stop before boarding the TGV, but as previously noted on this board, there are cafes around the station. I'm on holiday and don't need to rush!
One more question Re: trains: What is the difference between 1st and 2nd class on the TGV? The difference is only $12.
Les