kelbo

Hi Everyone,

I need to get from Venice to Brussels in order to fly back to the US from BRU. There are very limited flights from Venice to Brussels. A one way on the national carrier is $319 euros per person and I can fly on Ryanair for as little as 29 euros. The glitch with Ryanair is that it flies into out of the way airports. In this case Charleroi . So i need to get from there to BRU fro my morning flight. I will spend the night at the the Sheraton there. I'm willing to splurge on a private transfer or taxi but have found limited info on them. Many of the reviews are not positive of the shuttle company that goes to the train station...which I decided is too complicated with all of the additional transfers, etc and I will be arriving late at night.

Any recommendations? Kelly

nytraveler

Sometimes the
cheapest" option is not really the cheapest - or even really the best.

If it were me I would take a flight direct to Brussels - and not spend half the night wandering around Belgium at who knows what cost - assuming the Ryanair flight does land as scheduled.

spaarne

There are frequent trains from Charleroi to Brussels. Then catch an airpot train to get to BRU.

Emro2

The last shuttle bus between Charleroi airport (aka Brussels South airport) and the Brussels Midi / Zuid trainstation leaves at 23.45 and costs 13 euros. From there I would take a taxi to your hotel.

http://www.charleroi-airport.com/en/...tle/index.html

Rapid tax charges 90 euro for a taxi transfer from airport to train station.
http://www.rapidtax.be/rapidtax.html

Confort tax = 85 euro
http://www.confort-tax.eu/

I don't know if these taxi companies charge the same amount after midnight...

caroline_edinburgh

I would not trust Ryanair to get me somewhere I needed to catch an onward flight, even if it was the same airport. Agree with nytraveler, can you get a flight to Brussels with a proper airline ?

Emro2

I was amazed how cheap one way flights can be if you're prepared to fly a long way.
On one date Vueling or Iberia charge you +/- 100 euro. With a lengthy stopover in Spain.

Check out Opodo.be (in French)

kelbo

Thanks Everyone,

Even though Ryanair flies into Charleroi I believe it is worth almost $800 in savings for two tickets. I have flown both Ryanair and Easyjet and never had a problem with either airline. I have only taken direct flights...not these crazy 14 hour trips that cost 1 euro that I see advertised! The only other direct flight is the one I referenced on Brussels airline and it is about $446 US per person. Everything else has ridiculous connections.

I will plan on taking an earlier flight to give myself a cushion and then arrange the taxi transfer that Emro2 recommends.

thanks!

Kelly

abbebrel1

WARNING on the shuttle bus from Brussels MIDI to the Charleroi airport - the shuttle bus driver makes you put everything under the bus where you can't see it. My backpack was stolen in Jan 2012 from under the bus. My recommendation if you are carrying a PC is to take a taxi or take the train then the local bus from Brussels to Charleroi. DO NOT TAKE the shuttle if you have anything of value. And watch your stuff at the train station - I heard of another traveler who just put his backpack down by his feet, then had a kid distract him for a moment and the backpack (with apple laptop and his credit cards) was GONE!! -AB

bilboburgler

do not put your credit cards in a backpack...

But abbe good warning, thanks