Belgian Train Stations
 

Hi,

As a continuation from my earlier post, I need to take a train from Brussels to Lokeren. I was looking at the NMBS/SNCB website (http://www.b-rail.be/) to check out schedules and prices. When I type in the destination of Lokeren, I get a list of 50 choices for Lokeren. Some have [Stn/Stop] as a suffix and some have [City, Street Hno]. I'm guessing I will want a [Stn/Stop] one, but am not sure. How do I know which one to choose?

I tried the map link to see if they showed me the destination choices so I'd have a clue, but it only shows a large map of the country. I can zoom into the town, but no hints as to which destination to choose.

Any help in understanding this is greatly appreciated.

Hi, I just had a look on the SNCB website - just leave the default option (Lokeren [B] [Stn/stop]) and click Search, and you'll get the relevant timetable info.
The [B] is the symbol for train station (SNCB network). (You'll also see it on maps, by the way)

Thanks for the reply. Do you know what all the other destinations are then if not train stations?

From the looks of it, they are bus stops or other public transport stations.
It seems that on the SNCB website, if you search for timetables within Belgium, you have the option of doing a "door-to-door" search, so that you can find the best way to get from address A in town A, to address B in town B.

Interesting! Thanks again, you were very helpful.

The new layout of the Belgian rail website is so confusing, even for us Belgians. I prefer to check timetables on the Dutch or German railways websites: www.ns.nl (international section) or www.bahn.de

Hi MyriamC! You helped me tremendously when I was trying to book my train from Paris to Brussels and Brugge. Without you & others here I would not have been able to navigate the websites ( and find one in English!).

Hi MyriamC,

Thanks for the advice. The Dutch site doesn't appear to do international in English, but the German one does.