Belgium Rail Travel?
 

Anyone know if there's train service from Essen Belgium-to-Ieper? And Ieper-to-Bruges?

I tried Belgium Rail website, but it's in French. I'm traveling from Utrecht-to-Ieper. The Netherlands Rail website says I can go from Utrecht-to-Essen in 2hrs 40min; but I would still need to go from Essen-to-Ieper.
I don't want to go by-way-of Brussels, that would be a 5 hour trip....

you'll get better results from the Deutsch bahn web site (www.bahn.de), click on International Guests and you can search routes in English.
Just guessing here, but having traveled from central German (Dusseldorf/Essen/Bochum area) to Belgium by train many times, I think it would be tough to find an Essen to Ieper route that didn't go through Brussels *OR* take less than 5 hours (with more train changes and slower trains than going through Brussels).
Good luck...I'd like to hear if you find a 4 hour or less route that bypassed Brusels.

Use www.bahn.de which has train services for all Europe. If you are starting from Essen, make sure you specify Essen in Belgium, otherwise it will assume Essen in Germany. If you're actually travelling from Utrecht to Ieper, then enter those stations and it will give connections for the whole journey.

Good point, Geoff, I missed that he meant Essen in Belgium (I didn't even know there was an Essen in Belgium, to be honest).

Use this URL..it's even faster

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

The necessary part of the Belgian Rail site (timetables and tickets) is available in English:
http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/index.php

The Belgian Rail route map is also available:
http://www.loughrigg.org/b-rail/full1.gif

It seems like the fastest way to go would be Utrecht-Rotterdam-Brussels-Ieper, 4hrs 18min.

If you want a shorter distance, you could choose to get off in Antwerpen on the Rotterdam-Brussels leg, take a train from Antwerpen to Kortrijk, and get on a train to Ieper in Kortrijk. But since the DB site, doesn't mention it, I guess it takes more time than the first suggestion.

Essen (B) is very close to where I live, so here's your information: the total journey Essen/Ieper can be as short as 2 hrs 44 or as long as 4 hrs 4 min.
Through Brussels is the easiest way, as you will have to change trains only once (in Brussel Zuid = Bruxelles Midi). Total journey is 3 hrs 4 min. <b>for all the trains leaving in Essen at 16 min. past the hour!</b>
Check out http://plannerint.b-rail.be as there are other options, through Antwerp and Kortrijk or Gent and Kortrijk, but these trains don't run so frequently.

Ieper to Brugge is between 1 hr 35 min. to 1 hr 48 min. and always involves a change in Kortrijk.

The total journey from Utrecht to Ieper is 4 hrs 18 min. and involves a change in Rotterdam Centraal and Brussel Zuid. You don't have to get off the train in Essen!