Germany, Brussels and Amsterdam late December
 

My husband and I are celebrating our 5 year anniversary and wanted to take a European trip. We were able to book tickets using miles flying to Munich, Germany on December 27th and departing Amsterdam January 5th. We will be staying on miles at Hotel Intercontinental or Crown Plaza depending on location. We are in our mid 30s and are active enjoying museums, local food and drinks and art.

We would like to take the train from Munich to Brussels and then another train to Amsterdam. How long should we stay in each city? We are looking forward to the Christmas markets in Munich. Any other must see places in Munich? Any recommendations for what to do Brussels? We would like to be in Amsterdam for New Years Eve night. Any recommendations for New Years Eve? We would love to be on a boat cruise at night if there is such a thing. Should we buy tickets for anything in advance like the Anne Frank house or Heineken experience?

Lastly, any recommendations on trains? Which stations and are any high speed trains?

Thanks so much!!

Lastly, any recommendations on trains? Which stations and are any high speed trains?>

Munich to Brussels is quite a poke by train even with high-speed ICE trains that in Germany go nearly 200 mph - take an ICE train from Munich's main station - the Hauptbahnhof to Cologne and change to an ICE train or Thalys train from there to Brussels.

Between Brussels and Amsterdam there are hourly IC (InterCity) trains or you can take the high-speed Thalys trains that get there about an hour quicker but can cost a whole lot more than the slower IC trains.

Many folks are underwhelmed by Brussels, a city largely lacking the romance IMO we expect in Europe - Amsterdam is the opposite - one of the world's most beautiful cities IMO and a lot more for the average person to do. A day or two in Brussels and 3 or 4 in Amsterdam -anyway for lots of great info on trains in those countries check out these IMO fantastic sites - www.seat61.com (great info on discounted online tickets for German trains) and www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. There is a Germany-Benelux railpass that allows you to hop on just about any train anytime in those countries (except Thalys trains which you do not have to take) and if doing other trips by train - say day trips from Amsterdam or Munich it may be worthwhile.

From December there will no longer be IC trains between Amsterdam and Brussels, only Fyra or Thalys trains. Both are cheaper booked ahead of time.
Fyra will take an hour off the time the IC took.

If you want to be in Ams for NYE and you arrive in Munich on the 27th that doesn't leave time for Brussels between those two cities.

Just an FYI most of the christmas markets close on the 24th of Dec.
I checked a website that said the Tollwood market is open until Dec. 30. The one at Marienplatz is closed Dec. 24.

I would consider if you eliminating Brussels and concentrating time between Munich and Amsterdam - and take some day trips from each base - like to Fussen to see Mad Ludwig's famous fantasy castles or to Salzburg - both easily done by train - Salzburg being one of Europe's most gorgeous cities and IMO better than a day or two in blah blah IMO Brussels (which does have some nice parts and good museums but overall IME is one of the least appealing larger cities in Europe with much of its older parts bulldozed away long ago.

thanks hetismij for the update - I note that the Fyra trains only take about 15 mins or so longer and I assume they are generally cheaper than the fancy Thalys trains that continue onto Paris. Yet the reservations requirement poses another hurdloe for those of us who use railpasses - I hope the Fyra has a flat fee of 7 or 9 euros like they have had last time I was in Amsterdam to Rotterdam and can just buy it before the train. Thalys trains can sell out and the passholder supplement can be awesomely steep.

Yes the Fyra has a supplement. You can still buy a ticket at the station, but it is generally cheaper to book it ahead of time.

Fyra will take 1 hour 51 minutes. The ticket on the day is 34% higher than it was on the Intercity from Amsterdam to Brussels, and 82% more for Rotterdam to Antwerp. This is from 9 December.
Den Haag has no direct international train anymore.
It is still possible to do the journey by normal trains, but you need to change trains twice and it takes a staggering 3 hour 8 minutes.

Such is progress I guess. Many people, including those who commute between the two countries and have a season ticket (price increase up to 200%) are not happy.

A pre-bought ticket is valid only on the specified train. If you miss it you must by a ticket at the machine.

hetismij2 - dank u very wel for all that great info! Den Hague sans international rail service! Wow! A country capital or at least half one with international institutions like the Courts but a short shuttle hop to Rotterdam I guess ain't too bad.

You have 8 days so my suggestion on allocating time would be;

Munich 3 nights
Amsterdam 5 nights (only because this accomplishes your desire to be in Amsterdam on New Years Eve)

Yeah, I know I didn't assign any nights to Brussels.......... That was deliberate for two reasons - personal taste and the fact that you can't reasonable allocate Dec 28-29, and 30 to both Munich and Amsterdam to get to Amsterdam for the 31st.

There are not any real HST services from Munich, i.e. you will be sitting in a HST but on regular tracks for a long way until you are past Stuttgart (2.5 hrs) and also in between Nuremburg and Frankfurt.
The only real high speed corridors are between Frankfurt and Cologne and between Stuttgart and Frankfurt and again further on to Cologne (omitting those which are irrelevant for your destinations).
So if you leave out Brussels, the train ride from Munich to Amsterdam will only be partially a HST experience, and a pretty long day of travel.

While I am also a bit biased against Brussels it may still be useful to understand why you have chosen those three cities. Weatherwise I am also not sure if NYE in A'dam would be on top of my list. The Netherlands as well as Belgium have a maritime climate with a good chance of mild but rainy winters. This should probably not bother you if you are focused on the fine museums in either city but it could play a role if you envisage yourself strolling through a winter wonderland.

If NYE in A'dam would be on top of my list.>

I was in Amsterdam on New Year's Even recently and it was tremendous - simply tremendous - fireworks going off all day long from morning to well after midnight - from every rooftop and in every street - bombastic and there are also organized concerts at some places around town.

A very unique event though not everyone's cup of tea I think.

I would either fly directly from Munich to Amsterdam, allowing more time in each, or take the train to Cologne and then on to Amsterdam. I would not want to pay good money to visit Brussels in late December.

I also would punt Brussels.

Consider the City Night Line train direct from Munich to Amsterdam, CNL 1318.
München Hbf dep 22:50
Amsterdam Centraal arr 08:56
Subject to compulsory reservation, Sleeping-car, Couchettes, Sleeperette, snacks and beverages available.

Using the night train will save you a day of your short trip. The supplement for a 2 bed sleeper car will probably be less than a hotel room, except that you won't be able to use your hotel miles for it. For an illustrated introduction to night trains see http://tinyurl.com/y57vft.

I agree with others that it would make sense to concentrate on 2 rather than 3 cities during your relatively short trip.

I don't agree that Brussels is necessarily a city to avoid. If you like good food and drink (beer) and art, it is definitely a good choice for this or another trip. My TR from the fall of 2011 describes some of the places we enjoyed visiting
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...etherlands.cfm

I have taken the CNL night train between Munich and Amsterdam that spaarne described and it is one of the nicer overnight trains of zillions I have taken all over Europe. Go to www.bahn.de - German Railways web site to score deep discount tickets but only if you book way way in advance - limited in number and full fare can be hundred bucks or so higher!

With the new high-speed Thalys train you could well do a day trip from Amsterdam to Brussels - get off a Brussels Centrale station which is a short walk from the heart of tourist Brussels - the Grand' Place, the mannequin Pis (wee statues of a wee boy pissing that has become the symbol of the city), etc. Easy enough to see Brussels best in one day and the high-speed train takes less than two hours each way.

Pal,
I thought that the Thalys stopped only at Zuid/Midi in Brussels? If so the OP would need to take a two minute train back up to Centrale/Centraal.

Myriam, PalenQ; I cannot believe they will go ahead with cancelling the IC trains between Brussels/Amsterdam. These trains are often packed - and prices will be much higher on the new train, unless you book in advance; and then you have no flexibility. Lots of students travel between Antwerp and Rotterdam, some of their fares will apparently triple.

I guess we'll find out on Sunday. NS HiSpeed stops showing Intercities from then.

Pal,
I thought that the Thalys stopped only at Zuid/Midi in Brussels? If so the OP would need to take a two minute train back up to Centrale/Centraal. - Yes about Thalys but I checked the newer and slightly slower fyra train hetismij2 mentioned that would replace IC trains and that high-speed train, running over same tracks as Thalys I believe shows a stop at Brussels Centraal and well as Zuid/Midi/South station. About 15 minutes slower all told so why bother with more expensive Thalys?