Getting from Ciney to BRU airport
 

Hello! First time Belgian train traveller here (and generally a complete novice regarding European train travel.) I'm trying to get from Hamois, Belgium to the Brussels Intl Airport on Saturday 10 October. I've already purchased travel (maybe preemptively):

- Hamois > Ciney via taxi
- Ciney > "ZONE BRUSSEL" via Belgian Rail @ 948
- BRU > SXF via Easyjet 4704 @ 1425

I'm just trying to determine if I've done the right thing to get from Ciney to the airport, on time! Specifically, I'm having trouble figuring out what "ZONE BRUSSEL" means, and where I should be getting off the train in order to get to the airport.

On one hand, from research, it seems I get off at one of the Brussels train stations - North, Midi or Central -- and then get a shuttle to the airport for an additional Euro 8,50.

On the other hand, I read a train schedule that made it seem like the train could take me straight to the airport (without having to transfer.)

Can anyone provide some clarity, please?

There is an train station at Brussels airport. You can check itineraries at www.belgianrails.be. If the destination Brussels Airport" doesn't work type in "Brussels-Nat-Luchthaven".

Pay attention, one train union has decided to strike on 9 october. not fully confirmed.

"Zone Brussel" means any of the 3 or 4 stations in the central Brussels area. (Brussels is either "Brussel" in Flemish or "Bruxelles" in French.)

You need to take the train from Ciney to Brussel-Noord station, then change to the airport train at Brussel-Noord. I don't know how frequently the trains from Ciney operate, but the train from Nord to the Airport run several times each hour and take about 10 minutes.

Thank you for the thoughtful explanation, DonTopaz, and the heads up, pariwat!