Getting To and Around Belgium
 

My sister won two RT tickets on MaxJet to London. They fly into Stanstead Airport. She can't use them and I'm trying to convince my parents to use them to take a much dreamed about trip to Belgium.

It appears there are no direct flights from Stanstead to Brussels. So to get from London to Belgium, it seems to make better sense to take the train from Waterloo to Brussels (<3hrs)?

Once in Belgium, I assume they'll want to check out Brussels, Brugge and Ghent. My folks are 69yo and it is better for everyone's sanity if they do not drive themselves around. Is it easy to get from city to city via train and then walk/use public transportation in each city?

The main point of going is to see the town where my father's family came from. The town, Nevele, is 25km outside of Ghent. There doesn't seem to be a rail station (town's website is only in Dutch). So I'd suppose they'd need to rent a car for a day or so to check that out unless taxis or buses are good?

Also, are there any guides or daily tours you'd recommend to see some of the more interesting sites? And which guidebook would you recommend? I'll pick one up for them for Christmas.

Thanks for your help!

The Belgian rail system is superb. If your parents go, suggest that they get accommodation in Brussels within walking distance of Brussels Central, from where they can travel all over the country (There are two other main stations in Brussels, but their neighbourhoods are less appealing).

They can buy a weekly ticket that allows unlimited travel within the country, or a more expensive one that includes Luxembourg and Holland, if they are interested.

When I was there I made a cursory check on bus services, and I formed the impression that they were fairly limited. I freely admit that my impression could be mistaken.

There are cheap direct flights from Stanstead to Charleroi which is 40 minutes outside Brussels

Since your parents are 65+ they can travel all over Belgium for 4 euro for each return trip (example, Brussels/Brugge/Brussels or Brussels/Gent/Brussels, etc.). Only condition is that this senior ticket is only valid as from 09.01 am (i.e. not on rush hours). You can read all about it on http://www.b-rail.be/nat/E/tarifs/ti...iors/index.php

Nevele: your parents can easily get to Nevele by train and bus. They will first have to train to Gent (main station which is Gent. St. Pieters) where they take bus no. 15 that will bring them to Nevele Market square in 34 minutes.

Thanks for the help! It is good to know they'll be fine with public transportation.

MyriamC, that is great info on the cheap senior tickets and i really appreciate the bus number to Nevele. This type of information should hopefully sway them to go.

lawchick, I can't find any flights from Stansted to Charleroi. Do you happen to know the airline?

Since Nevele is closest to Gent, I would recommend staying in Gent, which is much, much nicer town than Brussels. From Gent it is also quite easy to get to Brugge.

Ryanair used to fly Stansted - Charleroi (Brussels South, as it's called) but I thought they stopped this line some time ago.
Anyway, it will be much easier for your parents to come to Brussels by Eurostar train.

Ryanair are starting this route again in the summer.

www.ryanair.com

Between Stanstead and Waterloo, the standard route is 1)Stanstead Express to Liverpool Street Station, 2) westbound Central Line one stop to Bank, switchover to Waterloo & City Line.

However, connection at Bank is somewhat long. If your parents don't feel like schlepping luggage, then you can easily catch a cab between Liverpool Street Stn and Waterloo International (the side of the station closer to Eurostar departure).