jer

Hi Guys,
I am trying to get a tentative schedule for our trip. I am not looking for details yet... (places to stay etc), I just need to get my FF miles going. This is what I am thinking so far. Of course I cannot really figure out the train system, but I know the Thalys goes to all of these places.

Fly into
1. Amsterdam-5 nights. Do a few day trips
2. Antwerpen-maybe 2 nights? That is one thing I cannot figure out.
3. Brussels-For an afternoon.
4. Gent-perhaps just stay on the train and make that a day trip from Brugge? Ot is that something we could get off the train and spend a few hours walking around?
5. Brugge-3 nights
6. Paris-3 or 4 days.Fly out

Is this the best way to see these towns?
Should I leave any out...or perhaps add some others. Am I taking the most expensive train?
That part of the world is new to me. I have been reading up, but I am kinda dense about train schedules etc.

I am looking at the dates in mid May. Do you see any problems with that? Like cold, crowds etc.

Don't hesitate to tell me what you think is best. (I guess that is a stupid thing to say on this board!)

Thanks for your help. Jer

ParisAmsterdam

You don't say but is this your first
trip to Europe? If so I'd drop everything except Amsterdam and Paris.

We were in Amsterdam and Paris for a total of 2 weeks in 2007 and even though DW and I had been to both more than once previously, the 2 weeks went by all too quickly.

Rob

yk

Hi jer-

<i>1. Amsterdam-5 nights. Do a few day trips</i>

<i>2. Antwerpen-maybe 2 nights? That is one thing I cannot figure out.</i>

Sounds about right for both.

<i>3. Brussels-For an afternoon.</i>
Depends on your interests. Brussels has a fantastic Fine Art Museum complex which deserves a good several hours. But for the casual tourist who just wants to see Grand Place and the pissing boy, I guess an afternoon is enough.

<i>4. Gent-perhaps just stay on the train and make that a day trip from Brugge? Ot is that something we could get off the train and spend a few hours walking around?</i>

Definitely worth spending a day in Gent. If you buy a VIA ticket (Brussels to Brugge VIA Gent), you can make a stop there and get back on the train later. There is luggage lockers at Gent train station.

For Amsterdam - Antwerp, you don't need the fancy Thalys.

For trips within Belgium, just buy your ticket at the station. If there's 2 of you, you may want ot check out the Belgium 10-ride pass. It can be used by multiple persons on the same trip.
http://www.b-rail.be/nat/E/tarifs/passes/rail/index.php

Brugge is more crowded on weekends, so if you could time your stay during the week it would be better.

Christina

I don't have any opinion on Antwerp as I haven't been there, but all the places in Belgium are fairly close together, so it is easy to get between them by train. Brugge is only 60 mils from Brussels, for example, so you could easily do Gent as a day trip from either Brugge or Brussels.

I'm sure you picked out places of particular interest to you and you had a reason, but I personally would not spend 3 nights in Brugge but just breeze through Brussels. I am not clear on what you mean about Gent, whether you should stop or not. You can't see anything of a city from just a train window, without getting out.

Thalys does run those routes, but there is no reason just to take Thalys trains within Belgium as that is just a particular high-speed one.

Actually, give you want to end up in Paris, I would make Brugge the day trip rather than staying there, rather than Brussels or Gent.

jer

No we have been to Europe many many times. My daughter LOVES Amsterdam, so for her master graduations we are going to take a trip. She is a Art History major (yeah...said with not much enthusism. I have a masters in theatre so can't blame her. Love it!)

What I meant by Gent was...Would it be better to do that as a day trip from Brugge?

Thanks so far for the info!

Jer

yk

Gent is about equal distance from Brussels and Brugge.

If you stay in Brussels overnight, I think it makes more sense to leave for Gent in the morning, stop there for the day, then take a later afternoon/evening train onward to Brugge. This way, you won't have to backtrack.

As I've mentioned above, there are luggage lockers at the Gent train station.

If you wish to do it as a day trip from either cities, you can save 50% on train tickets if you travel on a weekend. (the weekend 50% off deal is only valid on roundtrips.)

We stayed in Brugge for 3 nights back in Sept this year. It was magical and I much preferred that over visiting Brugge as a day trip (which I had done twice previously).

Williamtje

Jer

You'll enjoy Amsterdam, although it always seem to rain when I go there! - the museums, house of ann frank, canals, redlight district (safe and very visited by tourists) - the dutch are great people.

Go and visit Delft though next - a beautiful small city with historic pottery factories, picture book square and buildings - needs a night and two days.

On to Brussels - rail stations near the centre - see the central square buildings and the Manequin Piss famous staure/fountain

Go to Bruges for sure - too much to see there and my favourite of all the north european cities. Chapel of the holy blood, statue of Madonna with Child by Michelangelo, picture post card market square with the Belfry and its wonderful bells, excelelnt food, great beer and chocolates that are melt in your mouth. Market in the square on Wed - another market on Saturdays near the concert hall.

A city that is safe and very easy to walk around - do Gent for the day from here - only 20 minutes by train

It may be that the procession of the Holy Blood is scheduled for May next year - if you are able to coincide do not miss it.

Finally Paris - what a good time of the year to go.

you can check out Bruge here:-
The Visit Belgium Site has callendar for main towns in the country
http://www.oldchocolatehouse.com/Links.html

PalenQ

You do not have to and should not IMO take any Thalys trains on your itinerary - like Christina says Thalys is a High-Speed train but only between Brussels and Paris is it presently high speed - otherwise hourly IC trains are nearly as fast - at least until the Thalys hi-speed route from Brussels to Amsterdam is fully operational - it could be next year but still you can take the generally cheaper IC trains on your route

problem with Thalys is that it has a Byzantine fare strcuture and reservations are always obligatory - to get cheaper fares you usually must book weeks in advance into a non-changeable train or if just show up pay much - often much much - more.

So i would do IC or regional trains Amsterdam to Antwerp to Brussels to Gent to Bruges to Lille and then from Lille hop the hi-speed TGV trains to Paris, avoiding the Thalys all together.

If going between Brussels and Paris Thalys is the only alternative however and then book well in advance: www.thalys.com

There is also a Benelux railpass that can be a good deal for folks taking several trains in Belgium, Luxembourg and netherlands - sold only outside of Benelux i believe. For more on train travel in Benenlux and the pass (which i am not saying is for you and you can compare fares yourself at www.ns.nl for Holland and the Belgian rail site referenced in an above post) - anyway i always recommend two fine sites for train travel in detail anywhere in Europe - www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - the latter lets you download their excellent European Rail &amp; Planning Guide free - a great primer on rail travel in general and these countries in specific. Fodorites also IME are a very very great reference so keep asking them questions.

plafield

BM