Oops, Oostende/Ostend and Blankenberge.

That would have been helpful to know before hand hahaha...the departure boards didnt seem to mention Bruges anywhere...good to note this before going!! Thanks BTilke!

No, the boards don't show the stops along the way...those are displayed on the TV monitors by the escalators leading up to the tracks. Which means you'd have to know which train to pick in the first place...not that helpful.

Anyway, to get from Brussels Midi/Zuid to Bruges, it's generally a safe bet to hop on trains to Ostend or Knokke-Blankenberge.

perhaps www.b-rail.com or whatever Belgian rail web site gives platforms numbers like www.bahh.de does for Germany?

seems the Bruges trains always leave from the same platform IME

It hasn't been my experience that the trains to Bruges always leave from the same platforms. But the platforms are fairly close to each other and have escalators, so getting to them isn't a big deal.

There is a ferry from Ramsgate to Oostende, but the Eurostar is probably quicker, and certainly more comfortable.