Question About Belgiun Train Travel
 

I am booking my train travel for April 8th. The intimery takes me from Amsterdam to Brugge. I am intentially taking the Thalys then changing in Antwerp and then Ghent. The intimery has be changing trains in about 10 minutes time. Not a big deal but I would love to take so,e time while in Ghent so that I can see Gravensteen Castle. Am I able o hope on the train at any time from Ghent to Brugge, or must I board at that exact time?

check the Thalys ABS fare where for like 5 euros you can go from any Thalys station - like Antwerp Centrale to All Belgian Stations - that means to Bruges via Gent, on the direct route. Belgain trains have a flat fare anyway but if you buy a ticket it will be much more than the Thalys All Belgian Stations fare which you much buy TMK when you do the Thalys transaction or add it on before the journey.

On that ABS fare I believe you can get on and off at will along the route. There are no reservations possible I think on domestic Belgian trains so you can always board.

For lots of great info on Belgian and European trains: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. For ABS fare info check the official Thalys site - www.thalys.com.

You can get any train from gent to Brugge. The website assumes you want to get to Brugge asap, hence the time given.
You must get the Thalys you book, but can then get any local Belgian train that suits. so you could get out at Antwerp and have a look around and then continue to Gent, look around and then go to Brugge.

there are at least hourly trains Antwerp-Gent-Bruges.

I assume there are no direct trains to Brugge from Antwerp. If there are you will be expected to take that if your ticket says Amsterdam Brugge, in which case book to Gent and then just buy a ticket in Gent to get you to Brugge.

Thanks all! When I built the intinerary on Thalys.com, I did choose any Belgium station, then I typed in Brugge. It did give the option if a train straight from Antwerp to Brugge, but I intentially do not want to take that one, I want to take the one to Ghent first to see the castle, then hop back on the train and continue on to Brugge. It seems like from what everyone has told me that yes I can take an hour or 2 in Ghent.

Thanks again!

Yes there are many many direct Antwerp Central to Bruges trains and they all seem to go via and stop in Gent. so trains from Antwerp to Bruges and Gent are the very same trains.

If I were the OP even though info on the All Belgian Stations add-on with Thalys may indicate you can stop off without formality en route I'd double check that with the conductor on the train to Gent - Belgian conductos inevitably speak enough English to make sure it is correct - it is how the conductor interprets info that is of course de fact right - right or wrong IME!