question about thalys/ Bruxelles Midi station
 

i am a single female that will be arriving around midnight on the Thalys train from Paris to Brussels Midi station. i will then need to take the local train (not tram) to Brussels Central station. dumb question but does anyone know if i actually need to leave the station in order to change from the thalys platform to the platform that goes to Brussels Central? are they really far from each other? i heard the area around Midi station is rather unsafe at night and am hesitant to leave the station so late. Thanks!

Bruxelles-Central with its dark passages and stairs is not confidence-inspiring, either. I suggest you go straight to the taxi stand at Midi - it's only 2 miles by road to Central.

dumb question but does anyone know if i actually need to leave the station in order to change from the thalys platform to the platform that goes to Brussels Central?>

no you just walk from the Thalys part of the station (separated from the main part of the station because of Customs needed for arriving passengers from non-Schengen Britain i guess) to the main part of the station - turn to your right after exiting the Thalys section of the station. Then you will walk up stairs or take an escalator to where the train the Centraal station will come in on. No underground passageways here unless things have changed since my last look around in January 2010.

Agree with DalaiLlama - Midi station itself is brightly lit and there are lots of shops and people in the station. I would take a taxi. Nowhere in Brussels is very far from there if you are headed to the area near Central. I think all the stations are mildly unsafe at night (the surrounding area, not the station itself).

Lavandula

thanks all, these helps put my mind at ease!