Before doing a Rhine and Danube cruise we would like to fit in a quick 3 or 4 days in Belgium. My main reason for this is I would like to visit the Aeoplane Cemetery at Ieper. We would be based in Brussels and take a train to Ghent, another to Bruges and another to Ieper. Is this all possible by trains and apart from Ieper which is a must should we try to fit in all the other towns or be content with Brussels and Ieper.
Does anyone know if it is difficult allowing we are seniors to get to the Aeroplane Cemetery from Ieper

Hi W,

Have you looked up the train schedules at www.bahn.de?

If you just want to go from Brussels to Ieper you don't have to take the train to Gent and Brugge first. There are direct trains that take less than 2 hours travel (1 hr. and 42 mins. exactly).
If you want to go via Gent and Brugge, it'll be a long journey but it's possible anyway.
For timetables check out the Belgian Railways' website: http://ari.b-holding.be/
As per http://www.viamichelin.com Aeroplane Cemetery is 700m from the train station, which is 11 min. on foot.

I don't know what trains go to Ieper but maybe a better link might be www.nmbs.be where you can get information about belgian train schedules and prices.
Maybe you should try some place at the coast since you're in the neighbourhood or visit Brugge as well?

http://www.nmbs.be and http://ari.b-holding.be are one and the same, but with the ari.b-holding one you come directly in the timetables which I thought was easier for non-Dutch speakers. I was only trying to be helpful, thomascookie!