Hi, I am planning a train travel from Amsterdam to Brugge (July, a Monday). They all take the same time. I don't know (or really care) about the difference between a Thalys or a regular one. What is very important to me is how easy the connection station will be (changing platform, unexpected stairs…). So between Bruxelle Midi and Antwerpen Berchem which is better. Thank you. shula

I'm planning this same trip. Does anyone know if the Amsterdam to Berchem/ Berchem to Brugge route make more sense than Antwerp? Seems going to Brussels is somewhat out of the way.

I don´t think you have to plan this trip. Just go to the station, buy your tickets an board the train. Change in Antwerpen.

Change at Antwerpen Centraal. Antwerpen Berchem, fem minutes later, only if you did not change your train in time at the Centraal.

Daniel,<BR>Thanks for your info. Any idea why it's cheaper to go through Berchem? The fare is about 18 Euros less... <BR><BR>

No idea. Anyone? Help!

Excuse me, but I just read your first question (I know, I should have done it the first time): You are going from Brussel to Brugge via Antwerpen? Of course it´s more expensive. Take a look at the map and come back for more questions.

David, I think you better give it another read. No, shula is going Amsterdam to Brugge, and questioning whether via Antwerp or via Brussels makes the most sense.

Shula, I´m afraid I can not give you much information about unexpected stairs in Belgium. They come when you least expects them. They are usually quite steep, at least compared with the landscape of the Netherlands. They tend to go uptairs. It will probably rain anyway (240 days a year). From Amsterdam to Brugge, change in Antwerpen Centraal. What was your question again?<BR>

I took the train from Amsterdam to Brugges in March with a change in Antwerpen. It was easy and took around 3.5 hours. The train was quite a bit slower on the Antwerpen-Brugges leg. We bought the tickets at Amsterdam Central Station where the lines are VERY long. You take a number and wait and wait. I'm assuming you can purchase tickets an easier way. Brugges is beautiful! Have a great trip.

In fact, all the trains coming from Amsterdam go through Antwerpen and Antwerpen-Berchem, NOT through Brussels! <BR>Antwerpen-Berchem is only one stop away from Antwerpen Centraal Station and is used now as the main station in Antwerpen because construction works are taking place in Antwerpen Centraal for a few years already and will only be finished in 2005 !!<BR>It is very easy to go from Amsterdam to Brugge. No need to pay extra for the Thalys which will take you to Brussels first. <BR>Just take the intercity (takes 3 hrs 32 min.) and if you pick out the right train you will have to change only once in Antwerpen-Berchem. Trains leaving at .23 (7.23 am, 8.23 am, etc.) are the good ones with only 1 change.<BR>Take a look at the international train planner on the website of the Dutch railways (http://internationaal.ns.nl/internat...rmulier_en.asp). In the 'from' box, fill in Amsterdam Centraal, in the 'to' box, fill in Brugge. Very easy to use!

If I am right, you don´t have to stand in line/queue at the station to buy tickets. In most/all? European countries you can buy a railway ticket or reservation for another European country at most railway stations/travel agencies for the same price. Can anyone please confirm/correct me?

Forgot to mention that you will have 14 min. to change trains. Normally they leave from the same platform as the one the train coming from Amsterdam arrives. Anyway, the steward in the train can give you this information.<BR>In case it should be another platform, it's only 1 staircase down and an escalator up.

For a regular train - national or international - you buy your ticket at the station until just before departure of your train. You can buy tickets in advance but there's no need to do this because there's no seat reservation on regular trains. Regular trains can be crowded, especially during rush hour when sometimes no seats are available and you will have to stand!<BR><BR>For a Thalys or TGV ticket it is preferred to buy your ticket in advance if you want to leave at a particular date/hour because if there's no more seat available, you won't be allowed on the train. Same system as an airplane in fact.

I appreciate all the responses. Myriam, I tried accessing the website you provided, but only got a blank yellow and blue background. Hmmm, maybe it's my computer's limited memory. Thanks for your update on the Berchem situation, makes more sense now! My concern is the long lines for buying tickets. Sounds like it makes sense to buy them ahead of time.

Andrea, as to the website: try http://www.ns.nl, then click on "English" and fill in the boxes. Hope this works!

If you are taking the thalys from Amsterdam to Brussels, can you get off the train in Antwerpen to explore then get back on another train to Brussels using the same ticket?

TTT

David,<BR>No, you can't !<BR>Your reservation on Thalys is only valid for a specific train on a specific time.<BR><BR>I think it's not even allowed on usual trains. <BR><BR>In fact it's not worth to take a Thalys train from Amsterdam to Brussels. It is much more expensive and travel time is about the same as on a regular intercity train (2 hrs 36 min. vs. 2 hrs 51 min.). The only advantage would be that you don't have to change trains in Antwerpen-Berchem.

David,<BR><BR>You DON'T need to change trains in Antwerp if you're taking the normal hourly intercity service from Amsterdam to Brussels!<BR><BR>Thalys isn't interesting for your trip as it's no faster, more expensive and requires advance reservations.<BR><BR>I don't think you can buy a ticket in Amsterdam which lets you get off and back on in Antwerp - ask at the station in Amsterdam though.<BR><BR>Anyway, ticket prices on the intercity trains are quite low.<BR><BR>Price and schedule info at:<BR>www.ns.nl (Dutch railways)<BR>www.sncb.be (Belgian railways)<BR><BR>Hope this helps,<BR>Andre