We (family of 4) are planning to travel from Brussels to Amsterdam by train in July. Should we book the tickets in advance or can we buy the tickets on the day of travel for the same price? On the way, we also would like to spend few hours at Antwerp. Is Antwerp on the way to Amsterdam?

If you are going to stop off in Antwerp the best thing would be to just wait until Brussels then buy tickets on a flat-fare IC trains that go hourly Brussels to Antwerp and Antwerp to Amsterdam (with usually a change once in Holland) - ask for a ticket Brussels to Amsterdam and ask if you can stop off on it - usually you can without problem or doing anything special but always ask.

Thalys trains also run this route - they are faster, taking a high-speed rail route but have a Byzantine fare structure where if you just show up you'll pay tons more than by advance booking weeks or months in advance to snag the limited in number deep discounted tickets - if you were going in one fell swoop Brussels to Amsterdam that could be the cheapest and about an hour or so faster.

But you have to book in stone really weeks in advance - no changes nor refunds allowed.

But for stopping in Antwerp - which I highly recommend - just buy a regular IC ticket on the day of travel - there are no seat reservations even possible and with a ticket I believe you can board any IC train anytime. Eschew the Thalys if stopping in Antwerp!

For loads of great info on Benelux trains check out these IMO fine sources: www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Yes again Antwerp is smack on the way to Amsterdam - put your bags in a station locker and look around - the station is right in this unqiue amazing town's center.

the main sight in Antwerp to me is the grandiose train station itself - Antwerpen Centraal station, known to locals as the Cathedral - take a good look inside and out - don't just rush away -

https://www.google.com/search?q=antw...=1600&bih=1075

If you want to interrupt your journey in Antwerp (or anywhere else for that matter), you MUST ask for a 'via' ticket.

PalenQ, Antwerp in fact has three buildings that are referred to as '<i>the Cathedral</i>'. First of all Our Lady's Cathedral (the only real one), secondly the Railway Cathedral (Central station) and third the Cathedral of Justice (Law Courts). The latter is an interesting building as well!

Myraim - You were the first one that told me about the Railway Cathedral but today I forgot about the railway part - Myriam is I believe from Antwerp or the area so is an expert on Antwerp - a vlaued resource for dweebs like me who have been there many times but may get some things wrong!

Tot Ziens! and Dank u (very) wel!

Thanks for all the help, much appreciated.

Note you will also have to change trains in Rotterdam - there appear to be no non-Thalys direct Angtwerp to Amsterdam trains. A simple change - probably from one track to an adjoining one but if not a large station but I think your ticket will be good on any Rotterdam to Amsterdam train.

Thanks PalenQ.

We will also be spending 3 days in Brussels before travelling to Amsterdam. Is it possible to cover Ghent and Bruges as day trips in one day ? We will be arriving Brussels from London by Eurostar, so I hope we can use the same ticket to travel to Ghent & Bruges.

Check the ABS or All-Belgian-Stations part of the Eurostar ticket - if still applicable means within 24 (48?) hours of your Eurostar arrival (or departure) you can go by train to any Belgian station - since Gent is en route to Bruges maybe you can do them both but perhaps you have to chose one Belgian station to go to and not stop off?

Please tell me what you find out.

Doing both in one day in any case may be slighting both too much IME -I'd start with Bruges, the farthest away and one with most to see and do.

<How do I purchase an ABS fare?
ABS fares are available from/to your final destination in Belgium. Please enter the city of departure and city of arrival. Your search results will available ABS fares. The results will only include the Eurostar tickets to travel to Brussels and onward to your connecting city (within Belgium) to complete your journey.>

You may have to purchase an ABS fare according to this blurb from RailEurope - a seller of Eurostar tickets.

Thanks PalenQ. I have already taken the Eurostar tickets for ABS. And as you rightly suggested, I will start with Bruges.

Erci12 - did the ABS fare cost you extra or was it included in the price?

curious

thanks

PalenQ .. I did not notice any difference as I just booked the tickets exactly 90 days in advance and got it at GBP 44 per ticket, one way.

Sorry, in fact I booked the tickets 130 days in advance.

Eric - thanks!

Sorry, in fact I booked the tickets 130 days in advance>

Proof that the early bird doth get the proverbial worm on Eurostar tickets - 41 pounds London-Brussels-Bruges is a steal.