train from Amsterdam to Brugge

[giraffelt]

we will be starting our cruise from Amsterdam and arriving there a week ahead of time. we plan on spending a couple of days in Amsterdam before taking the train to Brugge for 2 days and then head back to Amsterdam again by train.

 

My question is: Should I / can I buy the train tickets in advance through the internet or should I just wait until I get to Amsterdam?

 

Thanks.

 

Larry

[moyaroo]

If you can get a discounted ticket online go for it, If you are thinking about Rail Europe forget that thought and buy at the station saving huge amounts -really.

[HeinBloed]

we will be starting our cruise from Amsterdam and arriving there a week ahead of time. we plan on spending a couple of days in Amsterdam before taking the train to Brugge for 2 days and then head back to Amsterdam again by train.

 

My question is: Should I / can I buy the train tickets in advance through the internet or should I just wait until I get to Amsterdam?

 

Thanks.

 

Larry

 

Discounted tickets are only available if you pre-book them like here:

 

NS Hispeed is Dutch Railways International sales.

 

http://www.nshispeed.nl/en

 

Depending of type of trains you might need fixed seat assignments for the HighSpeed traffic on Fyra or Thalys-trains.

 

So best would be to book as soon as possible to make the great savings.

 

You can get for 46 EUR Amsterdam - Bruges - advance sale - limited availability - refund/changes restrictions - first come - first serve.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[giraffelt]

heinBloed,

thanks for the information. we are planning on taking the Thalys high speed to Brussels and then switching. there doesn't seem to be a through train.

 

I will book in advance.

 

thanks.

 

larry

[giraffelt]

Heinbloed,

 

I tried to use the url your supplied to book and pay for the train tickets. it seems you can buy non reservation tickets on-line in advance but not for a specific day/time. also there doesn't seem to be any price differences other than for 1st or 2nd class. I tired using the faq feature but it was of no help. I have also submitted an inquiry on-line but didn't get a response.

 

I don't want to pay up front and then find out there are no spaces available for my specific day/time.

 

any suggestions?

 

thanks in advance.

 

Larry

[HeinBloed]

Heinbloed,

 

I tried to use the url your supplied to book and pay for the train tickets. it seems you can buy non reservation tickets on-line in advance but not for a specific day/time. also there doesn't seem to be any price differences other than for 1st or 2nd class. I tired using the faq feature but it was of no help. I have also submitted an inquiry on-line but didn't get a response.

 

I don't want to pay up front and then find out there are no spaces available for my specific day/time.

 

any suggestions?

 

thanks in advance.

 

Larry

 

For which time range you requested the tickets???

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[HeinBloed]

Heinbloed,

 

I tried to use the url your supplied to book and pay for the train tickets. it seems you can buy non reservation tickets on-line in advance but not for a specific day/time. also there doesn't seem to be any price differences other than for 1st or 2nd class. I tired using the faq feature but it was of no help. I have also submitted an inquiry on-line but didn't get a response.

 

I don't want to pay up front and then find out there are no spaces available for my specific day/time.

 

any suggestions?

 

thanks in advance.

 

Larry

 

Check for Thalys bookings:

 

http://www.thalys.com

 

for all other trains you can choose any train.

 

After the price for 2nd class it's shown, scroll down to upgrade to first class:

 

45.40 EUR in 2nd class

70.20 EUR in 1st class

 

based on one-way high flexibility

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[giraffelt]

HeinBloed

 

I apologize for bothering you again. I f tried on 3 consecutive days to book the amsterdam/antwerpe segments on Thalys without any success. Everything goes well until the payment process and I get a message saying the server isn't available. I have used the contact form to report the problem but no response.

 

I have tried using the Dutch International sales site (the first reference you gave) and it errors when it tries to check availability of tickets.

 

any other suggestions on how to book the tickets via internet?

 

Larry

[HeinBloed]

HeinBloed

 

I apologize for bothering you again. I f tried on 3 consecutive days to book the amsterdam/antwerpe segments on Thalys without any success. Everything goes well until the payment process and I get a message saying the server isn't available. I have used the contact form to report the problem but no response.

 

I have tried using the Dutch International sales site (the first reference you gave) and it errors when it tries to check availability of tickets.

 

any other suggestions on how to book the tickets via internet?

 

Larry

 

Try this:

 

http://www.b-rail.be

 

if this does not work either:

 

you get personal assistance on June 6-10 while I am in GTA...

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[giraffelt]

HeinBloed

 

I really appreciate your help.

 

I used the b-rail link to buy the tickets on-line.

 

I am somewhat confused though. When I printed out the tickets I have a ticket for each segment of the trip (Amsterdam to Antewerp and Antewerp to Amsterdam) on the high speed trains. the tickets show the times and train numbers as one would expect. but for the Antwerp to/from Brugge sements I only have a single "ticket" not two as I would expect and it doesn't show the train numbers nor times.

 

did something go wrong in the booking or is the single generic "ticket" used in combination with the high speed ticket? any explanation you can offer would be appreciated. I should mention that I bought the tickets as seniors and somewhere there was some comment about ABS. not sure if that is germane to my question.

 

enjoy your trip to the GTA. given your reference to GTA I assume you are a frequent traveller to Toronto.

 

Larry

[HeinBloed]

HeinBloed

 

I really appreciate your help.

 

I used the b-rail link to buy the tickets on-line.

 

I am somewhat confused though. When I printed out the tickets I have a ticket for each segment of the trip (Amsterdam to Antewerp and Antewerp to Amsterdam) on the high speed trains. the tickets show the times and train numbers as one would expect. but for the Antwerp to/from Brugge sements I only have a single "ticket" not two as I would expect and it doesn't show the train numbers nor times.

 

did something go wrong in the booking or is the single generic "ticket" used in combination with the high speed ticket? any explanation you can offer would be appreciated. I should mention that I bought the tickets as seniors and somewhere there was some comment about ABS. not sure if that is germane to my question.

 

enjoy your trip to the GTA. given your reference to GTA I assume you are a frequent traveller to Toronto.

 

Larry

 

Do not worry.

 

Domestic trains in Belgium do not have any seat assignments. So you go the next train. But do not go L-trains = local trains which stop at every stop.

 

I guess the chance that you speak French as Canadian is quite high. So here you a schedule sheet for

 

Antwerp - Ghent:

 

http://hari.b-holding.be/Hafas/folders/20091213/A/FR/A-059.pdf

 

Brussels - Coast (incl. section from Ghent - Bruges):

 

http://hari.b-holding.be/Hafas/folders/20091213/A/FR/A-050a.pdf

 

Here is a network map:

 

http://hari.b-holding.be/Hafas/folders/map_fr.pdf

 

Wish you a good time in Bruges:

 

 

We were in April there. Here are some impressions:

 

http://heinbloed-cruiseguides.blogspot.com/2010/05/bruges-belgium-impressions.html

 

You are passing Ghent on the way to Bruges. If your time allow, see it:

 

 

We liked it very much:

 

http://heinbloed-cruiseguides.blogspot.com/2010/05/ghent-belgium-impressions.html

 

http://heinbloed-cruiseguides.blogspot.com/2010/05/ghent-belgium-tram-between-ghent-st.html

 

So have a good time.

 

Regards

HeinBloed (on the way to Mississauga next week)

[giraffelt]

HeinBloed

 

We are really looking forward to Brugge. thanks for all your help. safe jurney next week to Canada.

 

Larry

[belgiancruiser]

If you look at the booklet provided by Hein for Line 59, you should look for the trains that end in Ostend : They all stop in Bruges (which is 1(mins from Ostend by train).

 

Bruges is very nice. Look also at its surroundings : Damme and Lissewege, which its almost millenary gothic barn.

 

By the way, Antwerp is also very very nice (i live there...)

 

J

[giraffelt]

Belgian Cruiser,

 

thanks for the train tip and the suggestion about the other towns. we will see what we can fit into the schedule. so much to see and do and so little time.

 

Larry

[scottbee]

I guess the chance that you speak French as Canadian is quite high.

 

A common misconception. It's only widely spoken in Quebec and small parts of New Brunswick.

 

The most recent census data for the area I live in shows something like 0.3% speak French at home vs the 64% that speak English, and 35% that speak other languages.

 

A local politician's constituency office sign is in;

English

Chinese

Hindi

Korean

Spanish

Tagalog

 

but no French...

[HeinBloed]

A common misconception. It's only widely spoken in Quebec and small parts of New Brunswick. The most recent census data for the area I live in shows something like less than ½% speak french at home (vs the 80% that speak English, and 19½% that speak other languages)

 

A local politician's constituency office sign is in;

English

Chinese

Hindi

Korean

Spanish

Tagalog

 

but no French...

 

1. The schedule sheets are available in French or Dutch. For a Canadian the chance is higher that he speaks French and might understand it.

 

2. As I am currently in Ontario now: many of them do speak few words French will be sufficient to read the schedule but maybe not to read Le Figaro.

 

Regards

HeinBloed

[giraffelt]

While Scottbee is correct in that it is a common misconception that all Canadians speak French; French is more pervasive than just Quebec and New Brunswick. While I live in Ontario, thanks to high school french and various work assignments in Montreal I can indeed read French and although my conversational French is rusty I can get by.

 

But to bring this back into the mainstream of the thread i.e. trains in Belgium, I had to phone Brussels yesterday to make changes to my tickets. While you can book tickets on-line and can cancel them on-line you can't change them on-line hence the need to call Brussels. I was concerned about the language issue but the IVR gives you the option of speaking to an agent in French, Dutch, German or English. The agent I dealt with spoke perfect English so language wasn't an issue. Trying to understand the complexities of ticketing was more of a challenge. One way I had to buy a connecting ticket from Antwerpe to Brugge but in the other direction the high-speed Antwerpe to Amsterdam included an all Belgium option. And the odd thing is that the inclusive ticket was cheaper than the Amsterdam Antwerpe segment.

 

HeinBloed, I hope you are enjoying your time in GTA. Safe journey home.

 

Larry