How to get to Amsterdam and Bruges

[Vampiress88]

From the Rotterdam and Zeebrugge ports 

 

It’s £172 to Amsterdam with the boat and £135 to Bruges for all 4 of us. 
 

Hoping you guys know a better and cheaper way. Not too complex though as my little brain can’t take that 😂 

[Waju]

I'm going to Zeebrugge in a couple of weeks.  I read, but please don't ask me where 🙃, that you can get a train to Bruges from Blankenberg which is very close to Zeebrugge for about 12 euros each.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the replies as they may be helpful to me too.

[Mad4WDW]

We caught the train from Blankenberg station to get to Bruges I can't remember exactly how much it was but approx 12 Euro like Waju said sounds about right. We brought our tickets in the station the trains run every hour I think, we'd just missed one so had a walk to the beach for a look before the train came. When you leave the train station in Bruges there is a free shuttle that has multiple stops around the city.

 

For Amsterdam we caught the train from Rotterdam station. We walked to the station from where the ship was docked, it was about 45 minutes walk into the city from the ship. There were taxis parked outside the terminal building when we got off the ship, Id take a taxi next time. 

[Josy1953]

1 hour ago, Waju said:

I'm going to Zeebrugge in a couple of weeks.  I read, but please don't ask me where 🙃, that you can get a train to Bruges from Blankenberg which is very close to Zeebrugge for about 12 euros each.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing the replies as they may be helpful to me too.

I can confirm that you can get a train from Blankenberg to Bruges we have done it twice.  You can buy tickets online before you go but we found that it was easy to buy them from the ticket machines at the station.  The shuttle bus from the ship stops a few minutes walk from the station. 

[Josy1953]

DH just reminded me that we have also taken the train from Bruges to Brussels, it was it was about an hour but it is an interesting city,  there was a flower festival on in the main square when we went there so the square looked like it was covered be a carpet.

 

[CaptainPedantic]

The train from Blankenberg to Bruges is a good, cheap, reliable option - we've done this twice before with young kids. There is quite a walk from Bruges station to the centre, but it's actually a really nice walk and easy to find your way to the main attractions.

I'd also consider taking a shuttle taxi directly from outside the port to Bruges - we were forced into this option on a Princess cruise (with rather expensive shuttles to Blankenberg!) that arrived very late into Zeebrugge - but we'd definitely do it again as it was much quicker and more convenient, straight to the centre of Bruges. We shared a shuttle taxi for 8, of course we had to agree on a return time with other passengers but it was no bother - I think the cost was only 60 EUR each way total, so our share for 4 of us was 60 EUR return + tip. 

[Son of Anarchy]

It was a few years back, but there was an independant bus service from just outside the dock gates at Zeebrugge to Bruges.  From memory it was €20 return pp.  Dropped us off at the large bus station about 10 minutes walk into Bruges centre.  I think it ran once an hour.

[Ladyshopper23]

3 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

It was a few years back, but there was an independant bus service from just outside the dock gates at Zeebrugge to Bruges.  From memory it was €20 return pp.  Dropped us off at the large bus station about 10 minutes walk into Bruges centre.  I think it ran once an hour.

It's still going.

We went back in March and used it. We booked via Viator, but you can also just turn up and book straight with them.

Come out the terminal, turn left, then straight left again. There is a flag waving on the other side of the street, head for that and that's where the shuttle is. Dead easy.

[showingdiva]

I just disembarked Queen Mary 2 this morning.  One of our stops was Zeebrugge / Bruges.  Cunard do, in fairness, operate a free shuttle to the station at Blankenberge, which I took the option of, but I stayed in Blankenberge, and I'm really glad I did.    Okay, the lovely weather helped, but nice shops - including chocolate ones, a lovely beach to walk along and pretty Church and park opposite the station.

[happy v]

We also used the shuttle bus from the port booked before we went

It also included tickets for a boat ride which your girls would enjoy 

[Vampiress88]

On 9/15/2022 at 10:35 PM, happy v said:

We also used the shuttle bus from the port booked before we went

It also included tickets for a boat ride which your girls would enjoy 

It’s not on p&o but asking questions like this on that board doesn’t usually end up fruitful. 
 

they want quite a lot for the ships excursions which I don’t really want to pay as it’s supposed to be a budget cruise. 
I think I just worry doing this with young kids and getting stranded. 

[MAVIP]

18 hours ago, Vampiress88 said:

It’s not on p&o but asking questions like this on that board doesn’t usually end up fruitful. 
 

they want quite a lot for the ships excursions which I don’t really want to pay as it’s supposed to be a budget cruise. 
I think I just worry doing this with young kids and getting stranded. 

Just ask at a counter of the Rotterdam Centraal railway station about a returnticket for the whole family to Amsterdam. You do not mention how many of you (and which ages) wish to go to Amsterdam, otherwise I could have mentioned the total price.  And.....Rotterdam is a very nice town....

[SueMo]

For $20 per person round trip, this is the bus service others have mentioned:

https://www.cruise-express.be/en/

 

[southernbreezes]

On 9/21/2022 at 5:38 PM, SueMo said:

For $20 per person round trip, this is the bus service others have mentioned:

https://www.cruise-express.be/en/

 

I booked this then cancelled. After reading some of the reviews most were good but the bad ones make to decide to spend the money and take the ships tour which I never do.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g188676-d8764003-Reviews-Cruise_Express_Bruges-Zeebrugge_West_Flanders_Province.html

[Ron & Kristy]

We have been to both ports several times. We never do ships tours and especially not in these two ports. The train in Zeebrugge is the easiest thing to do, takes about 20 minutes to get to Bruges. When you get to Bruge grab a taxi to the town center. There you can take a canal cruise, a horse drawn carriage tour or just walk. It is beautiful and magical there. You can buy Belguim chocolate. Belgium lace, etc. There are gorgeous churches to visit. If you've been to Bruges before I highly recommend going to Ghent. There is a magnificent, medieval, castle there to explore.

 

Taking the train to Amsterdam is very easy. I would arrange a tour that picks you up from the train station when you arrive. If you are going to be there when the tulips are blooming they are worth seeing. Also you can see the windmills. There are many wonderful museums and Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam.

[rsverdier]

A return ticket from Rotterdam to Amsterdam by train is €40,20 for an adult in 2nd class (this includes the surcharge for the Intercity Direct service), in today's exchange rate that would be £35.08. Children up to 12 years old travel for €2,50 or £2.18. To get from the cruise terminal to Rotterdam Central Station, you could either walk (39 minutes) or take the metro. A single trip would be €4 or £3.49 per person (for a 2-hour ticket). 

 

You could also consider visiting other places like Delft or The Hague instead of Amsterdam. Since these are located closer to Rotterdam, the fare would be lower too.

[LesleyWootten]

On 10/4/2022 at 10:03 AM, Ron & Kristy said:

We have been to both ports several times. We never do ships tours and especially not in these two ports. The train in Zeebrugge is the easiest thing to do, takes about 20 minutes to get to Bruges. When you get to Bruge grab a taxi to the town center. There you can take a canal cruise, a horse drawn carriage tour or just walk. It is beautiful and magical there. You can buy Belguim chocolate. Belgium lace, etc. There are gorgeous churches to visit. If you've been to Bruges before I highly recommend going to Ghent. There is a magnificent, medieval, castle there to explore.

 

Taking the train to Amsterdam is very easy. I would arrange a tour that picks you up from the train station when you arrive. If you are going to be there when the tulips are blooming they are worth seeing. Also you can see the windmills. There are many wonderful museums and Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam.

I was wondering if you know of an option to get to Bruge city center for a group of 10? Taking my whole family this March and finding it hard (not to mention economical) to transport so many people. 😒

[shippmates]

Cunard offers a free shuttle to Center City Amsterdam.