Belgium, less than 2 hours from central London...

Eurostar is the high-speed passenger train from London (St Pancras International station) to central Brussels (Midi station) via the Channel Tunnel.  There are departures throughout the day, taking as little as 1 hour 51 minutes now that the UK high speed line is fully open from London to the Channel Tunnel.  Eurostar trains travel at up to 186 mph (300 km/h) on the high speed lines, and Eurostar is now faster than flying from central London to central Brussels, as well as more comfortable, more convenient and more reliable.

Train times, fares & how to buy tickets...

London to Brussels & Bruges by Eurostar, the fast & easy way...

London to Antwerp, Ghent, Liège, Namur & anywhere else in Belgium

London to Waterloo battlefield

London to Ypres

Other UK towns & cities to Brussels by Eurostar with a Eurostar through ticket.

London to Belgium by train & ferry the alternative to Eurostar...

Scotland & North of England to Belgium by cruise ferry by-passing London!

Hotels & accommodation in Brussels, Bruges & Belgium

Short breaks to Brussels or Bruges by train

On other pages...

Advice on changing trains at Brussels Midi station

Train travel from other European cities to Brussels or Bruges

Train travel from Brussels or Bruges to other European cities

Luggage on trains & left luggage at stations  

Taking bikes   Taking dogs

General train travel to Europe information

Useful country information

London to Brussels & Bruges by Eurostar

You can check Eurostar times & fares and buy tickets at www.eurostar.com.  There are no Eurostar services on Christmas Day.  More information about Eurostar.

* The 06:56 Eurostar from Brussels only runs on Mondays.

For connections to other destinations in Belgium, simply use www.b-rail.be to find train times.  How to visit Waterloo battlefield.

Going to central Brussels?  Eurostar arrives at Brussels Midi, also known as Brussel Zuid or Brussels South.  However, Eurostar tickets to Brussels are automatically valid on any local train to Brussels Central (5 minutes walk from the Grande Place), Brussels Nord & Brussels Congrès.

Going to Bruges?  Buy a Eurostar ticket to Any Belgian Station.  When boarding a train for Bruges in Brussels, the departure indicators usually show 'Oostende', 'Knokke' or 'Blankenberge' as the destination of your train, 'Bruges' is just a calling point so not always shown.  Remember that 'Bruges' is 'Brugge' in Flemish, it's the same place.  Short breaks in Brussels or Bruges by train.

Ashford (Kent): Outbound, only the 06:50 Eurostar calls at Ashford (07:57 Saturdays), at 07:24 (08:24 Saturdays). Inbound, only the daily 16:56 Eurostar from Brussels calls at Ashford (17:33).

How much does it cost?

London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £39 one-way or £69 return in 2nd class.  Like air fares, the price rises as cheaper seats are sold.  A Eurostar ticket to Brussels not only entitles you to travel on Eurostar to Brussels Midi, it's automatically valid on connecting local trains to other stations in the central Brussels area, including Brussels Central (5 minutes walk from the historic Grande Place), Brussels Nord, Brussels Congrès.  This might save you a taxi ride!

London to Any Belgian Station including Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Liege starts at £45 one-way or £79 return in 2nd class:  Eurostar tickets to Brussels used to be automatically valid to any station in Belgium, but this arrangement ceased in October 2010.  You must now buy a ticket to 'Any Belgian Station', which is listed as a separate destination, costing £6 more one-way or £10 more return than a standard class ticket to Brussels.  In first class, it's £9 one-way, £17 return more than the price of a Standard Premier or Business Premier ticket to Brussels.  With a Eurostar ticket to Any Belgian Station you can hop on any onward train from Brussels to anywhere in Belgium within 24 hours of your Eurostar arrival in Brussels.  On the return leg, you can use any suitable train from your Belgian starting point to Brussels within 24 hours of your Eurostar departure back to London.  No reservation is necessary for Belgian domestic trains, you just hop on any train you want.  It's not valid on high-speed Thalys or German high-speed ICE trains (not to be confused with Belgian or Dutch IC trains, which certainly can be used).

How to buy tickets:  www.eurostar.com

If you are only going from London to Brussels, Bruges or anywhere else in Belgium, the best way to book Eurostar is online at www.eurostar.com.   You can print your own ticket or choose to collect it at the station before departure.  You can also book by phone, calling Eurostar on 08432 186 186 (+44 1233 617575 from outside the UK).  Tips on choosing a specific Eurostar seat.

If you are going beyond Belgium, you can book the Eurostar and your onward trains together through a specialist European ticketing agency.  For a list of agencies, see here.

On board Eurostar & at St Pancras:  See the Eurostar page...

Eurostar has three classes, Standard class, Standard Premier (first class for leisure, originally called Leisure Select before Aug 2010), and Business Premier (first class for business).  Business Premier first class has flexible tickets, a hot meal served at your seat with alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, access to executive lounges at stations and a 10 minute minimum check-in.  Standard Premier first class offers exactly the same first class seating, but with more affordable non-flexible fares, a cold meal served at your seat with complimentary alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, a 30-minute minimum check-in and no access to executive lounges.  You'll find Eurostar trains very smooth & quiet, even at 186 mph.  All passengers have access to two buffet-bar cars serving drinks and snacks.  Eurostar is all non-smoking.  For more information about Eurostar and the Eurostar journey, including tips on how to choose the best seats, see the Eurostar page.  There is a virtual tour of 1st and 2nd class seats on www.eurostar.com.

Arriving at Brussels Midi station...

Eurostar arrives at platforms 1 & 2 at Brussels Midi station (Bruxelles Midi in French, Brussel Zuid in Flemish, Brussels South in English, they're all the same place).  Brussels Midi is a fairly easy 25 minute walk from the famous Grand Place (Grote Markt) in the city centre, or there are buses, taxis & a metro.  You can get a free tourist map from the tourist information kiosk in the middle of Brussels Midi station concourse near the exit from the Eurostar terminal.  To walk to the city centre, leave the station from the main doors on the Eurostar terminal (platform 1/2) side of the station, turn right, walk along the side of the station/tracks for a few minutes and then turn left along the Rue Stalingrad to central Brussels.  Left luggage facilities are available if you need them, open 24 hours.  When returning to London, remember the 30 minute Eurostar check-in.  Click here for a map of Brussels.  Bus, tram & metro information for Brussels (English button top right).

Restaurants near Brussels Midi or the Grande Place:  There are many cafes & snack bars in or near Brussels Midi station, but for something a bit more upmarket, try the huge and modernistic 'Midi Station' restaurant, brasserie & bar, www.midistation.eu, which does a great steak tartare.  It's just opposite the main exit from Brussels Midi station on the platform 1 side of the station (the Eurostar terminal side).  Just off the Grande Place in central Brussels there are vast numbers of 'tourist trap' restaurants, but try the 'Aux Armes de Bruxelles' (www.armebrux.be), one of the very few really good traditionally Belgian restaurants near the Grande Place.

The onward train from Brussels to Bruges...

Air-conditioned Belgian InterCity train.		2nd class seats...		1st class seats...

Short breaks to Brussels or Bruges... 2 nights Hilton Brussels City + return Eurostar travel from £169 /person 

The historic city of Bruges makes a truly excellent short break destination from the UK - better, in my opinion, than Brussels, although both cities are well worth the trip.  You can find short breaks to Bruges or Brussels combining Eurostar and hotel at www.railbookers.com, 020 3327 0761 or www.eurostar.com or www.lastminute.co.uk.  This is often cheaper than buying train tickets and booking a hotel separately.

Special deals to Brussels:  Railbookers have some excellent deals, from £129 per person (assuming two people sharing) for return Eurostar travel to Brussels and 1 night at the 4-star Hilton Brussels City, from £169 for 2 nights, from £229 for 3 nights.  2 nights to Bruges starts at £189 per person for 2 nights.  Call www.railbookers.com on 020 3327 0761.

Bruges:  The Grand Place...

Bruges:  A boat cruise around the city...

Sponsored links...

Visiting the site of the Battle of Waterloo, 1815...

It was 'the closest run thing you ever saw in your life', according to the Duke of Wellington.  And if he'd lost, perhaps this website would have been written in French.  You can visit the battle site, climbing the 'Butte de Lion' (the lion monument, built on a man-made mound in 1823-1826) for a superb view over the whole battlefield.  Next to the Lion is a visitors centre which explains what happened, a 'panorama' (a circular building built in 1912 which houses a 360 degree panorama painting of the battle) and across the road is a small wax museum.  Open 7 days a week, all year.  There are also tours of the battlefield starting from the visitors centre.  For visitor information, see www.waterloo1815.be/en/waterloo/.

How to reach Waterloo...

Buy a Eurostar ticket to Any Belgian Station, as opposed to just 'Brussels', as this is valid to any Belgian station by any suitable connecting train within 24 hours of arriving in Brussels and (in the return direction) on any suitable connecting train in the 24 hours before your Eurostar departure from Brussels.  After arriving at Brussels Midi by Eurostar, take a local train to either Waterloo or the next stop, Braine l'Alleud.  Trains to Waterloo run once an hour from Brussels Midi, Brussels Central & Brussels Nord, taking around 25 minutes from Brussels Midi.  Going to the original Waterloo station will give you a photo opportunity in front of the station name sign (!) but the town and station are actually 5.3 km from the battle site.  A taxi will cost around €20 each way, although there aren't usually any taxis waiting at the station, so call Taxis Fabrimone on +32 2 354  28 41 or Taxis Waterloo on +32 2 351 26 26.  Braine l'Alleud is much closer to the battlefield and museums, it's just 2.7km away and you can walk it in 35 minutes or take a taxi.  Map showing walking route from Braine l'Alleud station to battlefield.  Trains to Braine l'Alleud are more frequent than those to Waterloo, they run from Brussels every half hour with the fast ones taking just 14 minutes non-stop.  The departure boards at Brussels Midi will only show the train's final destination, so it can help to know that Waterloo and Braine l'Alleud are on the line from Brussels to Nivelles & Charleroi.  Allow at least 20 minutes to change at Brussels on your outward journey, at least 50 minutes on your return to include the 30 minute Eurostar check-in.  Advice on changing trains at Brussels Midi station.  You can check train times at www.b-rail.be. 

Arrival at Waterloo station, a few miles to the battle site...		The 'Butte de Lion', built in 1823-1826 on the site of the allied front line at the Battle of Waterloo.  226 steps, 41 metres high.		View down the steps of the Butte de Lion, showing the 1912-built Panorama building and visitors centre.  The British front line was along the road...

To reach what British soldiers knew as 'Wipers', first book Eurostar to Lille at www.eurostar.com.  On arrival at Lille Europe, walk to 500m to Lille Flandres station.  An hourly regional train runs from Lille to Kortrijk (final destination Brussels), change at Kortrijk for the branch line to Ypres (Ieper) and Poperinge.  As the fare is fixed and you don't need a reservation, you can easily buy the Lille to Ypres ticket at the station in Lille when you get there.  Total journey time from Lille to Ypres is about 1 hour 15 minutes.  You can check train times from Lille to Ypres at the Belgian railways website, www.b-rail.be.

Travelling to Antwerp (Anvers), Liège, Ghent, Namur, or anywhere else in Belgium?

If you buy a Eurostar ticket to Any Belgian Station, it's valid by Eurostar to Brussels and then by any suitable connecting train service from Brussels to anywhere in Belgium as long as you complete the journey within 24 hours of the Eurostar arriving in Brussels.  You can't use high-speed Thalys or ICE trains, but Belgian InterCity (IC) trains are fine.

In the inbound direction, you can travel from anywhere in Belgium to Brussels on any suitable train except Thalys or ICE high-speed trains within the 24 hours before your Eurostar departure from Brussels to London.  Again, InterCity (IC) trains are fine.  Trains generally run hourly or half-hourly between Brussels and all main Belgian cities, no reservation is necessary, you just hop on and find any empty seat.

A ticket to Any Belgian Station costs £6 more one-way or £10 more return than a Eurostar ticket to Brussels, in other words, from £79 return in standard class, which is extremely good value.  In first class, it costs £9 one-way or £17 return more than the price of a Standard Premier or Business Premier ticket to Brussels.

Beware of out-of-date advice.  Until 11 October 2010, a Eurostar ticket to Brussels was automatically valid to any station in Belgium.  This was a fantastic deal for passengers, but less fantastic for Belgian national railways (SNCB) as they received no revenue from this arrangement.  The arrangement ceased on 11 October 2010, and there are now two separate destinations shown on the Eurostar website, 'Brussels' if you just want Brussels itself and 'Any Belgian Station' if you want to travel beyond Brussels, the latter priced higher than Brussels.  Incidentally, a ticket to 'Brussels' still allows a free train transfer from Brussels Midi to Brussels Central, Brussels Nord, and several other central Brussels stations, but no longer to anywhere in Belgium.

You can use the online timetable at www.bahn.de or www.b-rail.be to check train times.  Allow at least 20 minutes in Brussels to make a connection on the outward journey, and 45 minutes (preferably more) on the return to allow for the 30-minute Eurostar check-in.

Advice on changing trains at Brussels Midi station.  Remember that Antwerp can also be written as 'Anvers'.  Bruges can also be written 'Brugge'.

For over a century, the direct & traditional route from London to Brussels was via Dover and Ostend. However, there have been no ferries from Dover to Oostende since the 1990s.  There's a ferry from Ramsgate to Oostende, but it's for vehicles only as it refuses to carry foot passengers.  But there is still an alternative to Eurostar worth considering, especially if you live in East Anglia, or have a phobia about the Channel Tunnel, with easy train-ferry connections at each end, and inclusive fares covering both train and ferry.

London to Belgium by Dutch Flyer train & ferry...  A train takes you from London's Liverpool Street station directly to the ferry terminal at Harwich.  You walk off the train, into the terminal, get your boarding card & cabin key at the Stena Line check-in desk and walk straight onto the overnight ferry to Hoek van Holland.  The new superferry Stena Hollandica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  See the Netherlands page for more details.  Take an onward train to Antwerp or Brussels next morning.

Cosy cabins:  The overnight Harwich-Hoek ferry is a floating hotel.  All passengers travel in a cosy private cabin with en suite shower & toilet and satellite TV.  This is the cheapest 2-berth cabin...

London or East Anglia to Brussels via the Harwich - Hoek van Holland luxury overnight superferry...

This is a slightly round-about route, but if you live in East Anglia, or you're desperate to avoid the Channel Tunnel, or there are problems affecting Eurostar, then this is a comfortable and very affordable alternative.  As it's overnight while you sleep in a private en suite cabin, it's actually quite time-effective, and fun, too.

London ► Antwerp & Brussels

• Take the 19:32 train from London Liverpool Street station to Harwich in Essex.  At Harwich International, the train arrives right at the ferry terminal.  You walk off the train and into the ferry terminal, check in for the ferry and walk onto the ship.  Unlike flying, it's totally painless.

• Sail on Stena Line's overnight superferry Stena Hollandica to Hoek van Holland.  You can board from around 21:00 in time for a late dinner in the restaurant, she sails at 23:15 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 07:45 Dutch time.  All passengers get a private cabin with toilet, shower, satellite TV and free WiFi.  An excellent and highly recommended experience.

• Next morning take an onward train from Hoek van Holland to Rotterdam, and change for an InterCity train to Antwerp and Brussels.  At Hoek, the station is right outside the exit from the ferry terminal.  Leave Hoek van Holland Haven at 08:10, change Rotterdam, and arrive Antwerp at 10:00 or Brussels Midi at 10:42.

• See the Netherlands page for full details exact timings from London to Rotterdam.  You can check train times from Hoek or Rotterdam to Antwerp or Brussels using the journey planner at www.bahn.de.

Brussels & Antwerp ► London

• Take the 17:18 InterCity train from Brussels or 17:57 from Antwerp, arriving Rotterdam 19:08.  Change for the 19:31 local train to Hoek van Holland Haven arriving 20:00.

• Sail from Hoek van Holland to Harwich on the Stena Line superferry Stena Britannica sailing at 22:30 Mondays-Fridays or 21:30 at weekends and arriving in Harwich at 06:30 UK time.  You can board from around 20:00 onwards, in time for dinner in the ship's restaurant before retiring to your private cabin.  All passengers get a private cabin with toilet, shower, satellite TV and free WiFi.  An excellent and highly recommended experience.

• At Harwich next morning, the station is right next to the ferry terminal.  A train from Harwich will get you to London around 08:54.

• See the Netherlands page for exact timings from Rotterdam to London. 

• You can check train times from Antwerp or Brussels to Hoek van Holland using the journey planner at www.bahn.de.

Fares and how to buy tickets

• London to Rotterdam costs from £45 with an inclusive Dutch Flyer ticket covering train, ferry and onward train.

• The same fare covers departure by train from any National Express East Anglia railway station, including Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Chelmsford, and so on.

• You need to add the cost of a cabin, around £30 for a single cabin, £43 per cabin for a 2-bed cabin.  See the Netherlands page for full details.

• You can buy tickets from London to Any Dutch Station online at www.dutchflyer.co.uk.  However, see the Netherlands page for full details of how to buy tickets.

• Then simply buy an onward ticket from Rotterdam to Antwerp or Brussels at the station in Rotterdam (no reservation necessary if you use the non-high-speed trains) or (for the same price) online at www.nshispeed.nl.

Buy a through ticket to Brussels from over 130 UK towns & cities...

Eurostar offer through tickets from over 130 UK towns & cities to Brussels or Any Belgian Station - use the booking form above to see which UK stations have through tickets to Brussels or any Belgian station by Eurostar & to book online.

... or buy separate UK & Eurostar tickets...

Alternatively, you can buy separate tickets for the UK part of your journey.  There are special tickets to 'London International' from most UK stations which have better terms and conditions specially designed for connecting with Eurostar:  Buy a special add-on ticket from almost any station in Britain to London International (St Pancras).

East Anglia to Brussels by train & ferry

If you live in East Anglia, a convenient, affordable and time-effective option is to use the overnight Harwich to Hoek van Holland luxury superferry, see the section above.

Devon & Cornwall to Brussels by sleeper & Eurostar...

You can take the overnight Night Riviera sleeper train from Cornwall, Plymouth, Newton Abbott or Exeter to London Paddington, take the Underground to St Pancras, then hop on a Eurostar to Brussels, see here for details.

North of England to Belgium by cruise ferry ...

You can travel from Hull to Belgium by overnight cruise ferry, with or without a car.  P&O have a daily ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge, departing 19:00 and arriving 08:30 - see www.poferries.com or call 0870 2424 999.  For onward train connections from Zeebrugge to Brussels, Cologne or Paris, simply use http://bahn.hafas.de.  Arriving in Zeebrugge at 08:30 you should reach Brussels by 10:50 (change at Bruges) and Paris by 14:04 (change at Bruges and Brussels).

Scotland to Brussels by sleeper & Eurostar...

You can take the overnight Caledonian Sleeper from Inverness, Aberdeen, Edinburgh,, Glasgow and many other Scottish town and cities to London Euston, walk to St Pancras, then hop on a Eurostar to Brussels, see here for details.

You should take a good guidebook.  For the independent traveller, I think this means either the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide.  I personally prefer the layout of the Lonely Planet, but others prefer the Rough Guide.  Both guidebooks provide the same excellent level of practical information and historical background.  You won't regret buying one!

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk...

The Thomas Cook European Timetable

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £14.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascookpublishing.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from selected UK branches of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria station in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Summer/Autumn 2013 edition (June to Dec 2013) or (when published) Winter/Spring 2013/14 edition (Dec 2013 to June 2014). 

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.

Find hotels in Brussels, Bruges & Belgium...

Personal recommendation...

In Bruges, if you can afford it and for somewhere really special, try the Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce, a luxurious and romantic boutique-style hotel in a fabulous location on the canal and within easy walking distance of all the sights.

In Brussels, if you need a decent hotel between trains close to Brussels Midi station where Eurostar arrives, go for the dependable Ibis Brussels Midi just across the road.  For somewhere near the city centre and all the sights, treat yourself to the celebrated Hotel Metropole, a glamorous five-star art deco hotel just 10 minutes walk from the famous Grande Place and Brussels Central station.  It's one of Brussels' most famous hotels.

Other hotel sites worth trying...

• www.tripadvisor.com is the place to find independent travellers' reviews of all the main hotels.

• www.booking.com is my own preferred hotel booking system (Hotels Combined being a search/comparison system).  It has a simple interface, a good selection in most countries worldwide, useful online customer reviews of each hotel, and decent prices, usually shown inclusive of unavoidable extras such as taxes (a pet hate of mine is systems that show one price, then charge you another!).

• www.venere.com has a wide selection of hotels and a well-presented website.  The price you see is the price you pay, no hidden extras, and you simply pay the hotel when you get there.  Hotels in Brussels,  Hotels in Bruges.

Backpacker hostels...

• www.hostelbookers.com:  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelbookers offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most European cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & health card...

Get travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without insurance from a reliable travel insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash (up to a limit) & belongings, and cancellation. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, though, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65 (no age limit), see www.JustTravelCover.com.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

   If you live in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from www.ehic.org.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Get a spare credit card, designed for foreign travel with no currency exchange loading & low/no ATM fees

Taking out an extra credit card costs nothing, but if you keep it in a different part of your luggage you won't be left stranded if your wallet gets stolen.  In addition, some credit cards are better for overseas travel than others.  Martin Lewis's www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money explains which UK credit cards have the lowest currency exchange commission loadings when you buy something overseas, and the lowest cash withdrawal fees when you use an ATM abroad.

You can avoid ATM charges and expensive exchange rates with a Caxton FX euro currency Visa Card, or their multi-currency 'Global Traveller' Visa Card, see www.caxtonfx.com for info.

Get an international SIM card to save on mobile data and phone calls...

Mobile phones can cost a fortune to use abroad, and if you're not careful you can return home to find a huge bill.  Consider buying a global pre-paid SIM card for your mobile phone from www.Go-Sim.com, which can slash costs by up to 85%.  Go-Sim cuts call costs in 175 countries worldwide, and you can receive incoming calls and texts for free in 75 countries.  It's pay-as-you-go, so no nasty bills when you get home.  It also allows cheap data access for laptops & PDAs.  A Go-Sim account and any credit on it doesn't expire if it's not used between trips, unlike some others, so a Go-Sim phone number becomes your 'global phone number' for life.