Buy Eurostar tickets to Brussels from £52 at www.eurostar.com...   Buy Eurostar tickets at www.eurostar.com with print-at-home or show-on-smartphone tickets & no booking fee.   However, journeys to Germany & beyond are best booked at Raileurope.com.   Eurostar bookings open up to 180 days ahead.   You can buy a through ticket from 100+ UK towns & cities as explained here...   You can buy a ticket not just to Brussels, but to Any Belgian Station, including Bruges.   Business Premier & Standard Premier = 1st class with drinks & meals. Standard = 2nd class.  You print your own ticket or can show it on your smartphone in the Eurostar app.  Tips on choosing a specific Eurostar seat  Buy special connecting UK train tickets

London to Brussels 2h01, Bruges 3h25

Eurostar is the high-speed passenger train from London St Pancras to Brussels Midi through the Channel Tunnel.  Eurostar trains travel at up to 186 mph (300 km/h) on the high speed lines, it takes just 2 hours from central London to central Brussels, faster than flying as well as more comfortable, more convenient and more reliable.

COVID-19 update:  This page shows the normal Eurostar service, but at present Eurostar are running a much-reduced service.  By contrast, Belgian Railways are running almost normally.   See COVID-19 travel information.  Eurostars are currently not running from Ebbsfleet or Ashford and are unlikely to do so until 2022.

Train times, fares & tickets...

  London to Brussels & Bruges by Eurostar

  London to Brussels by train & ferry

  London to Waterloo battlefield

  London to Ypres

  London to anywhere else in Belgium

  Other UK cities to Brussels & Belgium

Train travel within Belgium...

  Train travel within Belgium

International trains to/from Belgium...

  Trains to Brussels from other European cities

  Trains from Brussels to other European cities

  Trains from Bruges to other European cities

Other useful information...

  London St Pancras station guide

  Brussels Midi station & advice on changing trains

  Suggested hotels in Brussels, Bruges & Belgium

  Short breaks to Brussels or Bruges by train

  Luggage on trains

  Left luggage in Brussels & other stations

  Taking bikes  - Taking dogs

  General train travel to Europe information

  Travel insurance, Curve card & VPN

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Useful country information

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London to Brussels & Bruges

Option 1, London to Brussels by Eurostar...

This is the fastest and easiest option, London to Brussels in just 2 hours.  You can check Eurostar times & fares and buy tickets at www.eurostar.com.

Timetable outward

Timetable inward

Notes for timetable...

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

Eurostar's timetable is getting more complicated, random trains not running on random days for random periods, so check times at www.eurostar.com!

There are no Eurostar services on Christmas Day and a reduced service on Boxing Day.  More information about Eurostar.

For connections to other destinations in Belgium use www.belgiantrain.be to find train times.  How to visit Waterloo battlefield.

Ashford (Kent):  Due to the financial effects of Covid-19, Eurostars are unlikely to call at either Ashford or Ebbsfleet until 2022.

How much does it cost?

London to Brussels by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in standard class, £115 one-way, £199 return standard premier (1st class).

London to Any Belgian Station including Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Liege starts at £62 one way or £98 return.

Fares vary dynamically like air fares, so book ahead and avoid busy days or dates for the cheapest prices.

Fares in detail...

How to buy tickets...

• Buy Eurostar tickets online at www.eurostar.com.  You print your own ticket or can load it into the Eurostar app & show on your smartphone.  Booking opens up to 180 days ahead, fares vary dynamically like air fares so book as far ahead as you can.

• Select a destination called Any Belgian Station if you're going to Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp or anywhere else in Belgium.

• Important tip:  You may find some London-Brussels departures missing until 60 days before departure...

  Eurostar trains that go through to Amsterdam are being kept closed for sale for Brussels passengers (in other words, will not appear in search results if you search for London to Brussels) until 60 days before departure.  This is Eurostar policy, to give London-Amsterdam passengers first bite at the cherry.  The solution, at least for a one-way outward journey, is to book from London to Amsterdam and get off in Brussels.

• You can (usually) buy a through ticket from 100+ UK towns & cities...

  If you use the United Kingdom version of www.eurostar.com so that prices are in pounds, then as long as you book less than 3 months before departure (as that's when British train bookings open) you can book from over 100 UK towns & cities to Brussels or to Any Belgian station as one transaction.  This is cheaper than buying a separate connecting ticket to London.  It works in either direction, one-way or round trip, and you can use the UK version of www.eurostar.com wherever you live.  More info here including updates on whether it's currently working or not.

• You can also book by phone, calling Eurostar on 03432 186 186 (+44 1233 617575 from outside the UK) but a phone booking fee will apply.  Tips on choosing a specific Eurostar seat.

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Travel tips...

• Going to central Brussels?  Free train transfer to Brussels Central!

  Eurostar arrives at Brussels Midi, also known as Brussel Zuid or Brussels South, it's all the same place.  However, all Eurostar tickets to Brussels are automatically valid on any Belgian domestic train to Brussels Central (5 minutes walk from the Grande Place), Brussels Nord, Brussels Congrès or Brussels Luxembourg (the station nearest the EU Parliament).  This is very useful, but isn't well publicised!

• How to use an Any Belgian Station ticket...

  With a Eurostar ticket to Any Belgian Station (ABS) you can hop on any Belgian domestic 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 in the 24 hours before your Eurostar departure back to London.

  When you use www.eurostar.com to book to or from Any Belgian Station, the times you see are for the Eurostar between London & Brussels.  You can check train times between Brussels and whatever Belgian station you want using www.belgiantrain.be.

  No reservation is necessary for Belgian domestic trains, you just hop on any train you want.  It's not valid on high-speed Thalys trains or German high-speed ICE trains (not to be confused with Belgian or Dutch IC trains, which are fine).

  In the outward direction it only takes a few minutes to change trains at Brussels Midi, and if you miss a train you can catch the next one.  In the inwards direction you need to allow for the 30 minute Eurostar check-in, and it's sensible to allow for the Belgian domestic train to be a little late too, so I'd allow at least 50 minutes between the Belgian train arriving and your Eurostar departure time.

  And yes, with a Standard Premier (1st class for leisure) or Business Premier (1st class for business) ABS ticket you also get 1st class on the Belgian domestic part of the journey.  Even though with a Standard Premier ticket there's usually an asterisk in the class column!

• 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.  Tip:  You want the half-hourly Brussels-Bruges trains via the main line through Ghent taking around 1 hour.  Don't get on a stopping train to Bruges via Roesalere taking 2h16!

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What are Eurostar trains like?  See the guide...

Eurostar has 3 classes, Standard class, Standard Premier (1st class for leisure), and Business Premier (1st class for business).

Business Premier has flexible tickets, a hot meal served at your seat with alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks, access to business lounges in London & Brussels and a 10 minute minimum check-in.

Standard Premier offers exactly the same 1st class seating, but with more affordable inflexible fares, a cold tray meal served at your seat with complimentary alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks, a 30-minute minimum check-in and no access to business lounges. 

You'll find Eurostar trains smooth & quiet, even at 186 mph.  All passengers have access to two buffet-bar cars serving drinks & snacks.  Eurostar is all non-smoking.  For more information about Eurostar, the check-in process and the journey, with tips on how to choose the best seats, see the Eurostar guide.

Arriving at Brussels Midi.  See station guide...

Eurostar arrives at platforms 1 & 2 (or if it's one that's going through to Amsterdam, platform 3 or 4) at Brussels Midi - Bruxelles Midi in French, Brussel Zuid in Flemish, Brussels South in English, 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.  Your Eurostar ticket includes a free transfer by Belgian Railways train to Brussels Central, 3 minutes walk from the Grand Place.  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).

Onward trains to Bruges & Ghent...

Tip:  For Bruges or Ghent, look on the departure boards for a train shown as going to either Oostende, Knokke or Blankenberge as these are the trains which stop at Bruges & Ghent.  And remember that Bruges is Brugge in Flemish and Ghent is Gand in French.  In Bruges, you want the main station, usually shown as plain 'Bruges', not the little local station called Bruges St Pieters.  However, just to confuse you, in Ghent the main station is called Ghent St Pieters.  All clear?  Great!

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For over a century, the direct & traditional route from London to Brussels was via Dover & Ostend. However, there have been no ferries from Dover to Oostende since the 1990s.  Until recently there was a ferry from Ramsgate to Oostende, but for vehicles only, not foot passengers.  But there's 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 Brussels via the Harwich - Hoek van Holland ferry...

This is a slightly round-about route, but if you live in East Anglia or you want to avoid the Channel Tunnel, or there are problems affecting Eurostar, then this is a comfortable and affordable alternative.  As it's overnight while you sleep in a private cabin with shower, toilet & satellite TV, it's actually pretty time-effective - and fun, too!

London ► Antwerp & Brussels

• Take the 19:32 train from London Liverpool Street station to Harwich.  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.

  There's also a direct train from Cambridge & Ipswich to Harwich International, leaving Cambridge at 19:47.

• Sail overnight from Harwich to Hoek van Holland on Stena Line's overnight superferry Stena Britannica.  You can board from around 21:00 in time for a late dinner in the restaurant, she sails at 23:00 and arrives at Hoek van Holland at 08:00 Dutch time.  All passengers get a private cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV.  An excellent and highly recommended experience.

• Next morning take the frequent metro train from Hoek van Holland Haven to Schiedam Centrum, then an Intercity train to Rotterdam Centraal and another Intercity train to Antwerp Central arriving 11:16 or Brussels Midi arriving 12:17.

• See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details between London or Cambridge & Schiedam Centrum.  You can check train times from Schiedam Centrum to Antwerp or Brussels at www.nsinternational.nl.

Brussels & Antwerp ► London

• Take the 17:45 InterCity train from Brussels Midi or 18:44 from Antwerp Central, changing at Rotterdam Central to arrive Schiedam Centrum at 20:02.  Then take the frequent RET metro train to Hoek van Holland Haven, this runs every 20 minutes weekdays, every 30 minutes weekends, journey time 23 minutes.  By all means leave Brussels or Antwerp on the previous hour's departure to board the ferry earlier.

• Sail overnight from Hoek van Holland to Harwich on Stena Line's Stena Britannica, sailing at 22:00 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 en suite cabin.  All passengers get a private cabin with toilet, shower & satellite TV.  An excellent experience.

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

  There's also a direct train from Harwich to Ipswich & Cambridge, arriving Cambridge at 09:42 Mondays-Saturdays or 10:39 on Sundays.

• See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details between Schiedam Centrum & London or Cambridge.  You can check train times from Antwerp or Brussels to Schiedam Centrum using www.nsinternational.nl.

How much does it cost?

• London to Rotterdam costs from £55 with an inclusive Stena Line Rail & Sail ticket covering train, ferry & onward metro & train.

  This covers train travel from London Liverpool Street or any Greater Anglia railway station (including Norwich, Cambridge, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Chelmsford, and so on) to Harwich, the ferry to Hoek van Holland, the metro to Schiedam & Rotterdam, and onward travel by Dutch Railways train to any Dutch Railways station.

• You need to add the cost of a cabin, around £34 for a single cabin, £45 per cabin for a 2-bed cabin.  See the Netherlands page for full details.

• Rotterdam to Brussels by Intercity train costs €36 full-price bought on the day or the day before, but costs €18 or €24 if you book in advance, even a few days ahead may get you the cheaper price.  Both full-flex and advance-purchase tickets for the hourly Intercity trains are good for any train on the day they are bought for.

  Tip:  High-speed Thalys trains also run on this route, these have dynamic pricing, only good for the specific train you book.  I'd stick with the more frequent & more flexible IC trains in this case.

How to buy tickets

• Step 1, buy a Sail & Rail ticket from London to Any Dutch Station at www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry-to-holland/rail-and-sail.  See the Stena Line Rail & Sail page for full details & tips on how to buy tickets.  You print your own ticket.

• Step 2, buy an onward ticket from Rotterdam to Antwerp or Brussels www.nsinternational.nl.  You print your own ticket.

What's the journey like?

Step 1, London to Rotterdam by 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 superferry Stena Britannica is the largest ferry of its kind in the world.  Next day a frequent metro train takes you to Schiedam Centrum.  The journey from London to Rotterdam is explained in detail on the Stena Line Rail & Sail page.  See the video...

Step 2, Rotterdam to Belgium by train...  You transfer from Schiedam Centrum to Rotterdam Centraal in just a few minutes by frequent Dutch Railways train, then take one of these hourly Intercity trains from Rotterdam Centraal to Antwerp & Brussels Midi.  Rotterdam Centraal was rebuilt in 2014, and is now one of the most impressive modern stations around - it's worth wandering into the main hall and onto the forecourt to admire it.  The lovely Centraal Station lettering on the front is taken from the 1950s building.

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Short breaks to Brussels or Bruges... 

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.co.uk, 0207 864 4600 or www.eurostar.com or www.lastminute.com.  This is often cheaper than buying train tickets and booking a hotel separately.

Christmas Markets in Brussels or Bruges - Railbookers also offer Christmas Market breaks by train.

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London to Waterloo...

Visiting battlefield at 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 you'd be reading this website in French.  You can visit the site of the Battle of Waterloo, climbing the 'Butte de Lion' (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.

How to reach Waterloo...

Buy a Eurostar ticket to Any Belgian Station, rather than 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 gives you a photo opportunity in front of the station name sign (!) but the town & station are actually 5.3 km from the battlefield.  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, just 2.7km away.  You can walk it in 35 minutes, or take the 'W' bus which leaves outside the station every 15-30 minutes, takes 8 minutes & costs around €2.50, 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.  Look up train times at www.belgiantrain.be.

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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 (the final destination of this train is usually Antwerp/Anvers), 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.belgiantrain.be.

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London 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 £10 more one-way or £20 more return than a Eurostar ticket to Brussels, in other words, from £98 return in standard class, which is extremely good value.  In first class, it costs £16 one-way or £32 return more than the price of a Standard Premier or Business Premier ticket to Brussels.

Beware of out-of-date advice.  Until 2010, a Eurostar ticket to Brussels was automatically valid to any station in Belgium, a fantastic deal for passengers, less fantastic for Belgian Railways who received no revenue from this.  The arrangement ceased in 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 (see the travel tip above), but no longer to any station in Belgium.

You can use the online timetable at www.bahn.de or www.belgiantrain.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.

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Buy a through ticket to Brussels or Bruges from over 100 UK cities...

At www.eurostar.com (United Kingdom version only) you can buy through tickets from over 100 British cities and larger towns to Brussels or Any Belgian Station, and if your town or city is included this is usually cheaper than buying separate tickets up to London - see more about these Eurostar through fares here.

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

There are special tickets to London International CIV 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 the Sleeper to Cornwall page 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, use www.thetrainline.com.  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 the Caledonian Sleepers page for details.

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Take a good guidebook, even in the age of the internet!  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...

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European Rail Timetable & maps

The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online with worldwide shipping at either www.stanfords.co.uk or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu.  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

A Traveller's Railway Map of Europe covers the whole of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  On the back are detailed maps of Switzerland, Benelux & Germany, plus city plans showing stations in major cities.  Scenic & high-speed routes highlighted.  Buy it online for £14.50 + postage worldwide (UK addresses £2.80) at www.stanfords.co.uk/Continents/Europe-A-Travellers-Railway-Map_9789077899090.htm or (in the Netherlands) for €13 + €5.50 postage from www.treinreiswinkel.nl.

 

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Hotels in Belgium

Recommended hotels in Brussels...

• If you need a decent inexpensive hotel close to Brussels Midi station where Eurostar arrives, go for the dependable Ibis Brussels Midi just across the road or for something a little more upmarket the Pullman Hotel Brussels Midi is part of the station complex itself.  I have stayed at both, and can recommend.

• For somewhere near the city centre and all the sights, try the Hotel Metropole, a 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, it has character if you don't need the latest designer decor!

Recommended hotels in Bruges...

• If you can afford it and for somewhere really special, go for 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.  My own stay here was a delight, and Mrs 61 was particularly impressed to be sharing the breakfast room with the lead guitarist from Pink Floyd...

Backpacker hostels: www.hostelworld.com...

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

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Travel insurance & VPN

Always take out travel insurance...

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

In the UK, reliable insurers include Columbus Direct.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.

You can use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

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

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get a Curve card to save on foreign transaction fees...

Banks often give a poor exchange rate, then charge a currency conversion fee as well.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I use a Curve Blue card myself - I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I'm recommending it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card - they'll give you £5 cashback through that link, too.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use it myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription, and I get a small commission to help support this site.

 

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