 Amsterdam to Bruges by train - with a coffee or beer at the railway cathedral that is Antwerp Central...
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Amsterdam to Bruges from €29, www.nsinternational.nl
You can travel from Amsterdam to Bruges by train in as little as 2h44 with departures every hour or so, fares from €29. Train is the safe & comfortable way to go! If you're going in the other direction (Bruges to Amsterdam), click here.
How to check times & buy tickets
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Buy tickets & check times at www.nsinternational.nl.
This is the site to use for Amsterdam-Bruges tickets because it's the official Dutch Railways international website, there is no mark-up or booking fee, it accepts international credit cards so you can use it wherever you live.
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But don't just pick a departure at random from the search results...
Some departures have 1 change of train, others 2. Some use high-speed Thalys trains, other lower-speed IC (Intercity) trains, some go via Antwerp, others via Brussels. This page explains the options, including my recommended option with just one unhurried change of train with a coffee or beer at the lovely Antwerp Central...
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You print your own ticket (A4 paper, US Letter size is fine) or download the NS International app, load your e-ticket & show it on your phone.
The 5 options
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Option 1, Amsterdam to Antwerp by high-speed Thalys, Antwerp to Ghent by IC train, Ghent to Bruges by IC train. Fastest, 2h46, 2 changes.
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Option 2, Amsterdam to Antwerp by IC train, Antwerp to Ghent by IC train, Ghent to Bruges by IC train. Takes 3h33, 2 changes.
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Option 3, Amsterdam to Brussels by high-speed Thalys, from Brussels to Bruges by IC train. Takes 3h20, but only 1 change.
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Option 4, Amsterdam to Brussels by IC train, Brussels to Bruges by IC train. Takes 4h05, but only 1 change.
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Option 5, not immediately offered by journey planners, but the way I'd recommend: High-speed Thalys from Amsterdam to Antwerp, a coffee & look round one of Europe's most beautiful stations, then the hourly direct IC train from Antwerp to Bruges. Takes 3h18, only 1 change.
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Each of these options has departures every hour or two through the day, every day of the week.
Which should you choose?
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Antwerp is far nicer place to change trains than Brussels...
Antwerp Central station is one of Europe's most beautiful stations and a much nicer place than the dingy Brussels Midi, trust me on this! Options via Antwerp appear to involve two changes of train, but it can be done with just one easy change in Antwerp as I explain below...
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If you want speed & comfort & are willing to book ahead & commit, go for high-speed Thalys...
Options 1, 3 & 5 involve a high-speed Thalys train. Thalys is fast & comfortable and you get reserved seats, but you need to book in advance and commit to a specific departure, limited or no refunds or changes allowed. Thalys is affordable in advance, expensive at short-notice.
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If you want to stay flexible or book at short notice, use the hourly Intercity train from Amsterdam...
Options 2 & 4 use IC trains all the way. IC trains are not as comfy as Thalys and take longer, but you don't have to nail your plans to the floor months in advance, it's affordable even if you buy on the day. The InterCity (IC) trains need no seat reservations, they can't sell out, tickets are good for any train that day not just the one you select when booking. You sit anywhere you like.
Which option do I recommend?
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Option 5, without a doubt!
You travel from Amsterdam to Antwerp by fast & comfortable Thalys, stepping off at the beautiful Antwerp Central station.
The Thalys from Amsterdam arrives on platform 23 on the lowest level. Trains from Antwerp to Bruges leave from platforms 1-6 on the upper level, reached up escalators or lifts. See the photos of Antwerp station below.
IC (intercity) trains run from Antwerp to Bruges every half hour. One departure per hour requires a 6-minute change in Ghent, the other one is direct from Antwerp to Bruges with no changes.
Now for the clever bit: Journey planners such as www.nsinternational.nl always suggest the fastest option, which means a rushed 7-minute connection with the IC train that requires another rushed 6-minute change in Ghent. Given that your ticket is good for any train that day on the Antwerp-Bruges section, I'm suggesting you ignore that rushed connection, have a coffee or beer and a look around one of Europe's most beautiful stations, then take the direct IC train to Bruges half an hour later. This is a variation on Option 1 which I'm calling Option 5. Not rocket science!
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To book this, go to www.nsinternational.nl and buy a ticket from Amsterdam to Bruges with 2 changes via Antwerp, marked Thalys, IC.
On the Amsterdam to Antwerp section it's only good for the specific Thalys you book and you'll get reserved seats for this. From Antwerp to Bruges it's an open ticket good for any IC train that day, not just the trains that were shown in the journey planner.
Simply check the time of a direct Antwerp to Bruges train by running an Antwerp Central to Bruges enquiry at www.nsinternational.nl. No reservation is necessary or even possible on Belgian IC trains, hop on your chosen departure and sit where you like, always plenty of seats.
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For a coffee or beer, go to the lovely Royal Cafe (www.brasserieroyal.be) in Antwerp Central's main hall, a stone's throw from the platform used by the trains to Bruges. In fact, I'd have some cake as well and catch the following hour's Antwerp-Bruges IC train, as your ticket allows you to hop on any train you like to Bruges and direct trains run every hour. Why not explore Antwerp old town for a few hours and catch an even later train? The city hall is a 21 minute walk from the station, see map of Antwerp & directions.
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See the Amsterdam Central station guide for good places to have a coffee or beer whilst waiting for your train in Amsterdam.
How much does it cost?
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Options 1, 3 & 5 involve Thalys so have airline-style pricing. Fares start at €36 in 2nd class or €78 in 1st class.
These rise to much more expensive prices close to departure.
Tickets are only good for the specific Thalys you book, but can be used on any connecting IC train that day.
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Options 2 & 4 have a regular fixed price with unlimited availability, €59.40 in 2nd class or €94.30 in 1st class.
If you book ahead, Early Bird advance-purchase fares start at €29 in 2nd class Monday-Thursday, €39 Friday-Sunday.
Normal-price IC tickets are good for any train that day, not just the one you select when you book.
However, from 11 June 2023, advance-purchase Early Bird fares will only be good for the specific departure you choose.
Route map
What are the trains like?
1. Amsterdam to Antwerp or Brussels by Thalys high-speed train...
Thalys high-speed trains travel at up to 300km/h (186 mph). They are air-conditioned and carpeted, with free WiFi, power sockets at all seats & a cafe-bar, see the Thalys information page. However, a ticket for a Thalys commits you to a specific train, with a seat reservation automatically included. The cheaper tickets mean no refunds and no changes to travel plans. Thalys fares are cheap if you book in advance, but expensive if you buy on or near your departure date.
...or by Intercity (IC) train.
The Amsterdam-Antwerp-Brussels IC trains are comfortable enough, though not as comfy as Thalys and there's no WiFi or catering so bring your own food & drink. There are no seat reservations, you sit where you like. There are power sockets in 1st class, but not in 2nd. These IC trains now use the high-speed line between Amsterdam & Antwerp, but only at up to 160 km/h (100 mph) and they make more stops so they're slower than Thalys. But they're much more flexible as tickets are good for any IC train that day (miss one, catch the next one!) and you can stop off to see Antwerp or Rotterdam for a few hours if you like. Tickets are affordable even on the day and the regular fare cannot sell out, so there's no need to nail your plans to the floor months in advance as with Thalys.
2. Antwerp or Brussels to Bruges by Belgian Intercity (IC) train...
1st & 2nd class with air-conditioning, luggage racks, toilets. There's no catering on board, so bring your own supplies.
Tips for changing trains in Antwerp
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If you buy an Amsterdam-Bruges ticket for options 1 or 3 including my recommended option 5, you change trains in Antwerp. Antwerp Central is one of Europe's most beautiful stations, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antwerpen-Centraal_railway_station. It's a shining example of how to combine a historic station with extra platforms, extra retail and new high-speed tracks running underground.
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Antwerp central was originally a terminus with one level of dead-end tracks, now platforms 1-4 located one floor above street level. It now has a retail level below (at street level), then a second lower level of platforms (11-14), another mezzanine floor and then a third and lowest level of platforms (21-24) which are on the lines running across Antwerp underground. When these lines were built it avoided the need for Amsterdam - Brussels - Paris trains to reverse (change direction) in Antwerp's dead-end platforms. A huge atrium brings natural light right down to the lowest platforms, with lifts and escalators linking all the levels.
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The train from Amsterdam to Antwerp arrives on platform 22 on the lowest level, underground. The onward train to Bruges will leave from the original above-ground terminus level, platforms 1-6. A few minutes between trains is sufficient, as all you're doing is stepping off one train, walk to the other and step on. But it's really worth taking the time to have a look around, your ticket is good for any onward IC train between Antwerp & Bruges that day, not just the one that was shown when you booked!
Royal Cafe, Antwerp Central
The cafe is inside the station and can be accessed from the main hall. There's a bar, or table service for coffee, beer & snacks. See www.brasserieroyal.be.
Tips for changing trains in Brussels: See Brussels Midi station guide.
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If you book a ticket for options 2 or 4 via Brussels, your ticket will be good for any IC train from Brussels to Bruges that day, not just the one the booking system suggests (which will no doubt involve a tight connection in Brussels). So by all means take an later one and have a less hurried connection, or even spend a few hours exploring Brussels if you like. However, if you are using Thalys your ticket is only good for the specific Thalys you book on the Amsterdam to Brussels part of the journey. If you're using an IC train from Amsterdam to Brussels, it's also good for any IC train that day.
Recommended hotel in Bruges
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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.