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BRUGES TOURISM TRAVEL BELGIUM
 TRAVELING
TO BRUGES
Bruges is the epitome of the old saying, "All roads lead to
Rome". With its convenient location roughly in the middle of
the London, Paris and Amsterdam triangle, you will find many ways
to travel to Bruges.
AIR TRAVEL TO BRUGES
There are 3 international airports in Belgium:
- Zaventem Airport-Brussels
- Deurne Airport-Antwerp
- Ostend Airport-Ostend
Zaventem Airport is about 1 hr and 30 mins from Bruges by train.
Check the timetable for the Airport City Express on the Belgian
Railways (SNCB/NMBS) website, entering Zaventem Airport as the
departure or destination station in the online form.
If you prefer to rent a car, there are many car rental companies
at the airport. Make sure you get a road map as Belgian roads can
be tricky at times.
The modern Antwerp (Deurne) Airport is ideal for international scheduled
flights and general aviation. You will find frequent regular connections
with London, Rotterdam, Manchester, Jersey and Milan. For more information
check The Antwerp Airport
TRAIN TRAVEL TO BRUGES
Traveling by train to Bruges is the best way to see the beautiful
Belgian countryside. For Eurail Pass holders, it is also quite inexpensive.
There are several connections to hub cities that will lead you to
Bruges.
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Directline-citybreaks combines Eurostar & cheap flights with hand-picked hotels in more than 50 cities to offer cheap city breaks, short breaks & unforgettable weekend breaks.
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The Belgian Railways (NMBS) will bring you from Bruges to Brussels in less then 1 hr, from
Bruges to Antwerp in 1 hr and 20 mins, from Bruges to Ghent in
30 min., from Bruges to Ostend in 15 mins.
- The Thalys links Brussels and Amsterdam in 2 hrs and 35 min.
Trains depart and arrive at the south station (Gare du Midi) in
Brussels. For more information www.thalys.com
- The Eurostar links London and Brussels, with the trip taking
1 hrs and 51 mins. Trains depart and arrive at the south station
(Gare du Midi) in Brussels and depart and arrive at the London
St Pancras International Station or Ebbsfleet International. Connections are outstanding, with six underground lines and seven rail companies operating from St Pancras International, King’s Cross and nearby Euston. For additional information about the
Eurostar train, call 2 555 25 25 or www.eurostar.com
- The Thalys line links Paris and Brussels with a 1 hr and 25
min trip. Trains depart and arrive at the south station (Gare
du Midi) in Brussels and depart and arrive at the North Station
(Gare du Nord) in Paris or at the Charles de Gaulle airport. There
are 18 to 19 trains a day. For more information visit www.thalys.com
- The best way to find out train schedules is to contact Rail
Europe at www.raileurope.com
or contact them by phone. From the US dial 1-877-257-2887, from
Canada dial 1-800-361-RAIL. For more information on the Eurostar, Thalys, Benelux
pass, rail passes in Europe and point-to-point tickets visit:
http://www.raileurope.com/us/common/have_question.htm
Additional Belgian Train Travel Info:
- Reduced price Eurail Passes for tourists coming to Europe must
be purchased before leaving the US/Canada.
- The train stations in London, Paris and Brussels are located
in the center of the city.
- Seat reservations within the Belgian train network are available
only for groups of 15 passengers or more.
- A dense train network connects all of Belgium tourism cities. National and
International passes for regular and First Class travel are available
at major train stations in the Benelux region. The Benelux pass
can be used to travel between Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg.
- The price of a round trip ticket is generally double the price
of a one way ticket. The one way trip or the outward trip of a
return trip ticket must be made on the date shown on the ticket.
- Since schedules can change, tourism offices don't usually keep
train schedules. It is best to check with the station. In general,
trains leave every ½ hr from and to all major Belgian cities.
The first train is usually around 5 AM and the last one around
11 PM.
- Coin operated lockers are available for luggage in all major
train stations.
- Bicycles can be rented at major stations. More info can be found
online.
- If there are not ticket-sale facilities at the departure station,
you can buy your ticket from the on-board train crew, without
extra charges. Find them before you board. If there was a ticket
counter and you instead purchase from the train crew, there can
be an extra charge. The fines for attempting to ride for free
are quite high, so you better not do it.
- If you are staying in the same city or commuting for a while?
You can buy a ticket for ten single journeys on the same route,
which is good value.
- An explanation of the types of passes can be found online.
BUS TRAVEL TO BRUGES
Belgium is a densely populated country due to this we have extensive
public bus routes, which are used often by locals. Check beforehand
bus routes to avoid confusion, bus drivers are usually quite helpful
as are other passengers so do not be afraid to ask someone for some
help.
There are 2 different kinds of tickets.
- De lijnkaart (linecard): a ticket used for trips outside the
city.
- De stadskaart (citycard): a ticket used for trips only inside
the city
Prices vary depending on where you are going, but within the city,
a trip is generally € .75. Children from 6-11 years old have
discounts of up to 50%. Children younger than 6 travel free.
You can buy a bus card for from €7.5 to €25 at any newspaper
stand or buy a card or single ticket on the bus. If you are traveling
with a minimum of 10 people, you can buy a group ticket that gives
you a 10% discount.
CAR RENTALS
Drivers licenses from most countries are accepted in Belgium for
up to 90 days. To see if your country's license is accepted, check
with the Belgian Embassy website.
The minimum age for renting a car is generally 25 years old.
If you are renting a car to travel from England, you can visit
Bruges via France if you prefer to take the new English Channel
tunnel, the Chunnel, which is located on the France side at the
town of Calais, about 95,30km or 59,20miles from Bruges by car.
FERRY TRAVEL TO BRUGES
To and From England and Belgium by Ferry:
- Getting to Bruges by car from the UK is really easy. If you live in
the south of Britain you can choose Eurotunnel from Folkestone or P&O
ferries or Hoverspeed from Dover. They all go to Calais and from there
it's just an hour or so to Bruges. From the north why not take the P&O
Ferries overnight sailing from Hull to Zeebrugge, only 30 minutes from
Bruges? Or there's the
option of the overnight Newcastle to Amsterdam ferry service operated
by DFDS, and it's only three hours by road to Bruges. All these crossings,
and a wide selection of hotels in Bruges are available on the Drive-Alive
Holidays website, where you can choose the route and accommodation
which suits you best.
- Dover, England and Ostend, Belgium: The direct service to Ostend is
cancelled at this moment. There is a route from Dover, England to Calais,
Border of France. The service is run by two 81 meter catamaran hovercrafts,
the Sea Cats. A Sea Cat has a capacity of 155 cars and 674 passengers.
Crossing time is 50 min. There are up to 15 crossings a day in peak
season.
The Sea Cat terminal is in downtown Calais. From there it is a short
walk to catch a train at the station Calais, Frethun to Bruges. The
train trip takes around 2h30mins. Check
here for timetables. For more information on the Sea Cat service
please visit the Hoverspeed website.
- Hull, England and Zeebrugge, Belgium: One departure a day by ferry,
which carries both cars and passengers. The crossing time is 14 hrs.
For more information, visit P&O
North Sea Ferries.
Ticket information and reservations are available in major Train Stations,
travel agencies and online.
TRAVELING TIPS TO BRUGES
Document Notes:
- Passports and Visas: If you are a European Community citizen,
you can travel with your ID card. Many other country's citizens,
like Canada and US, are given a 90 day visitors visa, which are
issued upon arrival in Belgium. Your local Belgian embassy or
travel agent can advise you on the necessary documents for your
visit.
- Always check that your passport is valid for at least the period
of your travel if not longer.
- Get any visas you need in advance. Obtaining a visa or renewing
a passport can take time.
- It's always a good idea to carry a copy of documents with you,
including traveler's checks and prescriptions, and leave a copy
at home where they are accessible by a family member or friend.
Keep the originals and copies separate.
- An extra set of passport-size photos can also be useful.
- Never bring fruit, vegetables or animal products to or from
Belgium.
Medical Considerations:
- Ask your airline or travel agent whether any inoculations are
required based on your home area and where you will be first landing.
This should be done as soon as you book your tickets, although
in general none are required for Belgium.
- If you have any doubts about flying, on medical grounds, ask
your doctor. You may be required to advise your airline of certain
conditions in advance, you should also let them know if you may
require special assistance.
- Airlines usually refuse to carry passengers after their 36th
week of pregnancy. A medical certificate is usually required after
the 28th week.
- Ensure that you have an adequate supply of any prescription
medications and a copy of the prescriptions with you. Always pack
these items in your hand luggage and not in your checked luggage.
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Although every effort has been made to keep this information up
to date,
we are not responsible for any errors in this information. Please
immediately if anything is inaccurate.
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