We are arriving via NCL cruise ship to Zeebrugge on Mon, August 4, 2025. I have heard that there is transport provided to get from the ship to the bus terminal area.
Can we pre-book our transportation from there to Bruges? We are a party of 6 (2 children ages 7 and 10 included). We plan on doing a walking tour.
A second question, suggestions for a nice lunch?
First find out what they mean by "bus terminal area". It could mean that they mean the main bus station in Bruges with that...
Since Zeebrugge is an industrial port, shuttles from ship to the harbor exit are necessary unless you book a ship excursion- those vehicles are permitted close to where you disembark your ship.
From my understanding, pre-booking taxis from the port gates is no longer possible. When you do procure a taxi from the ranks (many hold 8) the set fee will include the return fare for a specific time and place to meet the cab in Bruges.
There is a bus service to/from Bruges: https://www.cruise-express.be/en/ that can be pre-booked.
In case NCL doesn’t offer a shuttle service you can also use public transport. This means coastal tram to Blankenberge and from there the train to Bruges. Children younger than 12 years and with a parent travel with the train for free. Roundtrip for adults will set you back €7.80 per person.
For the tram your children are not young enough, so no discount here. To safe money you can buy a 10-ride ticket for €21 at the ticket machine at the tram stop in Zeebrugge, or the nearby Spar supermarket. You can use this ticket for 5 persons for the roundtrip between Zeebrugge and Blankenberge. So an additional ticket for the 6th party member is needed, meaning two times a single ticket for a single journey, wil cost in total €6. For this tapping once with your bankcard while boarding is enough, tapping out is not needed as this ticket is valuable for 60 minutes travelling.
Total costs rountrip Zeebrugge to Bruges for 4 adults with 2 children is: €58.20
The tram stop in Zeebrugge is some 10 to 15 min. walking from the cruise terminal. The Spar supermarket is just a few steps from the tram stop, but can be closed. Another option is buying the tickets online. The tram stops opposite the train station in Blankenberge, trains from there are very frequent. Trams run lesser frequent at the end of the day, but usually you can catch one every 15 minutes or so.
For more info:
https://www.belgiantrain.be/en?journey=0
https://www.delijn.be/en/tickets/
