Im thinking about making Brussels a home base for me for three or four nights in April. You you think it is reasonable to take the train from Brussels early in the morning and tour the battlefield monument before returning to Brussels in the evening?
Thanks
Frank
Absolutely. The train takes two hours on average from Brussels and requires a change in Ghent (depending on the time)
for example
1 h 59 min 5:44 AM - 7:43 AM
5:44 AM from Bruxelles Central
5:44 AM Bruxelles Central
(Platform 4)
IC 1527 towards Blankenberge
6:21 AM
6:36 AM Gent-Sint-Pieters
(Platform 4)
IC 705 towards Poperinge
7:43 AM Ieper
(Ypres, Belgium)
This is great! I've seen your replies to many questions. You seem to be very familiar with Europe.
Frank
Quasimodo tours has tours from Brussels to Ypres. We’ll be using it, but from Bruges, in a couple months.
www.quasimodo.be
Well , now you've gotten to Ypres . What next ? Which battlefield monument are you thinking of ? Ypres has the large " In Flanders Fields " museum ( very worthwhile ) and The Menin Gate ( see the last post at early evening , if your return to Brussels works . The battlefields and cemeteries ( Passchendaele and Tyne Cot , as two examples ) are spread out through The Ypres Salient , and not in walking distance of the town . Bus service is probably sparse in that area at best , so you need to consider renting a car .
Belgium is one my favorites
Consider staying in Gent instead. St Baafs cathedral is very nice.
I second the recommendation for Quasimodo tours. They offer a comprehensive in-depth tour of Ypres battlefield that has left a lasting impression on my wife and I. We too did it from Bruges. Did not know they offered it from Brussels. Enjoy your trip.
We also took the tour with Quasimodo to Ypres and really enjoyed the day. We were based in Brugges when we took the tour. Personally I wasn't crazy about Brussels, so not sure I'd want to stay there that long. But, that wasn't really part of your question:)
Think Quasimodo only offers tours from Bruges. If you like joining one Bruges is just 1 hour with a direct train from Brussels. Renting a car will give you more flexibility but you have to know the route, for info you can visit the Flanders Field Museum in Ypres first.
Has anyone taken the Quasimodo Triple Treat tour out of Bruges?
I stand corrected. Now I wonder what tour I was reading about that left from Brussels.
