Hello,
We are senior citizens planning a short trip to Belgium prior to our cruise in November 2026. We are considering taking a high-speed train from Paris to Bruges, but we are not sure of how to make arrangements. We arrive at Charles de Gaulle and thought taking the train from there to Lille France would be a good choice. Then, from there travel over to Bruges and then Ghent where we will tour for a few days before heading back to Paris. Any advice is appreciated.
Posted by
Belgium
163 posts
Yes, that's perfectly possible. My advice is to make your purchase on the international website of the Belgian railways https://www.b-europe.com/EN
From: Aéroport Charles de Gaulle
To: Brugge (Be)
You will get TWO tickets : a ticket for your highspeed TGV train and a second ticket for the belgian train to Bruges. This second ticket for your belgian portion is valid that whole day (so if you should miss your connection , you just take the next train).
You will notice an itinerary with one change (Brussels) or two changes (Lille and Kortrijk).
If you change in Lille, just know there are two stations and you possibly need to walk between Lille-Europe and Lille-Flanders to make your connection.
For the TGV, the cheapest fares are available in limited quantities. So to benefit from the best prices, I suggest you book your journey as far ahead as possible ( usually possible 4 months before travel).
For your travel Brugge to Gent you should use the national website of the Belgian railways https://www.belgiantrain.be/en/
No need to buy this ticket in advance. On Belgian trains, there is no seat reservation, no price difference and it can't sell out.
Posted by
Washington DC
29706 posts
If you're over 65, you'll qualify for a senior discount on Belgian train tickets, though it appears the discount has changed since my very recent trip to Belgium.
Posted by
Sydney, Australia
204 posts
I might just add that for the leg Lille - Bruges, it's not a high-speed train but local trains. There is a high-speed train that goes to Brussels (the Eurostar), but you would still have to take local trains to Bruges from Brussels. I assume the destination is more important than the train ride ...? (because some people are train fanatics)
Lavandula
Posted by
London, England
324 posts
The train from Lille to Bruges will be genuinely "local" in the sense of many stops and possibly an oldish train with no aircon (if that is important to you). The Brussels to Bruges trains are faster, though not high-speed. They also can be crowded in the early morning and early evening with commuters and Brussels-Bruges daytrippers.