Need help with train tickets from Amsterdam to Brussels

Posted by tommyquicksand on 12/10/24 10:30 AM

I was hoping someone can help guide me through this train ticket purchase from amsterdam centraal to brussel.

I'm currently on this site - https://www.b-europe.com/EN

When I typed in "Brussels Midi" as the destination - I see on 27/4 at 10:49am a train for EUR39,8 taking 2h14m. But when I type in "Brussels Centraal" as the destination - I see at 10:49am a cheaper train EUR32 but it takes an hour longer.

How is it that Centraal is an hour longer, I was of the impression midi was only about a 5 min ride away? And how come the eurostar/IC trains are double the price to the eurocity trains? What is the difference?

I also note for that entire week, and into early May, there are no low fares left (no green boxes in the calendar picker). Does that mean the fares are nearly sold out or is it because its school holidays/easter so naturally they are sold at a premium and I need not rush to make the purchase give its still 4-5 months away?

Posted by WengenK

Wengen

12/10/24 01:23 PM

2678 posts

The reason is that they are different train services on the route. Eurostar is fastest. Eurocity is sower, Eurocity direct is in between. These trains have different prices. And because the Eurocities have more stops you do not have to back track to get to Centraal, as you do with Eurostar. Also note that for some weird reason B-Europe offers you both a 10:49 and a 11:15 that both have you arrive in Brussels on the same train. Which is doubly odd, as those tickets are not train specific within the Netherlands.

April is still a long time away though. I am 100% certain that when 27/4 rolls around that not all trains will be sold out.

Note that if you are going from Amsterdam to Brussel I would book from www.nsinternational.com.

Posted by tommyquicksand OP

12/11/24 12:22 AM

306 posts

Ok thank you wengenk

Note that if you are going from Amsterdam to Brussel I would book from www.nsinternational.com.

Out of curiosity why is that? The price seems to be the same

Posted by WengenK

Wengen

12/20/24 12:09 PM

2678 posts

The reason is that if there is a problem with the ticket you can go to a NS ticket office and talk to a person.

Posted by isn31c

Lake District, England

12/20/24 02:53 PM

8684 posts

On the 49 minutes past each hour trains to Brussels Midi you have to change trains from a Sprinter train to the Euro City Direct train at Schiphol Airport from Track 4 to Track 5 or 6- a 6 minute change.

On the 49 minutes past each hour trains to Brussels Central you stay on that same Sprinter train from Amsterdam Centraal as far as Rotterdam where you have a 5 minute change from Track 16 to Track 8 into a Euro City train- that calls at Brussels Airport, Brussels Nord and Brussels Central.

Both the changes are achievable by those who know the stations concerned, but maybe less so for those who don't- especially Rotterdam.

However at Rotterdam if you miss the connection there is another train 8 minutes later (an Inter City). You can change out of that at Breda back into the Euro-City (as the EC has made stops between Rotterdam and Breda).

So it looks as if the only non-change trains on a Sunday at least are the Eurostar Trains.

It kind of depends do you want the cheapest fare, or a no change journey. Also how agile you are, and are you happy to add an extra change (to make it a 3 seat journey) if required?
There is a trade off here which only the individual can make.