We are making a six-day trip to these areas and want to use public transport.
Are there rail passes that include all city buses/trams and train travel between Bruge/Brussels/Antwerp/Ghent etc.?
or should we just but tickets as needed?
Should we download SNCB app?
(We are a family with ages 61, 59, and 20. )
No there aren't.
Trams and busses in Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp are all operated by De Lijn.
https://www.delijn.be/en/tickets/
Busses, trams and metro in Brussels are operated by MIVB/STIB.
https://www.stib-mivb.be/home/buy/product-catalog-tickets?tab=10-travels
Trains are operated by the national company NMBS/SNCB.
https://www.belgiantrain.be/en/products
Hi vegfamily, there are no longer any train passes you can get (they had them a long time ago now), but there is the 1-day Brupass ticket that you can buy for public transport within Brussels. It is good for all 4 transport companies (STIB/MIVB, Belgian Rail, De Lijn and LETEC). It costs €9,50. There is also a cheaper Brupass for just the STIB/MIVB company, €9,00 but you have to buy it from a kiosk.
To be honest, as tourists you might use the metro and the odd tram within Brussels, you probably won't use anything but the STIB/MIVB. I would just use my credit card to tap on, on the tram and just pay for point-to-point tickets.
There are also 10-journey tickets you can buy which are quite good value. You can load it onto a Mobib card (an electronic card bought from a machine or a kiosk). That can take you on any public transport in Brussels (Brupass) and around Brussels (Brupass XL). That will last you a few days and might be a better solution if you expect to be using transport a lot.
If you say where you expect to be travelling we can give you a better idea of what ticket/s to get.
Lavandula
To be honest, as tourists ... within Brussels ... I would just use my credit card to tap on, on the tram and just pay for point-to-point tickets.
Be careful, this can only be done when each of you have their own card or device.
https://www.stib-mivb.be/buy/your-bank-card-is-your-ticket
In Flanders (=Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp) on the other hand, one card/device can be used for up to five people
https://www.delijn.be/en/content/tickets/contactloos-betalen/
If you plan to use public transportation (bus/tram) in Bruges, Ghent, and/or Antwerp, the De Lijn 10-journey ticket is also a valid option.
The same card is valid in all three of these cities.
You can scan it for multiple people at once (so the three of you can take three trips, and there will still be one trip for one person left).
https://www.delijn.be/en/content/tickets/10-rittenkaart/
