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Stay in Brussels or Bruges?

Posted by on

Flight arriving late to (BRU) in Brussels at 10:20pm. Since it would be late, I was planning on staying at hotel in Brussels for three days and making day trips to Bruges and Ghent. My last day I was planning to explore Brussels in the AM for a few hours and fly out in the early evening.

The reviews I've read about Brussels makes it seem like there isn't much to see/do in the city, and I might be better off staying in Bruges when I arrive instead. I'm a solo female traveler, and it also sounds like Bruges is a much safer city to walk around at night etc.

Is it feasible to take the train from Brussels to Bruges so late? I am aware that there are trains available that run late, but I am concerned about traveling so late at night alone. Also looking into the option of hiring a car to drive me from the airport to Bruges, but would prefer the train if traveling that late is a safe option. Thanks for any feedback you can provide!

Posted by
7987 posts

I took a late night train from Brussels to Bruges, solo, without any worries - but this was back in June 2008. It doesn’t seem like it was nearly 15 whole years ago, but that’s the math. Maybe conditions have gotten worse in the ensuing years, but I don’t sense that you’d have any problems. There weren’t a whole lot of other people around during the journey, good or bad, as I recall.

If Brussels isn’t your ideal place to stay, then don’t commit there for 3 days/nights. My last trip (also solo) 4 years ago, I stayed in Gent (aka Gand, aka Ghent), and that’s the base from where I made day trips.

Posted by
7206 posts

No reason you couldn’t spend your arrival night by the airport then go to Bruges the next day. One can get the train to Bruges right at the airport. To me, other than the Grand Place, Brussels is just a big city.

Posted by
755 posts

I went solo to Bruges and spent three nights which was far too much time to spend in this scenic but small town. If I did it again I would go for a day trip or spend only one night. Two maybe if I wanted to day trip from there.

Posted by
1937 posts

I always enjoy posts about where to stay in Belgium, because there are so many devotees of one location over another. There's no right answer on where is the best place to stay. Read about each city and decide which appeals to you the most.

Personally, I think Bruges is overrated, but I wouldn't advise anyone not to go there, because I know many travelers love it.

You don't have a lot of time, just two full days and the third morning. From a logistics perspective alone, staying in Brussels seems to make the most sense. However, be aware that trains from Brussels to Bruges go right through Ghent at about the halfway point. So wherever you stay, you'll do some backtracking. If you want to be in a city where the evenings are really nice, Bruges and Ghent probably outshine Brussels. Ghent is lit up beautifully at night.

But don't struggle too hard to make the best decision. It's all good.

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