I will be in Paris for 6 days and wanted to know if it was possible to do a day trip to Bruges by train. I know there are tour companies that are available, but I thought I could spend more time in Bruges if I went by train. Would appreciate any information or suggestions. Thank you.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Yes, this is very possible.
The journey takes just over 2½ hours, which is much faster than by road beecause the first section (Paris to Brussels) is by High Speed train.
For example: Depart Paris Gare-du-Nord 07:25, arrive Brugge 09:59
or: Depart Paris Gare-du-Nord 07:46, arrive Brugge 10:27
Of course you have to add on time from your hotel to / from Gare-du-Nord. Brugge station is on the edge of the city centre. Pre-plan your limited time in Bruges.
If you are going to do this book early to get the cheaper tickets.
But, Bruges is worth more than a day. I would recommend an overnight trip.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7158 posts
Sure you can do a day trip to Bruges. I did it in June although my train ride was much shorter (I stayed in Brussels). I got there around 9:30 and left about 18:00 and saw just about everything that I had planned to see. The only thing I gave up was the brewery tour at De Halve Maan. You do need to plan your day there which is what I did and was able to climb the tower (suggest this be done first thing when you get there in the morning-lines get longer later), take a canal boat cruise, explore the beguinage, walk around the back streets, see the Michelangelo Madonna, visit both the Memmling and Groeninge museums and have lunch and a brew on the main square. It was a bit hectic but worked for me. If you're an ambitious tourist like I am you will be able to see and do a lot in one day.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
" If you are going to do this book early to get the cheaper tickets."
I just want to emphasize this point. The Thalys trains, which run from Paris to Brussels, start out reasonably priced for advanced purchase, non-refundable, non-exchangeable tickets. As these start to sell out, or if you need more flexibility, the price goes up - and up and up. Go to http://www.thalys.com and compare prices for travel tomorrow with travel a few months from now, to see the difference. Following my own advice, I see that the cheapest tickets for tomorrow morning (September 9) from Paris to Brussels are €99, while the cheapest tickets for December 2 are €22.
Posted by
2 posts
I, too, am planning a day trip to bruges from paris the first week of November. What time do most shops close that time of year...wondering what time we should book our return train to paris. Do the shops close early during that low season?