Hello...I have been attempting to purchase one-way rail tickets for my family of two adults and one youth from Bruges, Belgium to Lille, France for 7/21/18 on the RS link to RailEurope. However, there is only one train that departs at 6:00pm on that date. I recall investigating trains last year and there were many options leaving the Bruges station connecting at various cities. Does anyone know why there's only one train option listed? Is it too soon to be purchasing?
Posted by
Green Bay
20254 posts
Looks like you could be running up against the June 10 schedule change. Trains have not been scheduled yet.
Also, do not use RS or RAILEUROPE site to buy tickets or see the schedules. They only show expensive trains they can make money on. Use the Belgian Railway site. They run the trains.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
You are looking in the wrong place.
If you go to the aforementioned Belgian Railways site (the company that runs the trains: www.belgianrail.be/en ), it will show you one train per hour, cost €19.20
Nowhere in Belgium has only one train per day. The usual offering is 1-2 trains per hour.
Belgian tickets do not have a discount for advance purchase, and there are no reserved seats, so no advantage in buying in advance, just buy at the station when you get there. The ticket will be valid on any train that day.
RailEurope only shows trains it can make a profit selling tickets for, which excludes many cheap local trains.
Posted by
OP
New York
70 posts
Voila! I see there are trains every hour...As per your suggestion, we will wait until our day of departure to purchase tickets. Thanks so much!
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16894 posts
There's no need to buy the ticket in advance, but if you look at tickets available for next week, for instance, you'll see that our RailEurope link has them for $23. July travel is just not available this early.
Posted by
OP
New York
70 posts
Thanks so much! This is so helpful!