We are wondering which is the best way to access Bruges before or after our Best of Europe in 21 Days trip. Options we were considering are: day trip from Amsterdam before the tour, or going to Bruges (and staying overnight) after the tour finishes in Paris on our way to Calais to take the ferry to Dover. It looks fairly close to Calais, but we are not sure about whether the trains etc. would make it a pragmatic choice. Any suggestions?
S & G
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
A day trip from Amsterdam would be possible: you can save time by changing in Antwerp rather than Brussels. Doing it after Paris would be a bit more time-consuming and expensive in fares - you'd need to book a Thalys ticket in advance to get the best fares for the Paris-Brussels-Bruges leg. Bruges-Calais would be best done by getting the local Bruges-Lille train (some require a connection at Kortrijk, but the connections are conveniently timed) and then a train from there to Calais. Interested to know why you're taking the ferry from Calais to Dover? It really isn't all that romantic, scenic or convenient a trip if you're travelling without a vehicle, and it will definitely be less hassle to get the Eurostar from either Paris or Brussels to London.
Posted by
Gettysburg, PA
1589 posts
If time allows, Bruges is well worth the overnight stay.
Posted by
New York City, NY, USA
5678 posts
I would do the overnight stay. It was a long train ride for me between Brugges and Amsterdam. I didn't go through Antwerp so maybe that is faster, but it was long. Pam