Transportation from Bruges to Amsterdam

We loved the charm of Haarlem, and I understand the public transportation from Haarlem to the airport is quite convenient. I haven't taken the public transportation between the two, but if you search in the magnifier it may come up, as I've seen it discussed.

I cannot speak to the details of the train trip from Bruges to Amsterdam but I would pass on these thoughts about getting to the airport. Last time we were on a trip that ended in Amsterdam, we stayed at the Hotel Ibis that is very close to the train station and took one of the frequent shuttle trains to thee airport and it worked very well.

No, you would not need to reserve tickets back to Amsterdam now. The only benefit is if you are set on taking the faster Eurostar from Brussels to Amsterdam for that leg. The Eurostar is cheaper bought ahead and has reserved seats, though tickets are usually available the same day.

Otherwise, you can travel the entire way on the local regional express/cityhopper trains which have little advantage in buying early, and no reservations are possible. You can use either the SNCB app (website: https://www.b-europe.com/EN ) or the NS International app (Website: https://www.nsinternational.com/en ) to buy tickets. If you buy the local trains, then your ticket is good for that route all day, so if you want to stop in Ghent or Antwerp or any Dutch stop, you may, then get back on and continue your journey.

For local trains, the route would be Bruge-Ghent-Antwerp-then on to Amsterdam, though the route and any changes can vary there.

You could also go through Brussels, but longer, however, if you want a fast train, you need to go through Brussels.

To your other question, do not worry about a hotel with a shuttle, and do not bother trying to stay at the airport.

Leiden would be a great town for your last nights (I think better than Harlem). Charming town, lots of direct trains to the airport in 20 minutes or so. Another location, if you want to be close to Amsterdam, is the Sloterdijk Train station area, a number of hotels nearby, and only 15 minutes by train to the airport. Haarlem of course also works, but more like 30 minutes by bus or train, train requires a change at Sloterdijk.

If your flight is later, noon or later, then I have stayed as far out as Antwerp or The Hague.

Sorry, but what the previous poster writes is nonsense. It looks like a disguised add for a website, and has some basic geography wrong. Probably AI generated.

Reported.

The above should have read bus #42 to Breskens, then the Westerschelde ferry across the River Scheldt to Vlissingen, for the train to Amsterdam.

This is a well known and well established route between the two cities, an alternative to the various all train routes. Because Bus #42 is a Dutch bus the Dutch fare payment system applies to it, even from Bruges.

Both bus companies from Belgium “De Lijn” and the Netherlands “Connexxion” offer bus services between Brugge and Breskens and both use line #42.

The journey takes about 1½ hour and 40 stops. For the ferry to Flushing or Vlissingen in Dutch you have to get out at Breskens Veerhaven and not Veere btw. The train station in Vlissingen is a few minutes walking from the ferry terminal there.

Doubt if this is a good alternative for the usual ride with the train, but worth considering if you want visiting Middelburg for instance and even Veere too. The latter an easy bus ride from Middelburg railway station. Nevertheless can be a nice of the beaten path experience, but time consuming even without the stop in Middelburg.

I would not consider the route via Breskens - Vlissingen an "established" route for getting from Brugge to Amsterdam.
The other route suggested by 4ptelapp does not make sense either. The train route now goes via Breda, not Roosendaal. Looking at the posting history of 4ptelapp I wonder what is going on here...