We are 3 couples that are taking a day trip from Amsterdam to Brugges on Queens Day What is it like crossing the Dutch -Belgium border ?Is it similiar to crossing a US interstate border or is it more like crossing a US- Canada/Mexico border with a stop to show papers etc. ?
Both the Netherlands and Belgium are Schengen Treaty members, and while they have the option to enforce border controls, most countries have done away with them. If by train, if they switch crews, the most you can expect is a conductor coming by, mostly to verify tickets. On the rare occasion, the police may board to do a passport check. By Car, no checks at all.
i went last summer. fell asleep in amsterdam, woke up in bruges. no stopping at the border
You will not even know when you cross the border from Holland into Belgium.
During our 8 week trip and visiting 9 countries....the only country that checked passports was when entering Czech Republic. Oh, in Paris the conductor requested to hold our passports when taking a night train to Switzerland in order not to wake us at the border.
If you blink you will miss the border.