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10 minutes enough time for connecting to Eurostar at Brussels Midi?

Posted by (United States) on

We booked with Eurostar a return train from Amsterdam to London (we went from London to Amsterdam direct without change with Eurostar). Eurostar assigned a Thalys train for us from Amsterdam to Brussels Midi. We then must change to the Eurostar train from Brussels Midi to London St Pancras

Our Thalys Train arrives at Brussels Midi at 12:08 and our Eurostar Train departs at 12:52. That gives us about 40 minutes between trains. The Eurostar says ticket gate closes 30 minutes before departure, meaning 12:22.

That means once we arrive at Brussels Midi we have about 10 minutes to get off the Thalys train and to the Eurostar gate.

So, is that enough time to get off the Thalys train and get to the Eurostar gate? We've never been to the Brussels Midi station so if anyone can give us some detailed directions on what to do we would be much relieved.

That is, once we get off the Thalys train, what should we look for? I would think we will go down an escalator, and from the station map online it looks like the Eurostar Channel Terminal will be on our left as we walk forward?

There a video online for getting off Eurostar from London and onto connecting trains at Brussels Midi but not the reverse.

Thanks!

Posted by
11877 posts

Is this the trip you purchased.?

09:17
Amsterdam CS
1hr 51min
11:08
Brussels-Midi/Zuid
1hr 44min to change trains
12:52
Brussels-Midi/Zuid
2hrs 13min
14:05
London St Pancras Int'l

This is the only 12:52 Brussels departure I see ( picked random date in Oct) Looks like a 1:44, not :44 to make the change

Posted by
3 posts

Yes, thank you for catching this. Our departure time from Amsterdam is 10:17, not 9:17. Our Thalys train arrives at Brussels Midi at 12:08, and our Eurostar Train departs at 12:52. So 44 minutes not 1:44, and with Eurostar closing gates 30 minutes before departure, that leaves 14 minutes.

Posted by
33821 posts

There is a Thalys train every hour.

Did you choose the later Thalys or did Eurostar? The 10:17 is not on the Eurostar schedule so I expect it is not expected to be a connection.

If they did, although I thought they usually book the earlier one and everybody gets off one, goes through the procedure together then boards the Eurostar together. They are pretty new still at this Amsterdam extension, and still haven't been able to arrange with the governments to have the security and passport control check in there in Amsterdam so the resultant fire drill at Brussels. They certainly won't want to leave anybody behind for the train to London.

When the Thalys Chef duTrain comes around ask her or him. If they don't come around the train go and find them.

The Brussel Zuid / Bruxelles Midi station is modern and easy to navigate. When you go down the escalator the signs are easy. I don't know, but there may even be a bit of extra signage now on the Thalys platform, but again follow the herd. 10 minutes is not as short as it sounds.

Posted by
7885 posts

Eurostar has UK immigration formalities before boarding. You will not have enough time for this line, and screening in Brussels. Did you write that Eurostar sold you both tickets as a single journey? If so, they must have some plan to solve this. This could get even harder after Brexit. Do you have a boilerplate warning from Eurostar to present yourself 30 minutes before departure?

Posted by
619 posts

We once arrived on a late-running ICE from Cologne and transferred to the Eurostar in 15 minutes. We were travelling on U.K. passports, so there were no cards to complete, and it would not be possible for everyone to do it. By the time we arrived at the check-in, everyone else had passed through and boarded.

You certainly need to check with Eurostar that it is an acceptable connection time.

Posted by
3 posts

Yes, we booked with Eurostar as one trip from Amsterdam going to London St Pancras. Eurostar will select the Thalys train and assign your seats for you. Once you book with Eurostar they will provide you with a Thalys ticket with a booking reference number, but if you go onto the Thalys website, that booking reference is not recognized, so you cannot change your seat online. The 44 minutes between arrival and departures times are set by Eurostar, so everyone going on to London has 14 minutes to get through the Eurostar gate before Eurostar's stated 30 minute check-in time before departure. The Eurostar train leaving a couple of hours (8:17 am) before our train from Amsterdam has the same connection time.

The Brussels Midi station map seems to show escalators going down to the corridor of connecting platforms and another set of escalators going to the main terminal which looks like a shorter walk to Eurostar's Channel Terminal.

Thank you, everyone, for your comments!

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