Adding seats to our reservation -- Amsterdam to Bruges

With the exception of the highspeed train Thalys that runs between Paris-Brussels-Amsterdam and the Eurostar from London to Amsterdam via Brussels, trains in the Netherlands and Belgium have free seating. You can sit wherever you want and if all the seats are taken you will need to stand.

If you booked the IC service there are no reservations. Just get on, find seats, sit. This is basically commuter rail. Having cars display seat availability on the outside is not something that every existed on that route.

Thank you both!
Yeah, the trains I'm thinking of weren't in the Netherlands or Belgium. I thought it was in Germany or something. Man, now I'm going to stress about trying to get on a car with room for our luggage AND a free seat. :(

is your train during the rush hour?

How much luggage (and what sizes) are you planning on wrangling? Large cases go in the storage bins near the doors. Small ones go in the overhead. Be careful you are in a car going to your destination, and not in one that might be split off during the trip. I think the Man in Seat 61 website goes over this. Unless you are travelling on a holiday,or during rush hours, or if there is a disruption, finding a seat likely won't be a problem.

Yes, I believe it would be rush hour. We leave at 8:28am on a Wednesday.
Perhaps my worries are unfounded though, because you're saying there ARE no advance seat reservations. So NO one will have a reserved seat. So as long as my husband and I can each find a seat in the car where our suitcases are, we're golden. We don't have to sit together.

And CJean, I will have a large suitcase and a carry-on size duffel (that I'll put above my head in my seat). I have no clue what my husband plans to bring. It's several weeks long, so he will probably have a decent size suitcase or bag.

Amsterdam is where the service starts these days. Just get up to the platform a few minutes before departure, 10 or 15 will be plenty, and settle in and choose your seats. You'll be fine.

8.30 is after the bulk of the rush hour too....

Also, your connection in Antwerp originates there and with a 21 minute connection time, you should be able to get there early enough to get your choice of seats. At Ghent, the connection time is tight, but there is a train to Bruges about every 15 minutes from there. Being late morning, it is not rush hour and the frequency of service indicates that it is unlikely the trains would be crowded.

Thank you Nigel and Sam! :)

I will have a large suitcase and a carry-on size duffel (that I'll put above my head in my seat). I have no clue what my husband plans to bring. It's several weeks long, so he will probably have a decent size suitcase or bag.

but about all that luggage - if there is any way to cut down it will be rewarded. 4 pieces - including two large ones - is a lot to hump, train or no train - and will hinder you. Doing laundry every week or 10 days can really help....

there are threads all over these Forums about packing light, and a whole Forum dedicated to packing...worth a read through

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing

You're wasting your breath LOL. My suitcase won't be the largest one I have, but it won't be a carry-on size. My husband will not be bringing his largest suitcase either. I've watched plenty of videos of people who are able to do the carry-on for long trips, and it's just not something I'm willing to do. Not for the items I bring when I travel. Too high maintenance I guess? Not to mention, I need room for items we may purchase along the way. My second piece of luggage is a personal-size bag that is easy to carry. If my husband has a second bag, his will be a small crossbody type thing. We won't have four suitcases or anything like that. We're not THAT bad. LOL