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Transportation from Amsterdam to Ghent/Brugge

Posted by (Aurora, IL, USA) on

My husband and I will be in Amsterdam from 4/4 - 4/11. On 4/11 we are planning on heading to Ghent/Brugge. We have no preference as to which first. We are going to be on a tight budget and want to find the best low cost way to make the trip. We could spend from 4/11 - 4/14 in the area. Any suggestions for an economical way to make the trip?

Day trip is not my first choice, but, if we decided to go that route, do any spend time in Brugge where my husband can see the Adoration of the Lamb without being rushed? (We have a copy of the center panel hanging in our living room and I HAVE to find a way to get him there to see it in person!)

Thanks!

Posted by
4555 posts

Lowest cost way to make the trip is via train. There are several/day Amsterdam-Bruges, usually taking 3:30 to 3:45. Cost is 42 Euro pp. Purchase your tickets when you arrive in Amsterdam. You can check schedules, etc at Belgian railways, www.b-rail.be/main/E . Avoid any train marked THA...that's the Thalys fast train to Brussels, and it'll be much more expensive without saving any time. There are several trains/hour from Bruges to Gent...it's only a 25 minute "commuter" ride.

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you.
Any other tips or suggestions would be welcome. We are very anxious to experience not only "tourist" Amsterdam and Belgium but to meet the people.

Posted by
3551 posts

Yes train works well. However I was disappointed re Ghent.My advise would be skip Ghent and truely immerse yourself in Brugge. It is Terrific.

Posted by
4 posts

JS -

Thank you for your input. However, skipping Ghent is not an option as that is the location of the Ghent Alterpiece and the reason for the side trip! When you have a copy of one panel in your living room and an opportunity to see the original, you simply don't pass that up.

Posted by
12040 posts

Rail costs within Belgium are extremely cheap by western European standards. I forget the exact sums, but I recall paying as little as 7 euro per trip.

If you want to connect with the Flemish, try exploring outside the tourist core of Bruge, particularly on the west side of town.

Posted by
505 posts

To give you an idea of prices:

Brussels Airport to Antwerp - 7 Euros
Antwerp to Brugge - 12 Euros

Definitely explore around Brugge - even with all the Easter tourists here today, I was able to find lots of very quiet streets to walk down. There's a great lace shop out at Balstraat 11, just down from the lace museum. All handmade, and much better quality that the touristy shops in the city centre.

Hope you have better weather - it's snowing right now and it's pretty, but slushy.

Kate

Posted by
4 posts

Thank you for your replies. We have now decided to expand our Belgium stay. We will be spending at least two days on WWI sites. If you have any recomendations, please do not hesitate to offer them. We will, of course, see Flander's Field but we are open to other suggestions.

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