Need Help with Timing on Trip to Brugge, Belgium

Belgium has regions like Flanders where Dutch is primarily spoken (Brugge) and Wallonie where they speak French (Bruges); that is why you will see the city or train station names spelled in both. Brussels is spelled Bruxelles in French.

I would not bother with a car ferry if you are just going for 2 days. The Eurostar train will get you from London St Pancras to Brussels in 1 hour 20 minutes . Then you take the train from there in a half hour. But if you do take the ferry you want Dover to Callais, France and then drive from there.
https://www.poferries.com/en/routes/dover-to-calais/travel-information/travelling-with-a-car

Given the time and effort required to get to Bruges (or Brugge- both are correct) from Reading, spending the night should be the only option. And given the frequency of trains that connect Brussels and Bruges, I would suggest staying in Bruges, since seeing that city is the purpose of your trip. However at this late date, hotels may be easier to find in Brussels.

Taking a car/ferry may be problematic. Many car rental companies don't allow their cars on ferries. And then there's the complication of driving a British car on the opposite side of the road in Europe. The driver will need an IDP to drive through France to Belgium. And then there's the possibility of a rough crossing - not unheard of. Bring dramamine JIC

Taking the train will require multiple changes- Reading to Paddington station. Underground, taxi, or bus to St Pancras station. Eurostar to Brussels. Regional train to Bruges. Because you are booking late, the Eurostar portions will be expensive.

The two languages are confusing, aren't they :) . In WWI many of the foreign soldiers who fought in the area had French as their second language so got to know Brugge as Bruges (French name). This is how the name Bruges became the 'English' name for this part of the world even though the city is in Flanders. There the name is Brugge. I don't have a Rick Steves guidebook but I believe he calls the city 'Brugge', which is probably more correct, from the Flemish point of view anyway. But all the train timetables in English, maps in English, etc will all have Bruges.

You say Brugge 'Bruh-ha' and Bruges 'Broozh', if you were wondering.

I would probably spend a night in Brugge/Bruges for reasons of tourism, but you will have to come through Brussels anyway as the Eurostar's terminus is Brussels, and that is more convenient for access. With only two days, though, I'd put all my eggs in the Brugge basket and remain there. Shame as you will miss the Grand' Place, but maybe you can come back and do Belgium more thoroughly. It's Europe's best-kept secret!

Lavandula

Another vote for taking the trains to Bruges ( or “Broo- guh” as my Flemish friends insist is the correct name of this amazing city). It was built centuries before the automobile was invented and so parking is problematic with much of the city center pedestrianized.
Brugge/Bruges is visited by half of all visitors to Belgium. It’s simply a magical place— especially at night when its monuments are floodlit.
Have a great trip!

If you were going by ferry you would go from Dover to Dunkirk (or Dunkerque!!) , on DFDS, as the former routes to both Zeebrugge and Ostend are now closed.

if you were going by ferry you could take DFDS to Dunkirk, but it is slower than to Calais and you are limited to one company. You don't gain a great deal of time shortening the drive to Bruges relative to the drive from Calais when you consider the slower crossing.

If going from Dover to Calais you have the choice of DFDS on the Calais route, and P&O and Irish Ferries.

Personally I prefer Irish on that route and use it several times a year.

But since your time is short I'd pay a bit more and use Le Shuttle, the new name for the car train through the Channel Tunnel. When the money works I much prefer the Shuttle from Folkestone over the ferries due to less hassle, Folkestone closer than Dover, and much faster crossing time all in.

You can get a 3 day or 5 day Short Break and save considerable money over a standard fare on both the ferries and the Shuttle.

But coming from Reading, M4 to M25 to M26 to M20 (with the added bonus of the hassle of Operation Brock on the M20, a consequence of Brexit), the insurance you will need, the difficulty of the rental possibly not being allowed on the crossing and needing the original car papers to enter France, mandatory IDP, driving on the wrong side in France and Belgium, and the diabolical narrow cobblestone streets in Bruges (many one-way or dead end) with lots of strict parking regulations, the hands down winner is the Eurostar train to Brussels from St Pancras International in London, and a quick and easy change to the train to Bruges. If you are Senior the already cheap Belgian train fares are even cheaper.

I would definitely suggest going by Eurostar train. Much faster, much easier.

Just to add a caution about this trip? I wouldn't do it on a Monday when many of Brugge's better indoor attractions are closed. Yes, you need to stay overnight to make the time/expense of getting there worth your while, and 2 nights would be best to be able to give it 1 full day. It's sort of a shame that you can't add enough time for a day in Ghent too; just 1/2 hour or so by rail from Brugge.

It's sort of a shame that you can't add enough time for a day in Ghent too; just 1/2 hour or so by rail from Brugge.

I agree with Kathy. I loved Ghent and spent several days there about 7 years ago. It has a wonderful vibe and is a lovely place to stay and envelop yourself in Belgium. Bruges is certainly worth a visit but it can be very crowded with tourists (especially this time of year). I don't like crowds, so I was happy to stay in Ghent. It was a wonderful place to base myself, and I really enjoyed walking around in the evening, eating at the various restaurants and watching the people out for evening strolls.