The West European state of Belgium is relatively young when viewed from the point of view of an independent state. But the history of its phased formation originates long before the reckoning of a new era. At all times, this territory was part of a conquering state - like the Roman Empire, Spain, France, the Netherlands. Only in 1830, Belgium became an independent state.
Puppet Kingdom
Belgium is in the neighborhood of the Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxembourg and is washed by the waters of the North Sea. Numerous tourists from all over the world are attracted by the advantageous territorial location of Belgium, a large number of medieval architectural monuments, European cleanliness and comfort, a neat “puppet” look of this kingdom.
Tourists traveling to Belgium, it is advisable to visit not only its capital, but also the beautiful Belgian city of Bruges, located a short distance from Brussels. Consider all publicly available ways to get from Brussels to Bruges.
Brussels Air Gate - National Airport
Most guests enter the country through the air gate - Brussels National Airport, located in the small town of Zaventem (11 km from Brussels).
Getting to Brussels is very easy thanks to regular train routes. Every fifteen to twenty minutes (daily from 05:00 to 00:00), the train arrives directly to the airport building (on the "minus the first" floor).
In addition, there are a large number of bus routes. The bus station for city routes is also located within the terminal, on the ground floor. For the convenience of passengers, there is another bus route running to the capital through the Brucargo cargo terminal.
It remains to mention the most comfortable way to get around - a taxi. There are plenty of taxis located in the parking lots (at the exit from the airport).
For passengers whose final destination is not Bruges, but Bruges, the question arises of how to get from Brussels to Bruges. There are many options. It all depends on personal preferences, the amount of free time, financial opportunities and the purpose of the trip.
From the airport in Bruges
How to get from Brussels airport to Brugge? The services will be provided by the railway, motor transport companies, taxis and companies specializing in the provision of vehicles for hire. For this, there is no need to specifically go to Brussels.
Every half hour, various types of trains depart from the airport - the fast “IC” and the usual “P”. The difference in time spent on the journey is insignificant - twenty minutes, and in price - about 7-8 euros.
There is no direct bus route, but buses run from Zaventem flying from Germany, England or Holland to Brugge.
To Bruges from Brussels
A ridiculous, by Russian standards, distance separates the capital of Belgium from the large coastal city of Bruges. Approximately 95-110 km, depending on the chosen route - highway E40 or N9.
Bruges is a fabulously beautiful and unusual European city. Only 17 km separates this "Northern Venice" from the sea.
How to get from Brussels to Bruges? You can get from Brussels to Bruges by train or by bus, as well as in a comfortable rental car or in a taxi.
Preferences of tourists
The guests of the country give their preference to the rail service, considering this option the most convenient and optimal, based on the ratio of financial costs, comfort and time spent. How to get from Brussels to Bruges by train?
Brussels is served by three major stations:
- Brussel Nord;
- Brussel Central;
- Brussel Midi - Zuid.
A train to Bruges is marked on each of them, which is very convenient for passengers. There is no need to cross the entire city to catch the train.
Departure of passenger trains in Bruges occurs every twenty minutes. Travel time is about one hour.
With the purchase of tickets, difficulties also arise. You can buy them:
- at the box office of any railway station;
- in special terminals, which are equipped not only in the station premises themselves, but also outside them;
- on the site of the Belgian railway
At the box office, queues often accumulate; terminals in this case become an ideal option. Purchasing a ticket on the official website is not always convenient. It is necessary to print out a personalized ticket first and only then present it to the controller together with an identity document (driver’s license, passport, etc.).
The ticket price ranges from 5 to 20 euros (depending on the type of train and passenger class).
There is another way to purchase a ticket - "last minute". Late passengers can buy a ticket in the train car from the controller. Be sure to inform the conductor when landing to avoid penalties.
Bus routes Brussels - Bruges
How to get from Brussels to Bruges by bus? There will be no problems finding a suitable flight, given that for the infrequent direct routes from Brussels to Bruges, you can add passing buses for intercity and international traffic.
But, frankly, the bus following this route is far from a competitor to the train:
- significant time intervals between flights;
- it is necessary to specially get to the bus station, since the bus (unlike the train) does not run throughout the Belgian capital in order to “pick up” those who want to go to Bruges;
- buses are less comfortable, much slower due to frequent traffic jams;
- Intercity and international buses do not enter Bruges itself; they park in the southern part of the city in specially equipped parking lots.
The way is expensive but comfortable
How else can I get from Brussels to Bruges? Lovers of comfortable movement can be advised by a taxi. The only but obvious minus of such a trip is the cost. Belgium has many first-class, high-quality services that are attractive due to their relative cheapness compared to Germany or France. Unfortunately, taxis are not among them. The price bar begins to creep upwards from two hundred euros.
But there is a great opportunity to see the equally attractive Ghent, a city located approximately in the middle of the path, if you move along the N9 highway. Maldegem will not stand aside. Both motorways (E-40 and N9) are laid almost parallel and are located at a small distance from each other. Is it worth talking about the quality of the road surface? Like everything else, the roads in this "puppet" kingdom are impeccable. "A dream of a motorist", to put it another way.
Along the tracks there are a large number of gas stations, shops and cafes. It’s definitely not going to be boring on the road.
You can rent a car. But in this case, it will become a real burden for tourists. In Bruges, especially in the area of the "old city", you can face a serious problem when finding a convenient parking for a car.
To get from Brussels to Bruges cheap and with comfort, it’s best to do it by train.