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Bruxelles / Brussels to Amsterdam by train
How to take a rail journey from Bruxelles/Brussels to Amsterdam
There is a choice between two services when taking a train from Bruxelles/Brussels to Amsterdam:
1: The Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains are faster as they exploit the maximum speed of the high speed route from Antwerp to the suburbs of Amsterdam; and when the most heavily discounted tickets are still available, they can be cheaper too!
However, they only depart from Bruxelles-Midi/Brussel-Zuid station.
Though when comparing the journey times factor in the need to pass through the security checks when accessing the trains.
2: The IC trains are slower because they divert off the direct route and also can't match the speed of the Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains on the high speed lines that they share.
However, they're usually the cheaper option and if you will be buying tickets last minute at the station, they are money savers.
They also depart from Bruxelles-Central and Bruxelles-Nord stations in addition to Bruxelles-Midi.
If you'll be heading to Amsterdam from Bruxelles-Nord, and take a Thalys train, you will need factor in an additional 30 mins from boarding a train to Bruxelles-Midi at Bruxelles-Nord; and then making the transfer at Bruxelles-Midi.
If you will be travelling with Eurail or InterRail passes ignore the Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains.
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Routes
Option 1: taking the Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains
Journey Summary
1hr 50 mins - 1hr 55 mins
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Amsterdam Centraal/CS
All trains also call at: Rotterdam and Schiphol
There can be gaps of up to two hours between departures, particularly in the middle of the day.
On Sundays the first departure of the day is usually at 09:52.
Aim to be at Bruxelles Midi/Zuid station a minimum of 10 - 15 mins before your train is due to depart.
You will have to pass through security checks before boarding this Eurostar (formerly Thalys) train and queues can build up at busy times.
These Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains do not call at Bruxelles Central or Bruxelles Nord - but the alternative (slower) InterCity Brussels trains do call at those stations.
Monday - Thursday = 12 x trains per day
Friday = 13 x trains
Saturday = 7 x trains
Sunday = 12 x trains
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: 4 months ahead of the travel date
The limited numbers of cheapest discounted tickets for the Thalys trains are typically cheaper than the fares charged on the alternative slower InterCity Brussels trains.
When the cheapest Thalys tickets have sold out you can save money by taking those InterCity trains.
Eurostar (formerly Thalys) ticket terms summary:
'Tickets for travel in Standard and Comfort Class can be can exchanged without paying an exchange fee, as long as tickets are exchanged 7 days or more before the departure time of their individual journey.
Though if the new ticket option is more expensive the difference in price will need to be paid, but if it is cheaper the price difference won't be refunded.
But make the exchange within 7 days of the individual journey and an admin fee of €15 will need to be paid, along with the price difference
Though tickets can be refunded up until 7 days before departure, but are non refundable in the 7 days before departure.
So note that the cheaper tickets to travel by the Thalys trains can be refunded (up until 7 days), but the cheaper tickets for the ICE trains can't.
Tickets for travel in Premium Class are exchangeable without payment of an admin fee up to the departure time, but price difference between the old and new tickets will need to be paid.
Premium Class tickets can up refunded until one hour after the departure time'.
Using rail passes:
If you will be travelling with a rail pass, you can avoid the rail pass reservation fees charged on these Thalys trains by taking the InterCity Brussels trains instead.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| B-Europe | * | |
| NS Intl | * | |
| Trainline | * | |
| Omio | * | |
| Save A Train | * | |
| Happy rail | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
The train won't be travelling on a high speed line for the first part of the journey as far as Antwerp.
The fastest part of the route is when the train should travel at more than 275 km/h on the high speed line between Antwerp and Rotterdam.
On departure from Rotterdam the train will take another high speed line for most of the journey on to Schiphol Airport.
It may not be a huge surprise to discover this train ride is not on our most scenic express train journeys in Europe list, but there are two moments to look out for:
(1) Around 10 - 15 mins after departing from Antwerp, the train will race across a series of bridges over the estuary of the River Rhine, near to where it enters the North Sea.
(2) When the train nears the end of the high speed line north of Rotterdam, look out for the distant views of the windmills.
Option 2: taking the Intercity trains
Journey Summary
2hr 54min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Amsterdam Centraal/CS
All trains also call at: Bruxelles-Central; Bruxelles-Nord; Bruxelles Airport; Antwerpen; Breda; Rotterdam and Schiphol
Connect in Breda if you're heading to Den Bosch, Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Arnhem; travelling via Breda to these destinations will typically be quicker than taking a Thalys train to Rotterdam or Amsterdam and making the connections there.
Departing from Bruxelles/Brussels:
Note that these InterCity Brussels trains call at Bruxelles-Central station; the most convenient station for the city centre, as well as at Bruxelles-Nord.
However, the Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains, trains do not call at these other stations in central Bruxelles/Brussels, they only depart from Bruxelles-Midi.
In some hours during the day these IC trains are the only direct trains departing Bruxelles for Amsterdam.
1 x train per hour
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings open: 6 months ahead of the travel date.
There are two choices of train service between Bruxelles/Brussels and Amsterdam
(1) These Intercity Brussels/IC Brussels trains
(2) The high speed Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains
Note that if you are looking up this journey more than 4 months ahead, only the tickets for this Intercity Brussels service will be on sale.
These Intercity Brussels trains are slower than the Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains, but typically cheaper; though if you're booking more than a couple of weeks ahead, the price difference between the two services can be less than €5.
However, when the discounted tickets for the Thalys trains are sold out, these InterCity Brussels trains are the cheapest option
So, if you will be booking tickets on your day of travel -these InterCity trains will be (much) cheaper than the Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains.
Though your ticket will only be valid on the IC trains, if there is a delay to the IC services, or if the next IC train to leave is cancelled, you cannot then just take a Thalys train instead.
Booking tickets online:
If you want to take one of these DIRECT InterCity trains - look for the trains that have '0' changes and only 'IC Brussels' shown by the journey.
Also IF you are offered a choice of route, then choose the option 'via BREDA'.
Note that seat reservations are not available on these 'IC Brussels' trains.
Using rail passes:
Taking these IC Brussels trains is a good option for rail pass users because you can avoid the rail pass reservation fees charged on the Thalys trains.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| NS Intl | * | |
| B-Europe | * | |
| Omio | * | |
| Save A Train | * | |
| Happy rail | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains reverse direction on departure from Breda.
The new ICNG trains are being gradually introduced to this route.
These 'Intercity Brussels' trains now use the more direct Dutch 'high speed' line between Breda and Schiphol Airport - so they're now around 45 mins faster than previously.
Therefore these trains no longer call at Den Haag/The Hague.
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