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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 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 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 Thalys trains.
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Routes
Option 1: taking the 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.
At weekends 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 Thalys train and queues can build up at busy times.
These 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 = 6 x trains
Sunday = 9 x trains
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings 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.
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 | from €25 | |
| NS Intl | from €25 | |
| Trainline | from €25 | |
| Omio | from €25 | |
| Save A Train | from €25 | |
| Happy rail | from €25 |
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 Thalys trains, trains do not call at these other stations in central Bruxelles/Brussels, they only depart from Bruxelles-Midi.
13 x trains per day
This 'Intercity Brussels' service is no longer hourly direct to Amsterdam.
The 06:45; 10:45 and 13:45 departures from Bruxelles-Midi now head for Den Haag.
So if you need to depart from Bruxelles/Brussels at those times by these InterCity trains, you will have to make a straightforward connection in Rotterdam in order to reach Amsterdam.
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 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 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 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 | from €25 | |
| B-Europe | from €25 | |
| Omio | from €25 | |
| Save A Train | from €25 | |
| Happy rail | from €25 |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
These trains reverse direction on departure from Breda.
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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