From Belgium to Amsterdam

RasTa

has anyone flown into brussels (charleoi) sp? airport then got on the train to Amsterdam and if so how much was it?
i ask because its about 120 euros cheaper to fly into brussels with ryanair then to go straight to amsterdamm with aer lingus

therecklessone

I travelled from Amsterdam to Paris, train stops in Brussels on the way. It was 2 years ago, and I paid something like £50 (I think), and the journey from Amsterdam to Brussels took 3 hours. Very comfortable it was and all.

Wook

charleroi is very inconvenient place to land at.
you need to take the bus from this airstrip to brussels and they drop you somwhere in front of an Irish pub, then locate to metro to go and find the train station, look for brussels central.
only then you can start your journey to Amsterdam.

acid

have a look at http://www.b-rail.be/ for timetables and pricing. You can also book your tickets online.

podgeen

i made the trip you are suggesting in februrary.
10 of us got flights with ryanair for a total of 120e. which was amazing.
we got to charleroi and got the ryanair bus into brussels (this costs 10e). Previously the bus used to go the that irish pub but they've changed it now and it goes to gare central. where you can get metros or trains. so we got tickets for the train to amsterdam there, cost us about 35e each. they have a group discount but the student / under 26 was cheaper than the group discount so we didnt bother.

the day we were leaving we arrived at the spot where the bus was to pick us up with plenty of time to spare, the bus arrived late and there was not enough room on it for everyone. there was about 15 of us left. the bus driver said it was not his fault and he didnt care how we got there, and there would not be another bus. so we had to get a taxi out to charleroi, which cost 100e. we got there before the bus. it wasnt too bad, 25e each for an air conded merc.

RasTa

podgeen was that 35 for a return train ticket to amsterdam??
and do the trains come often.

podgeen

yeah 35e
think they are every half hour or every 45mins.

i know we had just missed a train when we got there and we thought we were going to have to wait ages and it was only half an hour or, basically we got our tickets and found the correct terminal thing and the train was there so we got our seats and it left sometime after that. they seem to be pretty efficient.

Shad0r

I've done that trip a couple of times now. Its easy.

It will take you longer but will work out cheaper. So the question is which is more important convenience or cost?

RasTa

Few last questions as were doing this in 2 weeks, when coming back from amsterdam were do you get that bus to the airport from and you can get the train to the dam from gare central ?
Also is it a long bus journey from the airport to the station

eos

I did that back in February of this year, cost me 50euro return fare and takes 3 hours. Your nearly better off flying straight to Amsterdam, for the sake of probably saving 30 or 40 euro its not worth traveling 3 hours there and 3 hours back

fisty

have done this trip many times except to rotterdam instead of amsterdam...
its easy, shouldn't cost you most than 150euro all inclusive if you book a week or two in advance off peak.

RasTa

Its booked anyway and for the sake of a 3 hour detour it might work out cheaper for the flights and the hotel than to just fly with aer lingus