Amsterdam via Brussels

Flynn

Hey guys, i'm planning a trip to Amsterdam for new years. The thing is on the dates i want to go... flying into Eindhoven (ryanair) is looking for €220 return.

Flying into Brussles is coming in at €80 return. Now as you have to bus/train one hour + from Eindhoven to Amsterdam anyway i figured why not bus from Brussles for the extra hour+ and save 140?

Has anyone done similar? Good idea, bad idea? The return bus from Brussels to Amsterdam is coming in at €39 (not quite sure what eindhoven - amsterdam return is but thinkin maybe €30ish) so really this seems like a steal only thing is getting from airports to bus stations might be an awful pain in the arse/costly

Anybody done this? Thoughts?

zagmund

Or, you could fly to Amsterdam. Call me crazy, but I think it makes more sense to fly there than another random city and then spending hours getting to where you want to be.

I don't know your exact dates, but departing Friday and returning Tuesday (1st January) with Aer Lingus is showing €123 at the moment. That's possibly the cheapest you will ever see flights to Amsterdam as they aren't normally included in the Aer Lingus 'sales'.

z

Lennonist

I have travelled to The Hague via Charlesoi airport, Amsterdam would be another hour away from memory. The train service across Holland and Belguim is excellent.

Macha

How long does the bus from Brussels to Amsterdam take? The train is pretty cheap at €40 but takes about 2.5 hours. The faster train is more expensive (I think around €70) so judging from that, its probably best to just go straight to Amsterdam.

Flynn

zagmund wrote: »

Or, you could fly to Amsterdam. Call me crazy, but I think it makes more sense to fly there than another random city and then spending hours getting to where you want to be.

I don't know your exact dates, but departing Friday and returning Tuesday (1st January) with Aer Lingus is showing €123 at the moment. That's possibly the cheapest you will ever see flights to Amsterdam as they aren't normally included in the Aer Lingus 'sales'.

z

Ah you're a legend. I checked out Aer Lingus a few weeks back for the bank holiday weekend and they were twice the price of ryan air, just didn't even think to check then this time..
Cheers zagmund!

munchkin_utd

slight tangent, but it shows why Ryanair are so successful when someone is considering flying to the opposite end of an adjoining country and taking a 260km bus journey with a combined cost of 120 euros rather than go direct to the city airport 15km away with a different airline for pretty much exactly the same cost.

Multiply that by millions of people who never check the alternatives and you have a successful airline business !

EDIT: i see you did cross check so fair play. Many's a person gets blinded by the fare itsself and never considers the other fees and ground transport that means youre better off time and effort wise to go to the main airports for no major extra cost, if it is even as expensive .

Flynn

munchkin_utd wrote: »

slight tangent, but it shows why Ryanair are so successful when someone is considering flying to the opposite end of an adjoining country and taking a 260km bus journey with a combined cost of 120 euros rather than go direct to the city airport 15km away with a different airline for pretty much exactly the same cost.

Multiply that by millions of people who never check the alternatives and you have a successful airline business !

EDIT: i see you did cross check so fair play. Many's a person gets blinded by the fare itsself and never considers the other fees and ground transport that means youre better off time and effort wise to go to the main airports for no major extra cost, if it is even as expensive .

Yeah a fair point, but no, i thought I had exhausted all avenues, as a previous look into Aer Lingus ruled them out.. the current prices are however very reasonable, my fault for not re-checking them!

And also the brussels - amsterdam idea wasn't too far fetched considering Eindhoven (where Ryanair fly) is 123km form Amsterdam anyway while brussles is 205km so for the €140 saved for the sake of 80km (assuming aerlingus weren't flying into amsterdam at a reasonable price) it would be quite reasonable.


Anyway think im sorted now with aerlingus cheers for the replies guys.

Yamanoto

Flynn wrote: »

Anybody done this? Thoughts?

This may fall just outside your preferred dates, but high-speed train operator Thalys has reduced prices on the Brussels-Amsterdam route & fares can be had for €25. The offer is valid for travel 3rd January to 2nd March. Book by 3rd December 2012.

http://www.thalys.com/nl/en/offers-and-fares/end-of-year-deal-2012?xtor=AL-37&xtor=AL-37

zagmund wrote: »

Aer Lingus is showing €123 at the moment. That's possibly the cheapest you will ever see flights to Amsterdam as they aren't normally included in the Aer Lingus 'sales'.

I've often picked up Dublin-Schipol return for sub €100 & the route has featured quite prominently in their Summer & Autumn European sale fares for the last couple of years.

Fridays to Tuesdays currently available January-April for €100.99 with mid-week fares from €92 incl. taxes & fees.

zagmund

Yamanoto wrote: »

This may fall just outside your preferred dates, but high-speed train operator Thalys has reduced prices on the Brussels-Amsterdam route & fares can be had for €25. The offer is valid for travel 3rd January to 2nd March. Book by 3rd December 2012.

http://www.thalys.com/nl/en/offers-and-fares/end-of-year-deal-2012?xtor=AL-37&xtor=AL-37



I've often picked up Dublin-Schipol return for sub €100 & the route has featured quite prominently in their Summer & Autumn European sale fares for the last couple of years.

Fridays to Tuesdays currently available January-April for €100.99 with mid-week fares from €92 incl. taxes & fees.

Hmm, I must just have been unlucky when I checked before. I always found that the airport charges in Amsterdam meant that before I even got started with actual fares I was looking at a high enough price. Maybe I should check more often.

z

Yamanoto

You're right zagmund, NL taxes are more substantial but keep an eye as you say & you'll bag a decent fare.

Also worth noting Ryanair now operate a Dublin-Maastricht route

keithclancy

Also,

If your determined to go to Brussels:
http://www.holidaypirates.com/benelux/thalys-endofthe-year-deal-cologne-brussels-19-paris-amsterdam-25

25 each way at the moment from Brussels to Amsterdam.

Amsterdam has a direct train link with Dusseldorf also (Although the ICE is a bit more expensive)