How to get to Bruges from Antwerpen?

What is the easiest and cheapest way to make a one day trip from Antwerpen, using a train or a bus?

I found rt train ticket on raileurope.com for $64. That seems too much, maybe there is a regional train or a bus?

Any sites with schedules would be great. Any info on:

- bus number?

- travel time and cost?

- station close to Antwerp port?

- station to get off in Bruges?

Thanks in advance

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The normal way of travelling between cities in Belgium is by train, buses being generally limited to cities and their suburbs. If you look in previous questions you will find many, many references to the Belgian Railways timetable website, http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/. Amboseli might like to comment on the nearest station to the port (although if you mean for cruiseships, I have dealt with this in a previous question also!) but in any case you can get from anywhere in Antwerp to Antwerpen-Centraal by tram or bus.

The normal 2nd class return fare from Antwerp to Brugge is €25.20 (half price at weekends), no need to buy in advance just turn up and buy it at the station. When looking at convenient trains in the train timetable make sure to select IC (InterCity) or R (regional) trains and not the Thalys (THA) which has to be booked in advance. I suspect that the raileurope fare is based on Thalys to Brussels and InterCity from there to Brugge, but it is not necessary and indeed not recommended to go this way, there are direct intercity trains from Antwerpen-Centraal to Brugge (destination Ostende, at 40 minutes past each hour on weekdays) or you can change in Gent, it makes little difference to the journey time which is about 1h20.

The station for Brugge is Brugge and not Brugge St.Pieters, the B-rail site will ask you to confirm Brugge (B) (the B means Belgian Railways).

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Thanks for the great info!

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