Brussels to Amsterdam???

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to plan my honeymoon for this upcoming July. We expect to fly into Brussels and then take the train to Amsterdam. Can anyone tell me how difficult this may be? How long of a train ride? Cost? And most importantly, the name of the rail line. Here is our tentative agenda:

Fly into Brussels and immediately leave for Amsterdam

Amsterdam 2 nights

Bruges 2 nights

Paris 4 or 5 nights

Swiss Alps 5 nights (2 different towns)

Brussels 1 or 2 nights

Leave from Brussels

I would really appreciate any help and suggestions.

Thanks!

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I don%26#39;t know what you mean by the name of the rail line, you will be travelling with Belgian Railways (SNCB) on the line from Zaventem (Airport) to Amsterdam-Centraal, via Bruxelles-Nord. The train from the station below Brussels Airport reaches the Gare du Nord in 13 minutes and you will change there for the InterCity train to Amsterdam, which takes nearly 3 hours, e.g. dep. Brussels Airport 10:26 (train is to Nivelles) arr. Gare du Nord 10:39, dep. 10:49, arr. Amsterdam 13:38. You can look up times for your actual date of travel (using the exact station names given, i.e. Zaventem (Airport) and Amsterdam-Centraal) on http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/

Between Amsterdam and Brugge you have to change at Antwerpen-Berchem. Cost will depend on whether the train to Antwerp is Thalys or (recommended) InterCity.

From Brugge to Paris you have to go via Brussels (one hour), and make sure you get off at the Gare du MIDI (South Station) as only high-speed Thalys trains run between Brussels and Paris (1h20 minutes) and these only start from Gare du Midi (Brussels has 3 railway stations all in a line, South, Central and North). Assuming that you are returning to Paris from the Swiss Alps before returning to Brussels you will be able to buy one of the cheaper return tickets on Thalys, e.g. for €59 (see www.thalys.com).

Unfortunately you cannot get prices from the b-rail website for journeys not starting and ending in Belgium, although you can ask for these by e-mail, see http://www.b-rail.be/int/E/contact/

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