 Amsterdam to Bruges by train - with a coffee or beer at the railway cathedral that is Antwerp Central
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Amsterdam to Bruges from €31.50, www.nsinternational.nl
You can travel from Amsterdam to Bruges by train in as little as 2h46 with departures every hour or so. Train is the safe & comfortable way to go! If you're going in the other direction (Bruges to Amsterdam), click here.
How to check times & buy tickets
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Buy tickets & check times at www.nsinternational.nl.
This is the official Dutch Railways international website, there is no mark-up or booking fee, it accepts international credit cards so you can use it wherever you live.
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But don't just pick a departure at random from the search results.
Some departures have 1 change of train, others 2. Some use all-reserved-seat high-speed Eurostar (formerly Thalys) trains, other lower-speed unreserved IC (Intercity) trains, some go via Antwerp, others via Brussels. This page explains the options, including my recommended option with just one unhurried change of train with a coffee or beer at the lovely Antwerp Central.
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You print your own ticket (A4 paper, US Letter size is fine) or download the NS International app, load your e-ticket & show it on your phone.
The 5 options
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Each of these options has departures every hour or two through the day, every day of the week:
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Option 1, Amsterdam to Antwerp by high-speed Eurostar (formerly Thalys), Antwerp to Ghent by IC train, Ghent to Bruges by IC train. Fastest, 2h46, 2 changes. Shown as Eurostar > IC > IC.
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Option 2, Amsterdam to Antwerp by Intercity (IC) train, Antwerp to Ghent by IC train, Ghent to Bruges by IC train. Takes 3h33, 2 changes. Shown as IC Brussel > IC > IC.
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Option 3, Amsterdam to Brussels by high-speed Eurostar (formerly Thalys), Brussels to Bruges by IC train. Takes 3h11, but only 1 change. Shown as Eurostar > IC.
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Option 4, Amsterdam to Brussels by IC train, Brussels to Bruges by IC train. Takes 4h08, but only 1 change.
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Option 5, the way I recommend, but not directly shown: Take a high-speed Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Amsterdam to Antwerp, have a coffee & look round one of Europe's most beautiful stations, then take the hourly direct IC train from Antwerp to Bruges instead of taking the earlier hourly change-at-Ghent departure. 3h20 with only 1 change. You buy a ticket for option 1, but make use of the flexibility in the Antwerp-Bruges part of the fare to take the later hourly direct Antwerp-Bruges train instead of the earlier hourly departure with a change in Ghent. Not rocket science!
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From 15 December 2024, things will change when the new EuroCity Direct service replaces the Amsterdam-Brussels Intercity trains, this page will be updated closer to the time.
Which should you choose?
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Antwerp is a much nicer place to change trains than Brussels Midi
Antwerp Central station is one of Europe's most beautiful stations and a much nicer place than the dingy Brussels Midi. Trust me on this! Options via Antwerp appear to involve two changes of train, but it can be done with just one easy change in Antwerp as I explain below.
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If you want speed & comfort & are willing to book ahead & commit, go for high-speed Eurostar
Options 1, 3 & 5 involve a Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train. Eurostar is fast & comfortable and you get a reserved seat, but you must book in advance and commit to a specific departure, limited or no refunds or changes. Affordable in advance, expensive at short-notice.
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If you want to stay flexible or book at short notice, use the hourly Intercity train from Amsterdam
Options 2 & 4 use IC trains all the way. IC trains are not as comfy as Eurostar (formerly Thalys) and take longer, but you don't have to nail your plans to the floor months in advance, it's affordable even if you buy on the day. The InterCity (IC) trains need no seat reservations, they can't sell out. The full-flex tickets are good for any train that day, not just the one you select when booking - although the cheaper advance-purchase fares now tie you to a specific cross-border train. You sit anywhere you like.
Which option do I recommend?
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Option 5!
Travel from Amsterdam to Antwerp by fast & comfortable Eurostar (formerly Thalys), step off at the beautiful Antwerp Central station.
The Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from Amsterdam arrives on platform 23 on the lowest level. Trains from Antwerp to Bruges leave from platforms 1-6 on the upper level, reached up escalators or lifts. See the photos of Antwerp station below.
IC (intercity) trains run from Antwerp to Bruges twice each hour. One departure per hour is direct from Antwerp to Bruges with no changes, the other requires a 6-minute change in Ghent.
Now for the clever bit: Journey planners always suggest the fastest option, a rushed 7-minute connection into the IC train to Ghent then another rushed 6-minute change into another IC train to Bruges. Your ticket is good for any train that day on the Antwerp-Bruges section so I suggest you ignore that rushed connection, have a coffee or beer and look round one of Europe's most beautiful stations, then take the direct IC train to Bruges half an hour later. This is a variation on Option 1 which I'm calling Option 5. Not rocket science!
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Go to www.nsinternational.nl and buy a ticket from Amsterdam to Bruges with 2 changes via Antwerp, marked Eurostar > IC > IC.
On the Amsterdam to Antwerp section it's only good for the specific Eurostar (formerly Thalys) you book and you'll get reserved seats. From Antwerp to Bruges it's an open ticket good for any IC train that day, not just the trains shown in the journey planner.
Simply check the time of a direct Antwerp to Bruges train by running an Antwerp Central to Bruges enquiry at www.nsinternational.nl. No reservation is necessary or even possible on Belgian IC trains, hop on your chosen departure and sit where you like, always plenty of seats.
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For a coffee or beer, go to the lovely Royal Cafe (www.brasserieroyal.be) in Antwerp Central's main hall, a stone's throw from the platform used by the trains to Bruges. In fact, I'd have some cake as well and catch the following hour's Antwerp-Bruges IC train, as your ticket allows you to hop on any train you like to Bruges and direct trains run every hour. Why not explore Antwerp old town for a few hours and catch an even later train? The city hall is a 21 minute walk from the station, see map of Antwerp & directions.
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See the Amsterdam Central station guide for good places to have a coffee or beer whilst waiting for your train in Amsterdam.
How much does it cost?
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Options 1, 3 & 5 involve Eurostar (formerly Thalys) so have airline-style pricing. Fares start at €36 in 2nd class or €78 in 1st class.
These rise to much more expensive prices close to departure.
Tickets are only good for the specific Eurostar you book, but can be used on any connecting IC train that day.
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Options 2 & 4 have a regular fixed price with unlimited availability, €68.10 in 2nd class or €109.50 in 1st class.
If you book in advance, Early Bird fares start at €31.50 in 2nd class €48.50 in 1st class.
Full-flex IC tickets are good for any train that day, not just the one you select when you book.
Advance-purchase Early Bird fares are only good for the specific international IC train you choose, but good for any connecting domestic train.
Route map
What are the trains like?
1. Amsterdam to Antwerp or Brussels by Eurostar (formerly Thalys) high-speed train.
These trains travel at up to 300km/h (186 mph). They are air-conditioned and carpeted, with free WiFi, power sockets at all seats & a cafe-bar, see more about Eurostar (formerly Thalys). However, a ticket for a Eurostar commits you to a specific train, with a seat reservation automatically included. The cheaper tickets mean no refunds and no changes to travel plans. Thalys fares are cheap if you book in advance, but expensive if you buy on or near your departure date.
A Eurostar at Brussels Midi. More about Eurostar (formerly Thalys).
...or by Intercity (IC) train
The Amsterdam-Antwerp-Brussels IC trains are comfortable enough, though not as comfy as Eurostar and there's no WiFi or catering so bring your own food & drink. There are no seat reservations, you sit where you like. There are power sockets in 1st class, but not in 2nd. These IC trains now use the high-speed line between Amsterdam & Antwerp, but only at up to 160 km/h (100 mph) and they make more stops so they're slower than Eurostar. But they're much more flexible as tickets are good for any IC train that day (miss one, catch the next one!) and you can stop off to see Antwerp or Rotterdam for a few hours if you like. Tickets are affordable even on the day and the regular fare cannot sell out, so there's no need to nail your plans to the floor months in advance as with Eurostar.
2. Antwerp or Brussels to Bruges by Belgian Intercity (IC) train...
1st & 2nd class with air-conditioning, luggage racks, toilets. There's no catering on board, so bring your own supplies.
Tips for changing trains in Antwerp
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If you buy an Amsterdam-Bruges ticket for options 1 or 3 including my recommended option 5, you change trains in Antwerp. Antwerp Central is one of Europe's most beautiful stations, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antwerpen-Centraal_railway_station. It's a shining example of how to combine a historic station with extra platforms, extra retail and new high-speed tracks running underground.
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Antwerp central was originally a terminus with one level of dead-end tracks, now platforms 1-4 located one floor above street level. It now has a retail level below (at street level), then a second lower level of platforms (11-14), another mezzanine floor and then a third and lowest level of platforms (21-24) which are on the lines running across Antwerp underground. When these lines were built it avoided the need for Amsterdam - Brussels - Paris trains to reverse (change direction) in Antwerp's dead-end platforms. A huge atrium brings natural light right down to the lowest platforms, with lifts and escalators linking all the levels.
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The train from Amsterdam to Antwerp arrives on platform 22 on the lowest level, underground. The onward train to Bruges will leave from the original above-ground terminus level, platforms 1-6. A few minutes between trains is sufficient, as all you're doing is stepping off one train, walk to the other and step on. But it's really worth taking the time to have a look around, your ticket is good for any onward IC train between Antwerp & Bruges that day, not just the one that was shown when you booked!
Royal Cafe, Antwerp Central
The cafe is inside the station and can be accessed from the main hall. There's a bar, or table service for coffee, beer & snacks. See www.brasserieroyal.be.
Tips for changing trains in Brussels: See Brussels Midi station guide.
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If you book a ticket for options 2 or 4 via Brussels, your ticket will be good for any IC train from Brussels to Bruges that day, not just the one the booking system suggests (which will no doubt involve a tight connection in Brussels). So by all means take a later one and have a less hurried connection, or even spend a few hours exploring Brussels if you like. However, if you are using Eurostar (formerly Thalys) your ticket is only good for the specific train you book on the Amsterdam to Brussels part of the journey. If you're using an IC train from Amsterdam to Brussels, it's also good for any IC train that day.
Recommended hotel in Bruges
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In Bruges, if you can afford it and for somewhere really special, try the Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce, a luxurious and romantic boutique-style hotel in a fabulous location on the canal and within easy walking distance of all the sights.