 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 €22.30
It's easy to travel from Amsterdam to Bruges (or vice versa) by train in as little as 2h51 with departures every hour or better. But there are several different options, this page explains them.
How to buy tickets
Buy tickets at www.nsinternational.nl.
This is the official Dutch Railways international website, with no booking fee.
Fares vary like air fares, it's cheaper if you book ahead. You print your own ticket or download the NS International app and can show it on your phone.
However, you'll see a bewildering list of 1-change and 2-change options in the search results. Here's how to make sense of them, and which option you should choose.
Understanding the options
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Which station in Amsterdam?
Amsterdam Centraal is in the heart of Amsterdam, a beautiful historic station walking distance from all the sights.
Amsterdam Zuid is (frankly) a bit of a dump in the financial district, on the A10 ring road, a metro ride from anywhere most visitors would want to be.
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Which type of train?
Eurostar (formerly Thalys) is a 300 km/h (186 mph) high-speed train. Fastest and most comfortable, all tickets come with a reserved seat, and they leave from the convenient Amsterdam Centraal.
On the other hand, Eurostars only run every 1 or 2 hours (not every hour) and they have airline-style pricing that commits you to a specific departure with limited or no changes. Expensive at short notice.
Eurocity Direct trains are 200 km/h (125 mph) inter-urban trains, cheaper than Eurostar and only slightly slower with a departure every hour. There are no reserved seats, you sit where you like. If you need flexibility you can buy a full-flex ticket which lets you hop on any departure that day.
On the other hand, Eurocity Directs use the less-convenient Amsterdam Zuid so you either need to take the metro to/from Zuid OR leave from Amsterdam Centraal on a Dutch domestic train and change onto the ECD at Schiphol.
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Change in Antwerp or change in Brussels?
You only need to change trains once (whatever the system initially says), at either Antwerp Central or Brussels Midi.
Antwerp Central is one of the world's most beautiful stations. Brussels Midi, it's fair to say, isn't. Antwerp Central is a far, far nicer place to change trains, trust me on this. It's an attraction in its own right as I shall explain in a minute.
Recommended journey Amsterdam ► Bruges
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If you're happy committing in advance to a specific departure:
I recommend taking a fast & comfortable Eurostar (formerly Thalys) from the convenient Amsterdam Centraal to the lovely Antwerp Central, then taking a Belgian Intercity train to Bruges. This ticks all the boxes!
At nsinternational.nl, pick a journey shown in the search results as Eurostar, IC, IC.
If you click on Route details, it'll show changes at Antwerpen Centraal & Ghent-St-Pieters, but you won't need to change in Ghent, as I'll explain.
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If you want a cheaper price or need flexibility:
Take a Eurocity Direct (ECD) to Antwerp Central, then take a Belgian Intercity train to Bruges.
With Eurocity Direct, you can either buy a cheap ticket for a specific departure, or you can buy a full-flex fare which allows you to take any ECD departure you like that day, no reservation necessary or possible.
However, you'll need to decide whether to take the metro to Amsterdam Zuid and board the ECD there, or take any Dutch domestic train from Amsterdam Centraal to Schiphol airport station and pick up the ECD there.
Run an enquiry at nsinternational.nl:
To leave from Amsterdam Zuid, pick a journey marked EuroCity Direct, IC, IC.
To leave from Amsterdam Centraal, pick a journey marked SPR, EuroCity Direct, IC, IC.
If you click on Route details, it'll show changes at Antwerpen Centraal & Ghent-St-Pieters and will confirm the station in Amsterdam. But you won't need to change in Ghent, as I explain below.
Incidentally, if you choose SPR, EuroCity Direct, IC, IC you don't have to use the specific Sprinter train shown from Amsterdam Centraal to Schiphol, you can use any Dutch domestic train including Dutch Intercity (IC) and Sprinter (SPR) trains. It's an open ticket for this bit, trains leave every 10 minutes or so and leaving on an earlier train would be no bad thing.
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But you don't need to change in Ghent: Now for the science bit!
Whether you choose Eurostar or Eurocity direct, the journey planner tells you to make a tight 6-minute connection in Antwerp and another 6-minute connection in Ghent. You don't need to do this!
Even if your ticket commits you to a specific Eurostar or Eurocity Direct departure between Amsterdam & Antwerp, it's an open ticket from Antwerp to Bruges, good for any train that day. No seat reservations are necessary or possible on Belgian trains between Antwerp & Bruges.
So forget that tight connection to Ghent, relax, take your time, have a look round the beautiful Antwerp Central and perhaps have a coffee or beer in the Royal Cafe (www.brasserieroyal.be) in Antwerp Central's main hall, a stone's throw from the platform used by the trains to Bruges.
Around 36 minutes after your arrival in Antwerp there's a direct Intercity (IC) to Bruges with no need to change in Ghent. Sound like a plan?
Or have some cake as well, and catch the one an hour after that. Or stop off for a few hours and have a wander round Antwerp, direct trains to Bruges leave Antwerp every hour at the same minutes past each hour and your ticket is good for any train the rest of the day. Got it? Great!
Recommended journey Bruges ► Amsterdam
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If you're happy committing in advance to a specific departure
I recommend taking a Belgian Intercity train from Bruges to the lovely Antwerp Central, then a fast & comfortable Eurostar (formerly Thalys) to the convenient Amsterdam Centraal. This ticks all the boxes!
At nsinternational.nl, look in the search results for a journey marked IC, IC, Eurostar.
Click on Route details, it will show changes at Ghent-St-Pieters & Antwerpen Centraal (but you won't have to change in Ghent, as I'll explain).
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If you want a cheaper price or need flexibility
Take a Belgian Intercity train from Bruges to Antwerp Central, then the fast hourly Eurocity Direct (ECD) to Amsterdam.
You can buy a cheap ticket committing you to a specific ECD departure, or a full-flex ticket which allows you to take any departure you like that day, no reservation necessary or possible.
You'll need to decide whether to take the ECD to Amsterdam Zuid then ride the metro to downtown Amsterdam, or change at Schiphol airport station into a frequent Dutch domestic train to Amsterdam Centraal.
Run an enquiry at nsinternational.nl:
To go to Amsterdam Zuid, look for a journey marked IC, IC, EuroCity Direct.
To go to Amsterdam Centraal, look for a journey marked IC, IC, EuroCity Direct, SPR.
Click on Route details, it will show changes at Ghent-St-Pieters & Antwerpen Centraal and will confirm the station in Amsterdam.
Incidentally, if you choose IC, IC, EuroCity Direct, SPR you don't have to use a specific train between Schiphol and Amsterdam Centraal, you can use any frequent Dutch domestic train including Dutch Intercity (IC) and Sprinter (SPR) trains. It's an open ticket for this bit.
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But you don't need to change in Ghent: Now for the science bit!
Whether you choose Eurostar or Eurocity direct, the journey planner will tell you to make a tight 6-minute connection in Ghent and another tight connection in Antwerp. You don't need to do this!
Your ticket commits you to a specific Eurostar or Eurocity Direct between Antwerp & Amsterdam (unless it's full-flex), but it's an open ticket from Bruges to Antwerp, good for any train that day, no seat reservations necessary or possible.
Trains link Bruges and Antwerp every half hour through the day, one per hour involves a change in Ghent and one per hour is direct. You'd prefer the direct one, right? So ignore the suggested departure from Bruges with that tight connection in Antwerp, leave Bruges half an hour earlier on a direct train to Antwerp. You can use nsinternational.nl to look up train times or use www.belgiantrain.be.
Then you'll have a 35-40 minute connection at Antwerp Central with time to look round the beautiful station and perhaps have a coffee or beer in the Royal Cafe (www.brasserieroyal.be) in the main hall, a stone's throw from where your train arrived from Bruges. Feel free to leave Bruges a few hours earlier and stop off for a while in Antwerp, it's a lovely city.
Finally, a hidden option from just €22.30
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There's one other option worth considering if you want the cheapest fares and don't mind changing trains twice, in Rotterdam and either Antwerp or Brussels. This cheapest option is hidden, you'll only find it if you follow the booking instructions below.
You take a Dutch domestic Intercity (IC) train between Amsterdam Centraal & Rotterdam Centraal, the hourly Eurocity train between Rotterdam Centraal & either Antwerp Central or Brussels Midi (that's plain Eurocity as opposed to the high-speed Eurocity Direct) and a Belgian Intercity from Antwerp or Brussels to Bruges (it works in both directions).
The Eurocity trains consist of very comfortable Belgian i11 trains or (until they are all replaced) the original Dutch/Belgian Intercity cars. The Eurocity trains run via Breda so take significantly longer than the Eurocity Direct trains, but fares are significantly cheaper.
Fares between Amsterdam & Bruges start at just €22.30 in 2nd class or €44.50 in 1st class if you travel this way.
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How to buy these cheaper hidden tickets
Buy tickets from Belgian Railways at www.b-europe.com.
To find these cheaper fares you must click Advanced search then Additional search options and then tick the No high-speed trains box. Eurostar & Eurocity Direct are considered high-speed, but the plain Eurocity trains aren't.
Look carefully to see whether the journey you've selected is via Rotterdam & Brussels or Rotterdam & Antwerp. I recommend Antwerp!
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). Tickets for Eurostar commit you to a specific train, with a seat reservation 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 Eurocity Direct (ECD) train
Eurocity Direct services are operated by new Intercity New Generation (ICNG) trains, these run via the high-speed line at up to 200 km/h (125 mph). They have power sockets, USB ports & free WiFi. There's a mix of seating types in both classes, luggage racks, bike spaces, wheelchair accessible toilets and easy level boarding. There are no seat reservations, you sit where you like, there are hundreds of seats. You can buy an advance-purchase ticket committing you to a specific departure, or a full-flex ticket which allows you to take any departure that day.
An ICNG (InterCity New Generation) train at Brussels Midi. These will operate the EuroCity Direct services from December 2024.
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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Antwerp Central is one of Europe's most beautiful stations, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antwerpen-Centraal_railway_station. It's a textbook example of how to combine a historic station with extra platforms, extra retail and modern 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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Trains from Amsterdam to Antwerp arrive on platform 22 on the lowest level, underground. The onward train to Bruges leaves from the original above-ground terminus, 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 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.
Recommended hotel in Bruges
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.