tbsouth Posted August 12, 2018 Share Posted August 12, 2018 Planning on taking the family over to Belgium , thinking of Ghent as it looks a cool place and ideally situated for exploring the Flanders area, anyone been? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doulikefish Posted August 14, 2018 Share Posted August 14, 2018 Cracking city for nightlife/eating out etc and with Antwerp/Bruges not far away with excellent train links that sounds like a decent plan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbsouth Posted August 15, 2018 Author Share Posted August 15, 2018 Yeh i was thinking ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam then train to Ghent as it works out roughly the same as flying to Brussels....plus it gives you and extra 2 days holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RH33 Posted August 15, 2018 Share Posted August 15, 2018 @PWL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PWL Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 Belgium is often overlooked and slightly mocked but I like it. Ghent and Antwerp are worth a visit. Brugge is nice but touristy. Brussels is a bit meh. Is it with an eye to looking at WW1 stuff? Ypres worth a visit even if only for a day. If you want some time ideas feel free to PM me - especially for WW1 stuff. My regular route to Flanders is convoluted but cheap. Easyjet Glas to Luton. Train from Luton airport to St Pancras. Eurostar to Lille then couple of local trains to Ypres. Whole trip comes in less than £200 Belgian train are cheap and efficient even if the rolling stock and stations can be a bit tired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tongue_tied_danny Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 16 hours ago, PWL said: Belgian train are cheap and efficient even if the rolling stock and stations can be a bit tired. Not always the case mate. A couple of years ago I got stranded at Braine I'Alleud station for five hours after some heavy rain flooded the tracks. They were hopeless. Luckily there was a decent pub across from the station so I had ample time to sample some Belgian beer before the replacement bus finally pitched up. I agree about Antwerp and Ghent. Two of my favourite European cities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted August 16, 2018 Share Posted August 16, 2018 17 hours ago, PWL said: even if the rolling stock and stations can be a bit tired. Do you review hotels on Tripadvisor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PWL Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 10 hours ago, welshbairn said: Do you review hotels on Tripadvisor? Ha. Alas no. What I meant is the actual trains are really quite scabby . Scotrail for their faults generally put on half modern trains. Belgian ones tend to be one up from bench seats. The difference is the service tends to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senorsoupe Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Ghent is a great town, great food, really nice city centre. Antwerp can be a bit grungy but has good nightlife, Brugge is very touristy and pretty. If doing WWI stuff I would recommend having a car as a lot of the really interesting commemorative places are way out in the countryside, although Ypres is a really nice town with lots to see related to the great war and you can get to the town by train no problem. Driving is pretty straightforward in Belgium, a lot more relaxed than the toll-road mad French and the bicycle mad Dutch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbsouth Posted August 22, 2018 Author Share Posted August 22, 2018 Cheers for the info, Flixbus from Amsterdam is also a cheaper option than the train. (same time too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 16 hours ago, tbsouth said: Cheers for the info, Flixbus from Amsterdam is also a cheaper option than the train. (same time too) I see you can get it from Schiphol Airport too, direct to Ghent for about £18 return. Might go for a weekend with flights from Inverness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbsouth Posted August 23, 2018 Author Share Posted August 23, 2018 9 hours ago, welshbairn said: I see you can get it from Schiphol Airport too, direct to Ghent for about £18 return. Might go for a weekend with flights from Inverness. How much are your flights? Easyjet from Edinburgh x4 is £215.. then the bus to Ghent...so not too bad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 3 minutes ago, tbsouth said: How much are your flights? Easyjet from Edinburgh x4 is £215.. then the bus to Ghent...so not too bad At least double, probably treble, no dates in mind. Free sandwich and drink on KLM though, wahayy! Sounds cheaper for you than the ferry but your kids would love the sea route, just went to Stornoway just for the trip, there's f**k all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbsouth Posted August 23, 2018 Author Share Posted August 23, 2018 2 minutes ago, welshbairn said: At least double, probably treble, no dates in mind. Free sandwich and drink on KLM though, wahayy! Sounds cheaper for you than the ferry but your kids would love the sea route, just went to Stornoway just for the trip, there's f**k all there. Ferry from Newcastle is £180 then 2 buses to Ghent so much the same really...but 2 extra days holiday i suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 1 minute ago, tbsouth said: Ferry from Newcastle is £180 then 2 buses to Ghent so much the same really...but 2 extra days holiday i suppose. How old are your kids? Driving to Newcastle and an overnight ferry could be a disaster or a big adventure depending on the age and how it goes. Flying and jumping on the bus would be the stress free choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbsouth Posted August 23, 2018 Author Share Posted August 23, 2018 3 minutes ago, welshbairn said: How old are your kids? Driving to Newcastle and an overnight ferry could be a disaster or a big adventure depending on the age and how it goes. Flying and jumping on the bus would be the stress free choice. 10 and 13....as long as there is wifi.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted August 23, 2018 Share Posted August 23, 2018 1 minute ago, tbsouth said: 10 and 13....as long as there is wifi.. Probably, there was on the Stornoway ferry. I'd risk the boat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbsouth Posted August 25, 2018 Author Share Posted August 25, 2018 Easyjet Edinburgh to Amsterdam then Flixbus + £340 Train to Newcastle Ferry to ljmuiden bus to Ghent = £410 Train to Hull ferry to Zeebrugge train to Ghent = £470 Looks like flying then, also late flight home so gives you a full day in Amsterdam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshbairn Posted August 25, 2018 Share Posted August 25, 2018 3 hours ago, tbsouth said: Easyjet Edinburgh to Amsterdam then Flixbus + £340 Train to Newcastle Ferry to ljmuiden bus to Ghent = £410 Train to Hull ferry to Zeebrugge train to Ghent = £470 Looks like flying then, also late flight home so gives you a full day in Amsterdam That's a really good price for 4. Just looked at the train from Amsterdam, 2 hours, changing at Antwerp, compared to 3 1/2 by bus. Much dearer though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbsouth Posted August 25, 2018 Author Share Posted August 25, 2018 1 hour ago, welshbairn said: That's a really good price for 4. Just looked at the train from Amsterdam, 2 hours, changing at Antwerp, compared to 3 1/2 by bus. Much dearer though. Yeh the train is working out double the price compared to Flixbus....what's another90 mins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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