Page 177 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Brussels Bruges Ghent & Antwerp

TR A VEL INFORM A TION  175

Trains run hourly between DFDS Seaways
London’s St Pancras Inter- does not
national station and Brussels take foot
via the Channel Tunnel; the passengers.
journey takes just under 2
hours and arrives at the Gare Arriving
du Midi, which is served by
metro trains, buses and by Car
trams. Taxis to the centre cost Le Shuttle, operated by Eurolines coach running between London
around €15. Eurotunnel, takes vehicles and Brussels
Many visitors to Brussels from the Channel Tunnel
arrive from mainland Europe. entrance near Folkestone from Victoria Coach Station
The high-speed train company direct to Calais, a journey of in London to Brussels’ Gare
Thalys also operates from about 35 minutes. From there, du Nord, via the Channel
the Gare du Midi and offers Brussels is just a 2-hour drive Tunnel. Prices are extremely
a comfortable journey, with via the A16 motorway, which competitive compared to
Paris accessible in 1 hour and becomes the E40 when you other forms of travel to
25 minutes, Amsterdam in cross the Franco-Belgian Brussels, though this is offset
around 2 hours and Cologne border. Follow signs first to by a journey time of around
in under 3 hours. Brugge (Bruges), and then on 7 hours. Note that coaches
to Brussels. Those planning to are sometimes checked at the
use the Eurotunnel should border with France, so be sure
Arriving by Sea book tickets in advance and to keep passports handy. From
Belgium can easily be reached try to arrive early. Three trains Gare du Nord, the centre can
from the UK by ferries which per hour operate between be reached either by mainline
arrive several times a day. 6:30am and midnight, with SNCB trains, prémetro trams
Cross-Channel ferries run one train running hourly from or city buses. Small discounts
frequently from Dover to midnight to 6:30am. There are are available for travellers
Calais and Dunkirk, and from a number of special offers that aged under 26 and over 60.
Hull to Zeebrugge. Services are intermittently available. Megabus runs a daily service
are offered by several to Brussels from London’s
companies, including DFDS Arriving by Coach Victoria Coach station.
Seaways and P&O Ferries. Coaches arrive at Gare
Foot passengers do not usually Eurolines, a group of coach Centrale, close to the Grand
need to book, but those with companies forming Europe’s Place and with excellent
vehicles should always reserve largest coach network, metro and bus links to other
a space and arrive promptly. operates daily bus services areas of the city.
DIRECTORY
Arriving by Air Delta Brussels South P&O Ferries
Tel (800) 241 4141 (US). Charleroi Airport Tel (0800) 130 0030.
Air Canada Tel (0871) 221 1222 (UK). Tel (0)90 202 490. ∑ poferries.com
Tel (0871) 220 1111 (UK). ∑ charleroi-airport.
∑ aircanada.com ∑ delta.com com Arriving by Car
British Airways easyJet Eurotunnel
Tel (0344) 493 0787 (UK). ∑ easyjet.com Arriving by Rail Tel 08443 35 35 35.
∑ britishairways.com Belgian & ∑ eurotunnel.com
KLM
Brussels Airlines Tel (020) 7660 0293 (UK). International Railway Arriving by Coach
Tel (02) 723 2345 Tel (1 866) 434 0320 Information
(Belgium). (US). ∑ belgianrail.be Eurolines
∑ brusselsairlines.com Tel (61 1) 30 039 2192 Eurostar Tel (0871) 781 8177.
Brussels National (AUS). Tel 03432 186 186. ∑ eurolines.com
Airport Information ∑ klm.com ∑ eurostar.com Megabus
∑ brusselsairport.be Thalys ∑ megabus.com
Flight Information: Lufthansa Tel (07) 066 7788.
Tel 0900 70000. Tel (0371) 945 9747 ∑ thalys.com
Airport Police: (UK).
Tel (02) 709. 6666. ∑ lufthansa.com Arriving by Sea
Customs:
Tel (02) 572 4640. Ryanair DFDS Seaways
Tax Refunds: Tel (0871) 246 0000. Tel (0871) 574 7235.
Tel (02) 578 9330. ∑ ryanair.com ∑ dfdsseaways.co.uk

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