Best First Class Accomodation in Belgium

[Mutant Lemming]

What trains in Belgium have the best First Class accommodation (Apart from Thalys trains) ? Am wondering which would provide the best value for an 'Any Station in Belgium' ticket from St.Pancras.

 

[Mag_seven]

What trains in Belgium have the best First Class accommodation (Apart from Thalys trains) ? Am wondering which would provide the best value for an 'Any Station in Belgium' ticket from St.Pancras.

Definitely the loco hauled sets - first class on the "AM 08" type units was just exactly the same as the second class. There wasn't even an antimacassar! The first class on the "AM96" units is OK however.

 

[superalbs]

DB ICE 3 sets, although I would be unsure if that ticket would be valid.

 

[AlexNL]

First class on the IC Amsterdam - Brussels is pretty good too.

 

[paddington]

DB ICE 3 sets, although I would be unsure if that ticket would be valid.

It isn't valid.

The best value would be the most expensive journey you could make to somewhere you want to go... I think Arlon is the most expensive destination from Brussels.

 

[eastwestdivide]

First is OK on the "rubber ring" units, and also on the loco-hauled Liège-Luxembourg trains.

 

[cactustwirly]

DB ICE 3 sets, although I would be unsure if that ticket would be valid.

Surely it would be valid as far as Liege?

 

[D6700]

Surely it would be valid as far as Liege?

Not according to Eurostar:
https://help.eurostar.com/faq/uk-en/question/How-does-an-Any-Belgian-Station-ticket-work
"High speed Thalys and ICE trains, as well as the Brussels Metro and trams aren’t covered by your ticket."

 

[Segedunum]

First Class on the old M4 stock is reasonably plush, if still 2+2.

AM08 seating in First is in fact nicer than standard (standard is very narrow 2+2) but the appalling window alignment for the bays of 4 make it decidedly limp.

The worst is on the AR41 DMUs where there's literally no difference at all but you'd have to go a fair bit out of Brussels to get one of those.

Get yourself on here to see what's booked for what: http://www.beluxtrains.net/indexen.php?page=searchrollingstock

 

[duesselmartin]

What trains in Belgium have the best First Class accommodation (Apart from Thalys trains) ? Am wondering which would provide the best value for an 'Any Station in Belgium' ticket from St.Pancras.

Eurostar

 

[D6700]

Get yourself on here to see what's booked for what: http://www.beluxtrains.net/indexen.php?page=searchrollingstock

Many thanks for linking to that site - I've not seen it before and it could well come in very handy.

 

[Segedunum]

Many thanks for linking to that site - I've not seen it before and it could well come in very handy.

For other European forays, in particular Czechia, Slovakia and Austria, I can recommend https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/

https://www.zelpage.cz/razeni/ also contains Slovakia and Czechia in a fair bit more detail.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

First class on the IC Amsterdam - Brussels is pretty good too.

It is actually - plenty of leg room and wide seats , - good window positioning. Everything you do not get on an UK 390. Buckets better than the short lived Fyra sets which I did in Winter 2012..! (the latter being about the worst prestige train I ever travelled in or on)

 

[D6700]

For other European forays, in particular Czechia, Slovakia and Austria, I can recommend https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/

https://www.zelpage.cz/razeni/ also contains Slovakia and Czechia in a fair bit more detail.

Indeed, they are very useful - I'm a regular user of those

Another similar one for Switzerland is http://www.reisezuege.ch/index.php

 

[Please Explain]

I6 Eurofima's, THE very best cars in the BeNeLux countries hands down!

When you get off the ES from Londen, get your self onto one of the new weird and wonderful push/pull HLE13/I6/I10/I11 on Brussel-Luxembourg IC's, grab a compartment, shut the curtains, lights out, feet up and enjoy the ride down to Arlon! -(or one stop on over the border into Luxembourg itself, -great city and country in its own right).

Actually, get out of the HST Terminal first and make a beeline for Carrefour on the concourse to stock up for the trip with a nice Belgian picnic, -Juplier en Kriekbier are always a MUST for me!
If your railway, then forget Carrefour, you should have enough time before the IC at :33 to make it downstairs to Delhaize, where you'll get a 10% discount by showing them your FIP card on the tills.

Goede Reis / Bon Voyage!

 

[D6700]

When you get off the ES from Londen, get your self onto one of the new weird and wonderful push/pull HLE13/I6/I10/I11 on Brussel-Luxembourg IC's, grab a compartment, shut the curtains, lights out, feet up and enjoy the ride down to Arlon!

Your post - and especially the signature line - has reminded me of the first time I travelled in any Swiss stock, which was on a train that used this route - EC96 Chur to Brussels in January 2013. I only did a late evening "ned-move" in Brussels, whilst en-route from York to Warsaw by train, during which there was continuous snow coverage all the way.

 

[Please Explain]

Your post - and especially the signature line - has reminded me of the first time I travelled in any Swiss stock, which was on a train that used this route - EC96 Chur to Brussels in January 2013. I only did a late evening "ned-move" in Brussels, whilst en-route from York to Warsaw by train, during which there was continuous snow coverage all the way.

Haha, "ned-move" meaning if I am not mistaken; notorious-engine-desperados?!
I think I know what you mean, bashing anything that you happen to like the look of between Zuid, Centraal en Noord?! I often do just that, usually breaking it up with some Belgian biers in between at several of the "interesting" establishments on/around Aarschotstraat!

Those Swiss stock you refer to SBB Bpm EC
open plan wagons? They were last used on Iris / Vauban up until the winter TT change of 2013 I believe along with one or two NMBS I6' with another one or two attached / detached in Luxembourg. Belux trains will give you details.
Then after until the end it was all Belgian stock. Fun times..

 

[D6700]

Haha, "ned-move" meaning if I am not mistaken; notorious-engine-desperados?!
I think I know what you mean, bashing anything that you happen to like the look of between Zuid, Centraal en Noord?! I often do just that, usually breaking it up with some Belgian biers in between at several of the "interesting" establishments on/around Aarschotstraat!

Those Swiss stock you refer to SBB Bpm EC
open plan wagons? They were last used on Iris / Vauban up until the winter TT change of 2013 I believe along with one or two NMBS I6' with another one or two attached / detached in Luxembourg. Belux trains will give you details.
Then after until the end it was all Belgian stock. Fun times..

I thought it was just New Engine Desperados, but there are probably lots of variations!

After travelling by Eurostar to Brussels, I took a train to Ostend, where I'd been many years earlier, that time using a Jet Foil from Dover on a family trip. I recall the marina was frozen over, so cold it was! Upon my return to Brussels, I'd noticed the long distance train from Chur and was keen to get it in the book, so did an out and back through the tunnels between Midi and Nord. I think the train may have been set down only at Nord - and the guard saw me, but didn't object to me travelling.

Yes, that was the stock.

Both Vagonweb and Belux show the typical consists:
https://www.vagonweb.cz/razeni/vlak.php?zeme=SBB&kategorie=EC&cislo=96&nazev=Iris&rok=2013&lang=en
http://www.beluxtrains.net/indexen.php?page=belgium-files/2013_1/2013-96

 

[Please Explain]

I knew it was something like that!

You had me envious there, the Jet Foil was before my time sadly but it looked awesome:

Oostende Station really is a shadow of its former self now since the Jet Foil and ferries stopped. It was once a great international interchange station with the boats to England and trains to a variety of international destinations including the EuroCity Memling to/from Dortmund -(also appears in René's video) as well as the EuroNight to/from Wien and many more all now sadly gone.. I guess it was the Thalys, ICE, Eurostar etc and the Channel Tunnel that killed these trains off.
There was some brief hope until recently that ferries to Ramsgate would return with that ill-fated "Seaborne Freight" outfit, but I guess that is now dead in the water, pity as there was such potential there and high hopes of jobs for local people in both Oostende and Ramsgate..

I was last down there for a few days in early January, AM80's on InterCity's to/from Kortrijk and the hourly loco-hauled IC's to/from Eupen still provide some interest as I6's have been filling in for the I10's of lately as reinforcement cars behind the HLE18 Vectron locos, many of which are running in "top and tail" formation (both taking the juice..) at the moment, due to a shortage of I11 Stuurrijtuigen, which are now being employed with HLE13's on Brussel-Luxembourg trains.
Oostende itself is still good fun on a Vrijdag en Zaterdagavond! Although several of the favourite bars of yesteryear have since closed their doors for good, including the legendary all night bashers bar by the station, "Titanic"...

 

[Fireless]

The unrefurbished class 75 EMUs have a rather stylish first class straight from the 1970s.

 

[Mag_seven]

Oostende Station really is a shadow of its former self now since the Jet Foil and ferries stopped.

I was there a couple of weeks back and its seems to have been tarted up a bit.

 

[gazthomas]

Eurostar

I agree!

 

[MarcVD]

Second vote for I6A stock.
I11 coming close second.
AM96 comes very close too but no so well aligned with windows.
Check M5A on the top floor in 2+1 arrangement also.

I would recommend a 200kph trip to Liège in I11 (avoid the M6 stock used in peak hours) and then a I6 or I10 trip from Liège to Luxemburg. Best scenery of the whole belgian network. And then return via Namur to have a look on the L162 modernisation works.

 

[duesselmartin]

I agree the scenery on the line to Luxembourg is first class

 

[Groningen]

Trainnumbers starting with 6 have i believe the oldest seats in Belgium.

 

[MarcVD]

I agree the scenery on the line to Luxembourg is first class

But the one I have seen today - Kandy to Nanu Oya in Sri Lanka - beats it hands down.

 

[MarcVD]

Trainnumbers starting with 6 have i believe the oldest seats in Belgium.

You mean the classical double EMUs ? The surviving ones are numbered between 601 and 782. Produced between 1966 and 1974. All have been modernized. Those that were more extensively modernized were renumbered between 961 and 999. They are now an endangered species, if you like them, ride while you still can. New M7 stock will most probably kill them.

 

[Groningen]

They run between Maastricht and Liege. No Breaks available.

 

[Spoorslag '70]

And Spa-Aachen (far more scenic than Maastricht-Luik), as well as some of the Brussel-Luik via Namen (Namur) services (and loads of stoppers, mostly in the south http://beluxtrains.net/indexen.php?page=searchbelrollingstock - select "AM64/74").

 

[404250]

They run between Maastricht and Liege. No Breaks available.

What do you mean? There are additional stops between the two.