Trains between Brussels and Amsterdam

[RogerLH-SW4]

Over the years I've regularly visited Brussels and then gone on to Amsterdam using the "ordinary" train service. There was something like a two hourly service, not very fast - journey time was at least three hours. The service used to be one that ran between Amsterdam and Paris Nord.

In Brussels this week I found the only direct services were Thalys -fast but boring and a lot more expensive. One can still get to Amsterdam by "ordinary" train but with at least one change (Rotterdam or Rosendaal). The connections are convenient enough and not much time is lost but they are not shown on the timetables displayed (at Brussels South or Amsterdam CS). For what it's worth, the services are clearly not very well used by long distance passengers - most people use them as stopping trains - but through bookings are accepted by the international ticket offices at Brussels and, I think, Amsterdam.

Does anyone know why though services have ended?

 

[gordonthemoron]

Fyra fiasco presumably

 

[starrymarkb]

Over the years I've regularly visited Brussels and then gone on to Amsterdam using the "ordinary" train service. There was something like a two hourly service, not very fast - journey time was at least three hours. The service used to be one that ran between Amsterdam and Paris Nord.

In Brussels this week I found the only direct services were Thalys -fast but boring and a lot more expensive. One can still get to Amsterdam by "ordinary" train but with at least one change (Rotterdam or Rosendaal). The connections are convenient enough and not much time is lost but they are not shown on the timetables displayed (at Brussels South or Amsterdam CS). For what it's worth, the services are clearly not very well used by long distance passengers - most people use them as stopping trains - but through bookings are accepted by the international ticket offices at Brussels and, I think, Amsterdam.

Does anyone know why though services have ended?

I'd say the Fyra problems, long term there will be more Thalys trains from December and Eurostar have been asked to provide 2 per day from 2016

This Thread will explain about the Fyra issue...

 

[RogerLH-SW4]

I'd say the Fyra problems, long term there will be more Thalys trains from December and Eurostar have been asked to provide 2 per day from 2016

This Thread will explain about the Fyra issue...

Thanks, that's it. There was obviously some sort of "issue": the guy in the Brussels South international ticket office was very helpful with the connections etc but said it would take too long to explain what had happened - and there were other people waiting.

 

[atillathehunn]

There shouldn't be an extra charge for the Fyra train at the moment. There is major disruption at Den Bosch as they are working on the track.

For a while at least no supplement required for the Fyra, certainly within the Netherlands.

Saved my journey the other day, as I may have missed my flight had it not been for the option to get the train which takes 20 minutes from Rotterdam to the airport rather than 1 hour