Trying to plan a nice getaway with the wife and I wanted to start in Bruges and take a train to Florence. Anyone know on the board if such a train trip is practical and about how long the ride might take (and possible cost)? Thanks so much in advance, I could use a little dose of Europe, at its excellent continental cuisine.

Re: Belgium to Italy?

have you :google:'d it yet?

[url]http://www.eurorailways.com/products/trains_passes/multi_countries/eurail_select_passes/index.htm[/url]

Re: Belgium to Italy?

Are you an eu citiZen? Check out the interail pass it's mad cheap and I'm sure you can find a night train. Call the Germans for any train reservations they are the only ones who know what's going on!

Re: Belgium to Italy?

I love Bruge. It's such a beautiful old town. A canal running through it all and chocolate shops everywhere. Make sure to check out the pub with over 300 monastrey beers. Mmmm. It's the first pub listed... [URL]http://www.exploringmonkey.com/211/beer-pubs-and-breweries-in-bruges-belgium/[/URL]

Re: Belgium to Italy?

[quote=tiddles;717615]Are you an eu citiZen? Check out the interail pass it's mad cheap and I'm sure you can find a night train. Call the Germans for any train reservations they are the only ones who know what's going on![/quote]

I'm not an EU citizen, just a travelling American. I am debating between taking the train and flying. I'd ideally like to go from Bruge to Florence as quickly as possible. But I wouldn't mind a nice train ride if it isn't too long. Let me know if anyone has any advice.

Re: Belgium to Italy?

i'd take a night train. the thing about flying is that airports are far from the city center and train stations just plop you in the middle

Re: Belgium to Italy?

[B]BRUGES TO FLORENCE - JOURNEY TIME 15h,42m[/B]

BRUGGE - 27/03/09 15:31 BRUXELLES MIDI - 27/03/09 16:29 [IMG]http://www.raileurope.co.uk/images/logos/raileuropedefault.gif[/IMG] BRUXELLES MIDI - 27/03/09 16:43 PARIS NORD - 27/03/09 18:05 [IMG]http://www.raileurope.co.uk/images/logos/thalys.gif[/IMG]

PARIS BERCY - 27/03/09 18:52 FIRENZE S M N - 28/03/09 07:13

[URL]http://www.raileurope.co.uk[/URL]

Re: Belgium to Italy?

[quote=simonr;717686][B]BRUGES TO FLORENCE - JOURNEY TIME 15h,42m[/B]

BRUGGE - 27/03/09 15:31 BRUXELLES MIDI - 27/03/09 16:29 [IMG]http://www.raileurope.co.uk/images/logos/raileuropedefault.gif[/IMG] BRUXELLES MIDI - 27/03/09 16:43 PARIS NORD - 27/03/09 18:05 [IMG]http://www.raileurope.co.uk/images/logos/thalys.gif[/IMG]

PARIS BERCY - 27/03/09 18:52 FIRENZE S M N - 28/03/09 07:13

[URL]http://www.raileurope.co.uk[/URL][/quote]

Danke!

Re: Belgium to Italy?

I'll be in Florence in 2 weeks!!! Can't wait!

Re: Belgium to Italy?

[quote=miketpoto;717790]I'll be in Florence in 2 weeks!!! Can't wait![/quote]

It's the loveliest city in the world ... once you've been there and taken it in, there's a lasting impression.

I've been there 12-15 times and it's a home from home :shock:

Re: Belgium to Italy?

Taking a train from Belgium to Italy would probably be a [U]very[/U] long trip and also very expensive. I'd recommend looking at some low cost air fair (try ryan air for starters). Chances are it would be cheaper to fly compared to taking the train & I bet that it'd save you 12+ hours of travel time.

From my own experiences, I found that unless you have a rail pass it really isn't any cheaper to take the train compared to flying. And more importantly, when taking the train it will often force you to waste an entire day traveling to a location that may have only required a 2-3 flight.

...and on a related note, why do you want to visit Belgium? What are you planning to do there?

Re: Belgium to Italy?

fly!

the trains are slow, costly and are hardly ever on time!

if u want to get around as much as possible its the best bet, why waste time sitting on a train!

Re: Belgium to Italy?

Wow for a second there i thought we had our first Bruge resident on MS.

Re: Belgium to Italy?

Damn, Italy is pretty much hard to beat. Been there 3 times in the last 12 months, 4 times in all. My avatar is me walking along the streets of Verona. Bring her to the opera there - it's very, very impressive (they're not my thing, but I was seriously impressed :shock:)

You must visit Venice too ;)

I could go on and on.

you'll be in her good books for a very long time

I got hitched last summer in Lake Orta which is simply stunning. It's the smallest of the lakes and utterly un-spoilt. The night after the wedding, I jumped into the lake (drunk, mind you - the whole wedding party had a thing for jumping in fully clothed and pissed ) and managed to rip a toe-nail completely out and believe you me, it fucking hurt. But that's another story...

Re: Belgium to Italy?

[quote=Micko;718369] I got hitched last summer in Lake Orta which is simply stunning. It's the smallest of the lakes and utterly un-spoilt. The night after the wedding, I jumped into the lake (drunk, mind you - the whole wedding party had a thing for jumping in fully clothed and pissed ) and managed to rip a toe-nail completely out and believe you me, it fucking hurt. But that's another story...[/quote]

This is just too weird! :what

Re: Belgium to Italy?

[quote=pr0ficient;718277]Taking a train from Belgium to Italy would probably be a [U]very[/U] long trip and also very expensive. I'd recommend looking at some low cost air fair (try ryan air for starters). Chances are it would be cheaper to fly compared to taking the train & I bet that it'd save you 12+ hours of travel time.

From my own experiences, I found that unless you have a rail pass it really isn't any cheaper to take the train compared to flying. And more importantly, when taking the train it will often force you to waste an entire day traveling to a location that may have only required a 2-3 flight.

...and on a related note, why do you want to visit Belgium? What are you planning to do there?[/quote]

Thanks to you, and everyone, for the advice. Definitely gonna fly. Not doing much in Belgium besides drinking, eating, and just trying to get away from the typical places that my fellow Americans hit. The wife and I try to get a balance on vacations, we assume we'll see quite a few Yanks in Italy.

Thanks again to everyone.

Re: Belgium to Italy?

[QUOTE=freeeze tag;719960]Thanks to you, and everyone, for the advice. Definitely gonna fly. Not doing much in Belgium besides drinking, eating, and just trying to get away from the typical places that my fellow Americans hit. The wife and I try to get a balance on vacations, we assume we'll see quite a few Yanks in Italy.

Thanks again to everyone.[/QUOTE]

Right on then. Belgium is the place to find some of the world's best beer for the fraction of the cost to most other European countries.

If you're in Brussels check out the Grand-Place, there are also quite a few breweries all across Beligum that offer worthwhile tours if you're into that sort of thing!

oh, and Amsterdam is only an hour or two on the train away; thus it'd make a great day trip if you have the time :)

Re: Belgium to Italy?

Definitely check out Amsterdam ;)

Went there last year for a weekend with the lads. What a crazy town :shock:

Heading back again this summer for more madness