Europe Trains Guide Forum
General discussion => Train fares and tariffs => Topic started by: Maxy on June 18, 2014, 12:32:08 pm
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I'm trying to find what is optimal ticket to travel this route if I like to make stopovers for 1-2 days in Antwerp, Gent, Brugge.
I've discovered that SNCB sells on their website cheaper Roosendaal-ticket and it's possible to buy from Roosendaal to any Belgian station, the price is cheaper than NRT (for example 6,1 EUR instead of 8,6 EUR of NRT ticket for Roosendaal - Antwerp or 22,5 EUR instead of 29,8 EUR for Roosendaal - Knokke). But I afraid validity term of this Roosendaal ticket may be not 15 days like NRT ticket have, but probably only 1 day, right? If my fear is right - that means optimal solution is 6,1 EUR Ropsendaal-ticket Roosendaal - Antwerp and domestic tickets Antwerp - Gent, Gent - Brugge, Brugge - Knokke (because their prices 9,4+6,5+3,7 are in total cheaper than direct NRT ticket Antwerp - Knokke). Have I missed whatever and there is better solution?
Other question: if it is possible to buy Roosendal-ticket on the station before departure in the Netherlands? I afraid it is not possible, because for example nsinternational.nl shows price 8,6 which is normal NRT fare.
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I've discovered that SNCB sells on their website cheaper Roosendaal-ticket and it's possible to buy from Roosendaal to any Belgian station, the price is cheaper than NRT (for example 6,1 EUR instead of 8,6 EUR of NRT ticket for Roosendaal - Antwerp.
Yep, NMBS/SNCB has a special "Roosendaal Ticket(s)"
But I afraid validity term of this Roosendaal ticket may be not 15 days like NRT ticket have, but probably only 1 day, right?
Yes, you are right, domestic one-way tickets are valid for one day only
Have I missed whatever and there is better solution?
Well, you didn't mention the dates of your journeys, but during summer (23/06-29/08) NMBS/SNCB offers special ticket called "Summer Deal" (don't know why NMBS/SNCB hides details about the offer in the ENG version of the website, but in Dutch (http://www.belgianrail.be/en/travel-tickets/tickets/ticket-city-transport.aspx) and French (http://www.belgianrail.be/fr/titres-de-transport/billets/summer-deal.aspx) it is there). It won't save you much, but still makes sense to consider if you travel within Belgium, especially since it combines with TEC & MIVB/STIB
Other question: if it is possible to buy Roosendal-ticket on the station before departure in the Netherlands? I afraid it is not possible, because for example nsinternational.nl shows price 8,6 which is normal NRT fare.
Last time I was in Roosendaal last summer and there were no NMBS/SNCB ticket machine (and apparently it's still not there (https://forum.ns.nl/op-station-17/kaartautomaat-nmbs-roosendaal-1608)), however many passengers were just buying ticket from the Belgium conductor on the train
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On BE domestic tickets, invl specials to Roosendaal/Maastrciht NO break at all is allowed! Not even 1 hr, but normal direct changes are allowed.
They use english to avoid the continuous BE-clashes between the Vlamingen and the Walen for NL/FR
Alas, IN NL bought SCIC/TCV INTernational tickets to BE are ALSO only valid 1 day!! But you can break.
Alternative: buy elsewhere, if possible, and get the usual 15 or 30 days with unlimited breaks. Yes, that cost more, but maybe less as new tickets all the time. SUmmerdeal is NOT for sat_sun and NOT for R'daal, its strictly only domestic.
But then even that 6 eur is quite cheap. If you really want to save, use the direct deLIJN bus Gent-Brugge and to Oostende, thats only 3 eur, but runs less often and takes much longer.