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Europe Trains Guide Forum  |  General discussion  |  Train fares and tariffs  |  Berlin - Brussels - Amsterdam
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Author Topic: Berlin - Brussels - Amsterdam  (Read 10263 times)
tlayton
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« on: June 19, 2011, 10:35:44 am »

Hello! I want to go to Brussels from Berlin and then on to Amsterdam. Could anyone tell me the cheapest way? Also is there a night train? I would be going on June  25 and I am a student if that makes a difference. Then I would be going to Amsterdam on the 27th.  There are 2 people traveling
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tUt
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« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2011, 12:30:15 pm »

I want to go to Brussels from Berlin and then on to Amsterdam. Could anyone tell me the cheapest way?
Hmm... since the date of your journey is rather close in time there is not a lot of cheap options available, because most of the discounted tickets had been sold already. Thus it might turn out that EasyJet flight from Berlin Schoenefeld to Brussels Intl. will be cheaper than international tickets (or combination of those).
Also is there a night train?
Kind of... you can catch an overnight CNL train from Berlin to Cologne (00:12-6:14), while from Cologne there are multiple Thalys trains to Brussels Midi (for instance 6:44-8:32). But this option isn't cheap, Berlin-Cologne leg will cost 97 EUR for the seat or 113 for 6 berth couchette, while Cologne-Brussels from 24 to 34 EUR depending on train you choose.

If you don't want to spend 100+ EUR for relatively fast options and money is your key criteria, then your best option is Schönes-Wochenende -Ticket, basically an all Germany pass for regional trains for up to 5 passengers. As result, both of you can travel for only 39 EUR all the way from Berlin till Germany-Belgium border near Aachen. The only inconvenience is that such journey will have to be made mainly by day, require at least 4 change and app. 10 hours. While for Belgium leg (from the border near Aachen to Brussels) you can get ticket (implying that you are <26) for as low as 6.5 EUR per person (http://www.b-rail.be/nat/E/tarifs/tickets/gopass1/index.php). In such case, total cost of journey Berlin-Brussels will be 26 EUR per person.

Concerning Brussels-Amsterdam: straight forward ticket for the direct InterCity train cost 39 EUR per person and there is no real way to lower the price in your case. But if you are willing again to make changes and spend a bit more time on the road, then you can get Brussels-last Belgium station before the border (Essen) ticket for 6.5 EUR per person. While Dutch domestic full fare 2nd class ticket from the border (Roosendaal) to Amsterdam cost 19 EUR.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2013, 01:56:02 pm by tUt » Logged
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tlayton
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« Reply #2 on: June 20, 2011, 10:30:07 pm »

yes this sounds pretty expensive and maybe a bit much for such a short time. i think we will go directly from berlin to amsterdam. we will use the quer-durs-land (sp?) or the happy weekend ticket (which sounds like the cheaper option so perhaps we should go on sunday the 26th) until the border and then buy a domestic ticket from there (as you previously mentioned). Where does the german group ticket take us to (i.e. what is the border station that is the last valid station?) and where to we purchase the ticket from there to amsterdam? - could we get it on the train?
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tlayton
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« Reply #3 on: June 20, 2011, 10:30:59 pm »

also, which train lines are we allowed to travel on with a german group ticket?
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tUt
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« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2011, 01:04:06 am »

...or the happy weekend ticket (which sounds like the cheaper option so perhaps we should go on sunday the 26th)
Exactly, Weekend ticket is cheaper + it is valid from midnight and not 9am as quer-durs-land, thus will allow you to travel from early morning.
Where does the german group ticket take us to (i.e. what is the border station that is the last valid station?)
This is almost an open question, since there is a lot of border crossings between Germany and Netherlands, thus you actually can choose any. But counting domestic Dutch part (for which you will need to pay full one-way fare), makes sense to make it as short as possible. Geographically it will be area near Nijmegen, thus German part will end for you around Kleve (->Emmerich/Kranenburg). But the problem here is that there is no good connection over the border there, just bus. Thus it might make sense to go via Gronau->Enschede or Kaldenkirchen->Venlo. Both Berlin-Gronau and Berlin-Kaldenkirchen will take app. 9-10 hours with 4-5 changes. Fare and timing from Venlo or Enschede to Amsterdam are also similar - around 20 EUR and app. 2 hours.
Another tricky option here is to travel till last big city before the border (like Duisburg, Berlin-Duisburg with Schönes-Wochenende-Ticket will take app. 8 hour and at least 3 changes) and purchase from there discounted ticket for direct ICE till Amsterdam, for your date there are still ticket for 24 EUR available (which is almost the fare for domestic Venlo/Enschede-Amsterdam anyway).
and where to we purchase the ticket from there to amsterdam? - could we get it on the train?
In Netherlands it is not possible to purchase tickets on the train, thus you will have to manage without this option. More about purchase options here - http://www.ns.nl/en/arrange-and-buy/tickets-and-passes/purchasing-tickets
which train lines are we allowed to travel on with a german group ticket?
Actually any where DB regional trains run, the limit is only on train types, thus you can't use high-speed ICE or IC trains, as well as CNL, EN/EC. That is why you'll need 4-5 changes in order to get till the border with Netherlands - regional trains don't run for a long-distance legs.
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