Antwerpen Centraal via Thalys

The Thalys ticket compares to the ICE Bahn ticket, it is easier to understand but both of the system are about the same. The reason is that when you reserve the Thalys ticket, the confirmation ticket is in English while the ICE Bahn ticket is in Germany. For both, it is recommended to buy earlier for cheaper price but only if you have a fixed itinerary.

Thalys Train at Amsterdam Centraal (Copyright @ Kate Andrew)

In the confirmation ticket, you can see your seating information. In my case, I sat in Coach 15 and Seat 38. Before you go inside the train, check the coach number showed next to the entrance of the train. You have to sit exactly at your seat shown in the ticket. Even though the train looks empty but sometimes they pick up more passengers on their way on other cities. There is a free wi-fi inside the train.

Second Class Seating inside the Thalys Train (Copyright @ Kate Andrew)

Second Class Coach 15

The Conductor check the passenger's ticket

I arrived at Antwerpen Centraal exactly around 3:30 PM. The station was very quite due to the lockdown in Brussels City and the France's incident two weeks before my arrivals. I could see lots of military walked around the station. There is a flash mob video "Do Re Mi" that was filming in this station. This station is very huge with four floors total. I arrived at the lowest floor from Amsterdam, and had to take the train to Brugge from the top floor.

 

While I was waiting for my next train, I was taking pictures of the station. I had to change the Belgian rail to go to Brugge. For Belgian rail ticket, the way it works almost like ICE Bahn. Once you buy the ticket for that day, you can take any train at any time to your destination. To check the schedule, you can either use the Belgian rail website or find the poster schedule anywhere inside the station. For the poster schedule, the first column show the time. The second column show the type of train to take. The third column show the platform to take. The fourth column show the list of the destinations that the train will pass thru. 

For example, as I arrived in Antwerpen Centraal at 3:30 PM, I checked the first column that range from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. For each time in the range, I checked the one that listed Brugge as the destination, from there I chose the time that I wanted and remember the train type and which platform to go. The train that I took was at 4:06 PM at Platform 2. Next to each destination on the list, there is a scheduled arrival time. Therefore, when choosing make sure choose the fastest one. Sometimes, there is no direct destination and therefore, you have to go to another station and transfer to another train.

The Poster Train Schedule in Brugge

 

For Belgian rail, there is no seating shown on the ticket. The only listed in the ticket is Class. Therefore, if you purchase first class, enter the train with label 1 outside the train. Inside the train, you can sit anywhere you like. There is also no difference between first and second class with belgian rail. However, during the busy hour, it is easier to get a seat at the first class due to higher fare.
 

Label 2 outside the train for 2nd Class Ticket

It took about 1hour 30mins from Antwerpen Centraal to Brugge Station.