Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
English-language program called
events@brugge,
and information on train schedules and
tours (see “Tours in Bruges,” later). Many hotels give out free maps with more detail than
the map the TIs sell. The TI also has a free “Use-It” map available for young-at-heart travel-
ers—filled with tips for backpackers and well worth asking for.
By Train:
Bruges' train station is what all stations under construction aspire to: in a clean,
park-like setting, where travelers step out the door and are greeted by a taxi stand and a
roundabout with center-bound buses circulating through every couple minutes. Coming in
by train, you'll see the bell tower that marks the main square (Markt, the center of town).
Upon arrival, stop by the train station TI to pick up the
Love Bruges Visitors' Guide
(with
map). The station has ATMs and lockers (€3-4).
The best way to get to the town center is by
bus.
Buses #1, #3, #4, #6, #11, #13, #14,
and #16 go to the Markt (all marked
Centrum
). Simply hop on, pay €2 (€1.20 if you buy in
advance at Lijnwinkel shop just outside the train station), and you're there in four minutes
(get off at third stop—either Markt or Wollestraat). Buses #4 and #14 continue to the north-
east part of town (to the windmills and recommended accommodations on and near Carm-
ersstraat, stop: Gouden Handstraat). If you arrive after 20:30, when the daytime bus routes
end, you can still take the bus, but the “evening line” buses run much less frequently (buses
marked
Avondlijn Centrum, Avondlijn Noord
—#91,
Avondlijn Oost
—#92, and
Avondlijn
Zuid
—#93 all go to the Markt).
The
taxi
fare from the train station to most hotels is about €8.
It's a 20-minute
walk
from the station to the center—no fun with your luggage. If you
want to walk to the Markt, cross the busy street and canal in front of the station, head up
Oostmeers, and turn right on Zwidzandstraat. You can rent a
bike
at the station for the dur-
ation of your stay, but other bike-rental shops are closer to the center (see “Helpful Hints,”
below).
By Car:
Park in front ofthe train station in the handy two-story garage forjust €3.50for
24 hours. The parking fee includes a round-trip bus ticket into town and back for everyone
in your car. There are pricier underground parking garages at the square called 't Zand and
around town (€9/day, all of them well-marked). Paid parking on the street in Bruges is lim-
ited to four hours. Driving in town is very complicated because of the one-way system. The
best plan for drivers: Park at the train station, visit the TI at the station, and rent a bike or
catch a bus into town.
BlueMonday:
InBruges,nearlyallmuseumsareopenTuesdaythroughSundayyear-round
from 9:30 to 17:00 and are closed on Monday. If you're in Bruges on a Monday, the fol-
