Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fieboontje Bike Rental
is just under the bell tower on the Markt (€4/hour, €9/day, €20/
day for tandem, these prices for Rick Steves readers, daily 9:00-22:00, free city maps
and child seats, Hallestraat 4, tel. 050-338-027).
De Ketting
is less central, but cheap
(€6/day,Mon-Fri9:00-12:15&13:30-18:30exceptMonopensat10:00,Sat9:30-12:15,
closedSun,Gentpoortstraat23,tel.050-344-196,
www.deketting.be
).
FietspuntBrugge
is a huge outfit at the train station (7-speed bikes, €12/24-hours, €7/4 hours, free maps,
Mon-Fri 7:00-19:30, Sat-Sun 9:00-21:30, just outside the station and to the right as you
exit, tel. 050-396-826).
BestTownView:
ThebelltoweroverlookingtheMarktrewardsthosewhoclimbitwiththe
ultimate town view.
Updates to this Topic:
Check
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for any significant changes that
have occurred since this topic was printed.
Most of the city is easily walkable, but you may want to take the bus or taxi between the
train station and the city center at the Markt (especially if you have heavy luggage).
ByBus:
Abusticketisgoodforanhour(€1.20ifyoubuyinadvanceatLijnwinkelshop
just outside the train station, or €2 on the bus). And though you can buy various day passes,
there's really no need to buy one for your visit. Nearly all city buses go directly from the
train station to the Markt and fan out from there; they then return to the Markt and go back
to the train station. Note that buses returning to the train station from the Markt also leave
from the library bus stop, a block off the square on nearby Kuiperstraat (every 5 minutes).
Your key: Use buses that say either
Station
or
Centrum
.
By Taxi:
You'll find taxi stands at the station and on the Markt (€8/first 2 km; to get a
cab in the center, call 050-334-444 or 050-333-881).
Bruges by Boat
The most relaxing and scenic (though not informative) way to see this city of canals is by
boat, with the captain narrating. The city carefully controls this standard tourist activity, so
the many companies all offer essentially the same thing: a 30-minute route (roughly 4/hour,
daily10:00-17:00),apriceof€7.60(cashonly),andnarrationinthreeorfourlanguages.Qu-
alitative differences are because of individual guides, not companies. Always let them know
you speak English to ensure you'll understand the spiel. Two companies give the group-rate
discount to individuals with this topic: Boten Stael (just over the canal from Memling Mu-
seumatKatelijnestraat4,tel.050-332-771)andGruuthuse(Nieuwstraat11,oppositeGroen-
inge Museum, tel. 050-333-393).
