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Forum Question Posted By: Replies:
Leuven
how to get from Amsterdam to Leuven
Posted: Fri August 8, 2008 11:36 PM UTC
Hi,
I've been doing some research but I'm a bit frustrated. I've found that you can get there by train but haven't managed to find how much it'd cost (which is an important detail...) Also, I've been trying to find buses (eurolines.be) but they dont seem to do that route. Any ideas?
And also, does anybody know how easy it is to get to the Charleroi airport from Leuven?
We only have one day in Belgium before we head home. We'll be coming there from Amsterdam. I've heard there's nothing much to see in Brussels, so someone recommended us to spend that day in Leuven instead. But so far finding transportation to Leuven from Amsterdam is getting a bit trickier than to Brussels (hence my call for help here). If getting to the airport from Leuven is also gonna be more complicated then we might consider keeping it simple and just stay in Brussels.
I'd appreciate any sugestion on that.
Many thanks for your help!
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Leuven
Re: how to get from Amsterdam to Leuven
Posted: Sat August 9, 2008 03:34 AM UTC
You can get to Leuven in just under 3 hours by train, as you probably will have found.
The trip goes via Antwerpen-Centraal (Antwerp).
www.nshispeed.nl (English link top right) gives a price of just under 35 euro.

Just to be sure, I also calculated Amsterdam-Centraal to Antwerp-Centraal, which has a normal fare of 43 euro, and (if booked early) a promotional fare of 32 euro.
The trip Antwerp-Leuven costs just under 7 euro, making it 39 euro total if you use the promotional fare. If not, it would be just under 50 euro.

Belgian rail: www.b-rail.be
Dutch rail: www.ns.nl
Dutch international rail: www.nshispeed.nl

Time-wise and cost-wise it won't make much difference if you go to Brussels or to Leuven. Brussels is the capital of Belgium. I'm sure your advisor wanted to promote a more off the beaten path destination, but there is plenty to see in Brussels! You'd enjoy a day in Brussels for sure and it would not be a waste of time.

Charleroi Airport, see here:
http://www.charleroi-airport.com/doc.php?nd=1100&tid=100&site=1&lg=2

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Leuven
Re: how to get from Amsterdam to Leuven
Posted: Sat August 9, 2008 08:50 AM UTC
wow thanx for your help! :)

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Leuven
Re: how to get from Amsterdam to Leuven
Posted: Sat August 9, 2008 07:48 PM UTC
If you have the time, Eurolines.be does do Amsterdam-Brussels, from where it's a short hop to Leuven by train (or, if you prefer, by bus, there are plenty of them that leave from below Gare du Nord, where Eurolines coaches arrive).
If you only have one day in Belgium I don't know why you would spend it in Leuven rather than Brussels: the Grand' Place in Brussels has to be worth seeing, and I would add the nearby Galeries St. Hubert. Both of these are just 5 minutes' walk from Gare centrale, which is also the best area to stay in. If you come from Amsterdam on the InterCity train you can get off there, and you can also catch a train direct from there to Charleroi-Sud (or a local train to Gare du Midi for the airport shuttle).
Getting to Charleroi Airport from Leuven is indeed going to be more complicated than from Brussels given that you have to start by coming into Brussels, by bus to Gare du Nord or by train to Nord, central or Midi. The shuttle bus leaves from behind Gare du Midi (near the Air France Office), I believe it now costs something like €13, you can buy it on board. Alternatively you can take the train to Charleroi-Sud and then local bus 68 to the airport.

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Leuven
Re: how to get from Amsterdam to Leuven
Posted: Sat August 9, 2008 07:59 PM UTC
thank you :) we actually wanted to spend that day in Brussels but then we were told Brussels wasnt too interesting. as we had no idea whether that was true or wrong, because we've never been there, we believed it and asked for another option. then this person came up with Leuven. but your both posts have convinced me now that Brussels is the place we should visit, which is what we had planed from the start.
many thanks for your help :) im feeling better now!

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Leuven
Re: how to get from Amsterdam to Leuven
Posted: Sat August 9, 2008 08:13 PM UTC
The Great Market square (Grote Markt) in Brussels is a Unesco world heritage site. It may be 'boring' to locals and Dutchies but hey... it is mighty impressive.
When you have more time, visit Belgium longer for more off the beaten path.
Be sure to check out the Brussels page here on VT. You'll soon see what we mean!

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Leuven
Re: how to get from Amsterdam to Leuven
Posted: Sun August 10, 2008 10:52 AM UTC
"When you have more time, visit Belgium longer for more off the beaten path"

yeah, i think we're gonna have to do that one day. we would have liked to have time to see Brugge too. Next time we will :)

One last question, is this a good area to stay at in Brussels?:
Rue du Damier 23 (behind the shopping mall City 2).

Thanks both for your help, you've been very kind!

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Leuven
Re: how to get from Amsterdam to Leuven
Posted: Tue August 12, 2008 02:17 PM UTC
oh what a pity you were miss informed.
I must say I have my pro and cons with Brussels but saying it is not worth visiting is really a very strange opinion.
And yes you should see more of Belgium next time, there are many nice places and things to do and see.
Especially in Summertime, there are festivals all over the cities, including Brussels.
If you ever meet that person who told you not to go, pull his ear `-)

It is also a pity you didn't checked the pages about Brussels and other Belgian cities.
Maybe your informant is someont who likes to hang around in pubs, but Leuven, except for the just last weekend Markt rock, is pretty quiet in Summer when all the students are on holiday.

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Re: how to get from Amsterdam to Leuven
Posted: Wed August 13, 2008 06:32 PM UTC
i know, i apologise for his unfortunate remark on brussels. im sure it wasnt his intention to offend anyone, neither was mine. he said his opinion and it was our own fault for not double-checking it. in any case we're looking forward to being in the netherlands and in belgium. thanks all for your ideas :)

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