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Post by gwernybwch on Feb 12, 2016 19:21:58 GMT
I was wondering if anyone was staying in Brussels before / after the England game, if so how they were getting to and back from the game?
Eurostar to Lille and then regular train to Lens?
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Post by manulike on Feb 12, 2016 20:55:23 GMT
I was wondering if anyone was staying in Brussels before / after the England game, if so how they were getting to and back from the game? Eurostar to Lille and then regular train to Lens? I am staying in Gent (which is much nicer  ) From what I can read on the Belgian sites, I'd say you are much better off taking the Eurostar / TGV to Lille (36 minutes and €30) and then another direct train to Lens (55 minutes and anything from €14 to €30). If you fancy exploring Belgium a bit, the cheaper trains go either via Ghent (Gand in French) or Tournai - about 2 hours journey time to Lille |
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Post by gwernybwch on Feb 12, 2016 22:17:54 GMT
I was wondering if anyone was staying in Brussels before / after the England game, if so how they were getting to and back from the game? Eurostar to Lille and then regular train to Lens? I am staying in Gent (which is much nicer ) From what I can read on the Belgian sites, I'd say you are much better off taking the Eurostar / TGV to Lille (36 minutes and €30) and then another direct train to Lens (55 minutes and anything from €14 to €30). If you fancy exploring Belgium a bit, the cheaper trains go either via Ghent (Gand in French) or Tournai - about 2 hours journey time to Lille Used to visit Belgium / North Calais region of France quite often, so have been to Ghent. Nice place to spend a day, although not as grand as Bruges.
I was asking if anyone was going from Brussels as I can see Lille being a real pinch point on the day of the game. Therefore I might be better to go via Charleroi and then across to Lens?
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Post by ohjoeyjoey on Feb 12, 2016 22:18:39 GMT
I'm stopping in Brussels after the match. We've booked a couple of apartments near to the grand place. Thought it would be a safe bet for a decent night out afterwards & it's easy to get to on the train. On the 17:54 train to Lille, then on the Eurostar, gets into Brussels before 8pm. Flying the next day from Brussels to Toulouse. The day we arrive in Toulouse Italy play Sweden so it should be a decent first night out their also.
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Post by manulike on Feb 12, 2016 22:39:20 GMT
I was asking if anyone was going from Brussels as I can see Lille being a real pinch point on the day of the game. Therefore I might be better to go via Charleroi and then across to Lens?
I don't entirely understand. Are you flying in to Charleroi (RyanAir etc)? As Charleroi itself is just about the arm-pit of Belgium, and at the moment, the area around the station there is nothing short of chaos. If you are already in Brussels, Gent is a slight detour. Tournai is the Belgian border town with Lille and Kortrijk will give you a nice flavour of Flanders |
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Post by manulike on Feb 12, 2016 22:47:46 GMT
Double rooms still available at youth hostels in Ghent and Kortrijk for only €53 including breakfast. Mons only had 4-bed rooms at €21 per bed. The one in Ghent is stunningly gorgeous, right next to the castle. The ones in Mons and Kortrijk are functunal, within short walks to city centre and train station. TRAIN JOURNEY:
Brussels to Lens by train is 1hr 41min Kortrijk to Lens by train is 1hr 47min Mons to Lens is 2hr 48min Ghent to Lens is 3hr 16min |
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Post by gwernybwch on Feb 13, 2016 10:14:06 GMT
ManULike - I was thinking of going via Charleroi as I really wanted to avoid Lille and are probably flying out of Charleroi the day after the game.
I've done Brussels to Valenciennes by-passing Lille before. But the Belgian trains stop close to the border near Saint Ghislain and the French trains don't continue from there!
It reminded me of the Dany Boon movie 'Nothing to Declare' (Rien à déclarer)!
OhJoeyJoey - thanks for the reply. Have you booked the train tickets already? How much did they cost?
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Post by manulike on Feb 13, 2016 11:58:41 GMT
Hi gwernybwch,
You are certainly right in trying to avoid Lille on route to Lens, especially if traveling on match day.
The Lille fan zone has space for 30,000 (just outside the station!) and coupled with the fact that there will be another 100,000 or so ticketless fanatics trying to get to Lens as well as the 35,000 actual ticket holders ... ummm ...
Still, I can't seem to find any regular Belgian train service out of Charleroi to the French Lens.
Are you sure that you are not confusing the Belgian Lens station (about 10 miles North of Mons)?
Could you please indicate the route from Charleroi to Lens you are looking at?
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Post by belgian on Feb 13, 2016 14:23:09 GMT
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Post by manulike on Feb 13, 2016 14:44:58 GMT
Also, adding to Belgian's great advice. If you are flying in/out of Charleroi - there is a direct bus to Brussles and Gent for only €5 (if booked on-line, 90 days in advance). It goes on to Bruges for another €3 See - www.flibco.com/en |
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Post by gwernybwch on Feb 13, 2016 17:38:30 GMT
On the 17:54 train to Lille, then on the Eurostar, gets into Brussels before 8pm. Aren't you cutting it a little short to get from the ground to Lens train station? I think that the game kicks off 15.00 local time (14:00 GMT)  ?
ManULike - Yeah, I was doing searches for Lens, France. I've pretty much come to the conclusion that if I take a train from Brussels to Lens, I'll have to via Lille :-( Which train station in Lille - Flanders or Europe - is the FanZone outside?
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Post by manulike on Feb 13, 2016 17:51:49 GMT
On the 17:54 train to Lille, then on the Eurostar, gets into Brussels before 8pm. Which train station in Lille - Flanders or Europe - is the FanZone outside?
As far as I can see from the UEFA chart, the two stations are very near to each other and the Fan Zone is right between the two! |
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Post by erasedcitizen on Feb 13, 2016 18:17:54 GMT
OhJoeyJoey - thanks for the reply. Have you booked the train tickets already? How much did they cost? £22.50. We have booked. They're still available at that price on the Eurostar site. |
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Post by gwelfryn04 on Feb 14, 2016 19:45:53 GMT
Would anyone be interested in a coach from Brussels to lens?
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Post by gwernybwch on Feb 14, 2016 22:29:17 GMT
Would anyone be interested in a coach from Brussels to lens? Yeh, I might be. Are you organising one?
For those that are coming from Charleroi (Brussels South) Airport, I've found a shuttle bus that runs been Lille and the airport. The timetables aren't out for June yet, but one seems to go about every hour and a half and seems to cost anything between 5 and 20 euros one-way. www.flibco.com/en
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Post by manulike on Feb 14, 2016 22:48:08 GMT
Would anyone be interested in a coach from Brussels to lens? Yeh, I might be. Are you organising one?
For those that are coming from Charleroi (Brussels South) Airport, I've found a shuttle bus that runs been Lille and the airport. The timetables aren't out for June yet, but one seems to go about every hour and a half and seems to cost anything between 5 and 20 euros one-way. www.flibco.com/en
Filbco bus tickets go on sale 90 days ahead of departure. As long as you book it by April, you are pretty sure to get some time-slots for €5. They also go to Brussels and Gent for the same €5. It is MUCH more convenient than using the airport bus to Chaleroi South train station (€6) |
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Post by gwelfryn04 on Feb 15, 2016 9:09:48 GMT
Would anyone be interested in a coach from Brussels to lens? Yeh, I might be. Are you organising one?
For those that are coming from Charleroi (Brussels South) Airport, I've found a shuttle bus that runs been Lille and the airport. The timetables aren't out for June yet, but one seems to go about every hour and a half and seems to cost anything between 5 and 20 euros one-way. www.flibco.com/en
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Post by gwelfryn04 on Feb 15, 2016 9:10:17 GMT
Would anyone be interested in a coach from Brussels to lens? Yeh, I might be. Are you organising one?
For those that are coming from Charleroi (Brussels South) Airport, I've found a shuttle bus that runs been Lille and the airport. The timetables aren't out for June yet, but one seems to go about every hour and a half and seems to cost anything between 5 and 20 euros one-way. www.flibco.com/en
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Post by gwelfryn04 on Feb 15, 2016 9:12:59 GMT
Yeh, I might be. Are you organising one?
For those that are coming from Charleroi (Brussels South) Airport, I've found a shuttle bus that runs been Lille and the airport. The timetables aren't out for June yet, but one seems to go about every hour and a half and seems to cost anything between 5 and 20 euros one-way. www.flibco.com/en
i know someone who's looking into trying to arrange one , would cut out the hassle of train or bus journeys with our English cousins... Will let you know how he gets on |
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Post by umcb14 on Feb 15, 2016 14:13:06 GMT
6 of us staying in Brussels from the 14th to the 18th. Haven't got tickets to the England game though, so interested to know how many Welsh fans are going to be there, as there might be a better atmosphere watching it there than in Lens where English fans are bound to outnumber us heavily..? Although if there was a bus that would certainly simplify getting there and back. Looking forward to being back in Brussels either way!
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Post by Griff105 on Feb 15, 2016 20:10:52 GMT
Staying in Brussels night before then minibus to Lens. Staying in Lille so hoping to find a nice Wales friendly pub cos the sais might be a bit cross with luck.
Next day driving down to Toulouse!
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Post by manulike on Feb 18, 2016 21:02:25 GMT
For those opting to stay in Ghent (Gent) there is a direct BUS from Gent Dampoort (about 15 mins walk from youth hostel) to LILLE (Rijsel) for €5 - takes 90 minutes. Leaves at 2pm arrives at 3.30pm. Maximum advance booking is 10 weeks... They also do Brussels to Paris for €13 but the journey time is 4 hours... See - www.flixbus.com/ |
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Post by manulike on Feb 27, 2016 21:24:12 GMT
For those not wanting to wait for the train fares ... The OUIBUS coach service, formerly iDBUS, is a subsidiary of French state railways SNCF. Brussels Midi station to Lille Europe (twice a day / 90mins) is €9 for Dept 14th or 15th June at 1.30pm Train equivalent at the moment is €30 (but it does only take 36 mins)... Strangely, the cheaper IC trains from Brussels go via Ghent or via Kortrijk and cost €23.40 and take around 2 hours... Ghent to Lille is €5 on bus (https://www.flixbus.com/) or €16.40 on DIRECT train (74 mins) Bordeaux to Toulouse is also €9 Toulouse to Paris from €19 See = www.ouibus.com/ |
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Post by manulike on Feb 28, 2016 16:15:37 GMT
BUS TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR JUNE at www.flibco.comCharleroi airport to Lille for only €5 (90 minute direct trip) Charleroi airport to Ghent for only €5 (80 minute direct trip) Tickets get emailed and you may print them out or just show them to the driver on your phone. My apologies, if my post above was misleading. The bus company that is still only allowing 10-week advance bookings is the one between Ghent and Lille... www.flixbus.com/I am waiting on this one, as it departs from the smaller station (Dampoort), which is only a mere 1 km away from the youth hostel...
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Post by manulike on Feb 28, 2016 21:22:35 GMT
Just a wee copy and [aste from the Irish Fan's thread:
"Place I drink in when in Brussels is The Big Game. It's less than 100 metres from O'Reillys. €2 for a pint of Jupiler, it's about a fiver a pint in O'Reilly's. Most of the staff in the Big Game are Irish but it's not an Irish bar. Happy hour is from midday to midnight. Drink is dirt cheap, they've about 15 screens showing live sports as well."
"Some good beer gardens up near the EU District. The Coolock Cafe, James Joyce and the Funky Monkey have gardens, live sports too."
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Post by BA Baracus on Feb 29, 2016 9:48:27 GMT
BUS TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR JUNE at www.flibco.comCharleroi airport to Lille for only €5 (90 minute direct trip) Charleroi airport to Ghent for only €5 (80 minute direct trip) Tickets get emailed and you may print them out or just show them to the driver on your phone. My apologies, if my post above was misleading. The bus company that is still only allowing 10-week advance bookings is the one between Ghent and Lille... www.flixbus.com/I am waiting on this one, as it departs from the smaller station (Dampoort), which is only a mere 1 km away from the youth hostel... Can't get the Flibco site to work for June. the times are up but it won't let you progress with the booking. |
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Post by manulike on Feb 29, 2016 10:43:49 GMT
BUS TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR JUNE at www.flibco.comCharleroi airport to Lille for only €5 (90 minute direct trip) Charleroi airport to Ghent for only €5 (80 minute direct trip) Tickets get emailed and you may print them out or just show them to the driver on your phone. My apologies, if my post above was misleading. The bus company that is still only allowing 10-week advance bookings is the one between Ghent and Lille... www.flixbus.com/I am waiting on this one, as it departs from the smaller station (Dampoort), which is only a mere 1 km away from the youth hostel... Can't get the Flibco site to work for June. the times are up but it won't let you progress with the booking. Perhaps worth using a different browser? The Filbco site uses a pop-up window as well - so maybe disable pop-ups is running? After you see the dates and price indicates, select the ones you want. Then, at the lower right corner there will be a "Check Availability and Rates" button. This will lead you onto a registration window / pop-up. It might be worth registering first - I think it was quite straight-forward. Good luck! |
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Post by BA Baracus on Feb 29, 2016 11:13:17 GMT
Cheers. Done all that. Still doesn't work. Tried it on another date in March as a test and it worked fine. So not sure what's going on there.
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Post by manulike on Feb 29, 2016 11:16:11 GMT
Cheers. Done all that. Still doesn't work. Tried it on another date in March as a test and it worked fine. So not sure what's going on there. Might be worth registering any way, and trying again later in the week. I did it yesterday and bought 2 X €5 tickets, both in mid-June. One from Charleroi to Ghent One from Lille to Charleroi |
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Post by manulike on Feb 29, 2016 11:33:53 GMT
OK. Just made another purchase 10 minutes ago.
Lille to Charleroi on 28 June (€5) for a possible QF match in Marseilles.
Works fine.
Just one thing that might save you a 3% FEE.
If you have a Euro friendly account (eg. Halifax Clarity) then CHOOSE €5 payment, as the credit card portal allows you to also select payment in pounds - £4 ... which is actually even more than their claimed 3%.
I checked my bank pending transaction - its for £3.88
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