How significant are advance purchase discounts on Dutch and Belgian railways?
I am deciding between
- Benelux railpass
- Purchasing point-to-point tickets in advance, which I assume commits us to a specific dates and times
- Buying shortly before use, which is mid-August
The itinerary is (likely) Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp-Ghent-Brussels. (Then Brussels to London by Eurostar. That date I can probably commit to.)
Buying tickets now is clearly cheaper than a 4-day in a month railpass, not even close, even using Rail Europe which is not the best source. But buying tickets then? (The railpass also means I don't have to worry about those pesky Dutch ticket kiosks versus my USA credit card.)
Best Answer
Except for Thalys or trains to Germany, there are no advance-purchase discounts at all in the Netherlands (and, I think, Belgium), the Dutch railway network is one of the last ones in Western Europe using almost exclusively a “traditional” distance-based pricing model. The price you see today will therefore still be available in August.
Thalys or Eurostar fares on the other hand vary a lot so definitely buy that one as soon as possible. Note that on Amsterdam-Brussels (but not, I think, on Rotterdam-Antwerpen), an advance fare on Thalys can actually be slightly cheaper than the regular fare on other trains. The latter won't change and will always be available, even after the cheap tickets on Thalys have sold out.
Whether you buy online, at the counter or from a vending machine, you don't have to commit to specific times or to a given train either, you only specify a date (besides, seat reservation is not even available except, again, on international trains to Germany and, of course, Thalys, where it is mandatory). You could therefore buy several tickets at once if you wish, paying the credit card surcharge only once.
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Do you need to buy train tickets in advance in Belgium?
You don't need to purchase your tickets in advance as seat reservations are not available. Your ticket is valid for a single journey (or a return journey, if marked as such), at any time of the day specified on your rail ticket and either in 2nd or 1st class,as you have chosen.Are train tickets cheaper if you buy in advance?
Is it cheaper to buy a train ticket in advance? Yes. Advance train tickets are usually the cheapest way to travel by train, and generally go on sale 12 weeks before your date of travel. You'll need to travel on the train you're booked on, but you'll get a cheaper price by foregoing flexible travel times.What is an advance discount ticket?
Advance fares are single (one-way) tickets offering great value for money on many longer distance journeys. You must book in advance* of travel and fares are sold in limited numbers and so subject to availability. In general, the further ahead you book, the cheaper the Advance fare will be.Is it cheaper to buy German train tickets in advance?
Is it cheaper to buy train tickets in advance in Germany? If you are buying the single journey tickets, then yes, it is usually cheaper to buy in advance. Typically about 2-3 months in advance are often the best prices.How to Save Hundreds of Pounds on UK Train Tickets
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Answer 2
There is no need to buy the Benelux Railpass. If you travel on InterCity (IC) trains, the trip will cost 53.30 EUR or 47 EUR if you are less than 26 years old.
For IC trains in the Netherlands and Belgium, there is no advance purchase discount. Just buy the tickets as you go. There is even no need to commit to schedules in advance. Trains run very frequently on each of these legs. Just go to the station, buy a ticket and hop on the next train ...
Thalys highspeed trains, on the other hand, do have an airline-style pricing system. But there is no point in using Thalys for your trip, which is composed of relatively short legs. Even if price were the same, the time saving that you would get from Thalys is outweighed by the increased flexibility you have with IC trains.
However, there are significant advance purchase discounts for the Eurostar to London. Booking early, as well as flexibility regarding the schedules, pay off.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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