Interrailing trip advice needed - Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg

[Techniquest]

Hi all,

I know we've talked about it a bit in the thread about fares from Brussels to Luxembourg, but since that topic has been dealt with it makes sense for the discussion to have its own place, hence this thread.

Anyway, as has been mentioned already and hinted at in the thread title, I'm doing an Interrail trip on a Benelux pass in mid-March (less than 2 months to go! ), and intend to cover as much as physically possible on the trip. Not to mention sample some different motive power, as well as add two more countries to the list of those I've visited, said list is not currently very long!

Having spent some time looking at my European rail map last night, I see there's more to do than originally expected. My fault for not looking at the detailed side before Definitely going to need multiple visits to clear each country, and I've only a day in each one to do what I can on this trip.

So then, let's get onto the questions, of which there will be many before I go I suspect!

1) I'm flying over to Amsterdam, partly because I've not been on a plane since 7th October and I really want to go on one again, but partly because it's far quicker than getting the train all the way. Not to mention less expensive and that Eurostar wouldn't offer me through fares to Amsterdam for some reason anyway! So then, my first question is this: What's the best way to get from the airport to Amsterdam? I assume flybe arrive into Schipol which appears to have a mainline railway station, but my pass won't be starting til the day after I arrive so will need a separate ticket. Would a single Schipol to Amsterdam be terribly expensive?

2) Obviously in the Netherlands I'll need some understanding of Dutch, although I don't expect to be very good at it in 2 months. Something to do other than play music on my commuting in the meantime! I do however predict I'm going to struggle anyway, so my question is this: Is English understood whatsoever? Hopefully I'll be fine anyway, but just wondering.

3) On one of the hotels I've booked so far, I'm sure it was the Amsterdam one, the invoice mentions City Tax not included. Anyone got the gen on what that actually means and what I need to do?

4) Naturally the various railway lines cross over borders all over the place in each of the countries I'm doing, and whilst some frontier stations are on the borders some aren't. So the question is: Would my Interrail pass be valid to these stations?

5) Stupid question I know, but since it's all part of the EU, I should be fine with just my UK passport shouldn't I?

6) I've not ordered the pass just yet, so haven't seen the paperwork that may come with it. However, I know that I need to fill in the dates before travel much like a UK 3 in 7 rover, after that I have no idea. The website is less than useful on things like peak time restrictions, what trains I need to reserve seats on and such like. So the question is this: I'd imagine most trains are fine for just turning up and going, but is this the case or am I right with my assuming it's just things like Fyra, Thalys, TGV and ICE that you need reservations on?

Thanks in advance all for answers to the above. If you can think of anything else that might be useful, like routes to go for or motive power to try and get on, then please feel free to contribute

 

[radamfi]

All fares in the Netherlands can be found at www.ns.nl. Schiphol to Amsterdam Centraal is €3.90 single full fare on most trains except Fyra which needs a supplement.

English is almost universally spoken to a very high standard. According to Wikipedia, 90% of the population speak English, which is the highest percentage in any non-English speaking country.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_English-speaking_population

Many expats working in the Netherlands get away with not learning a word of Dutch. Having said that, it might be worth learning a few words to do with trains, such as 'vertrek' (departure), 'aankomst' (arrival), 'enkele' (single), 'vertraging' (delay). Obviously the more Dutch you know, the more enjoyable the trip will be.

On most trains, you just get on, as there are no reservations. Fyra (domestic service between Breda and Amsterdam) requires a supplement.

http://www.interrail.eu/planning/train-seat-reservations/reservation-fees#netherlands

The ICE service between Amsterdam and Arnhem needs a supplement with a normal ticket, but I don't think it is required for an Interrail pass. I would check beforehand, just in case.

Thalys requires a new ticket, which the Interrail pass gives only a small discount on.

You write the day and month on the pass in the space in the ticket.

Yes, a UK passport is fine.

I would recommend looking at www.seat61.com

City Tax will be levied when you get to the hotel if you haven't already paid it.

 

[Techniquest]

Many thanks for the quick reply, and for the helpful answers. Didn't know English was that widely understood, most surprising.

Probably best to try and avoid high speed services then, although I'll look into supplements and make a decision at the time on that one.

€3.90 single from Schipol sounds quite good, considering it looked a bit of a way on the map. As for looking on seat61.com, I'd not thought about that so shall pop on over to that in a second. Thanks for that reminder

Bit more relaxed now having got that lot dealt with, bring on 11th March!

 

[starrymarkb]

Flybe use Schiphol - Not sure if they use the low cost H pier or park in the Fokker Farm with a bus to the D Pier.. The Schiphol App (free from Google Play - not sure on iDevices) will tell you where your booked gate is and 24 hours prior to travel the registration of the aircraft that is booked to operate it! - Would also suggest a trip to the rooftop Panorama Terrace - the biggest Airport viewing Terrace I've ever seen!

From Schiphol in to Amsterdam Centraal it's €3.90 each way. Not valid on Thalys or Fyra (the High Speed services) but there are 'Sprinters' at regular intervals. (usually double deck with either a locomotive or a huge EMU powercar). Takes about 25 mins.

The Dutch speak English very well - and a lot of their TV isn't dubbed but is in English with Subtitles.

City Tax is usually a couple of Euros added to your hotel bill. I'd suggest googling it for the relevant city.

If you are stuck for something to do in Amsterdam before your pass starts I'd suggest doing a Canal Boat Tour. There is a good one by Centraal station which was only €8 for an hour's trip - It was the Kooij company if I remember correctly. and it was near the tram stops. I'd also suggest the Free ferries that cross the IJ for good waterfront views. Follow the signs in Centraal station and just board one when they dock. A day pass for the trams/metro is about €9.

Needless to say if you are exploring the De Wallen area (the Red Light District) near the station be very careful and don't flash valuables or take pictures of any workers. It's an interesting area though and is worth a look for it's history and the surrealness of Kindergartens next to Brothels.

 

[eastwestdivide]

As a single traveller to the country with "coffee shops" , expect to get some attention from the nice customs people on the way back, so don't be tempted to bring back anything you shouldn't.
The only time I've ever had my bags searched at customs was coming back to the UK from Amsterdam. I was squeaky clean of course, but it's still a bit unnerving.

 

[Techniquest]

Thanks for that about De Wallen, although to be honest I haven't intentions to visit that area, or at least on this trip. Maybe as part of an Amsterdam area city break instead, not sure yet.

Thanks for those tips there, I'm not due to arrive into Schipol until 1625 local time (1 hour ahead of the UK I think) so even in mid-March it'll almost be dark by the time I get into Brussels (probably around 1710 by the looks of it). Therefore not sure whether I'll do the boat tours, although they sound good. As for why I'm arriving so late in the day when flying, it was to give myself time to get to Birmingham Airport without a hotel move. Still means getting up at 0600 for the 0645 bus into Hereford to do it all mind!

The TV being in English with subtitles will be nice, I did struggle with understanding much at all of the TV (bar The Simpsons which I'd seen before lol) in Brussels!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

As a single traveller to the country with "coffee shops" , expect to get some attention from the nice customs people on the way back, so don't be tempted to bring back anything you shouldn't.
The only time I've ever had my bags searched at customs was coming back to the UK from Amsterdam. I was squeaky clean of course, but it's still a bit unnerving.

Fortunately my itinery features the 0756 Brussels to London Eurostar on my way home, so should be fine. I know about such things being unnerving, West Midlands Police must have thought I looked too happy to be coming back to the UK on a trip to Ireland last year and asked me a lot about my job and where I worked. That was obviously not the same as customs but close enough for me.

Should I assume that there are 'normal' coffee shops as well as those of a different reputation? I do enjoy my coffee after all!

 

[radamfi]

BBC One and BBC Two are available nationwide in the Netherlands on cable so are available in many hotels.

 

[WestCoast]

Flybe use Schiphol - Not sure if they use the low cost H pier or park in the Fokker Farm with a bus to the D Pier.. The Schiphol App (free from Google Play - not sure on iDevices) will tell you where your booked gate is and 24 hours prior to travel the registration of the aircraft that is booked to operate it! - Would also suggest a trip to the rooftop Panorama Terrace - the biggest Airport viewing Terrace I've ever seen!

Flybe used to operate to the low-cost non-Schengen Pier H, but since their expansion at Amsterdam and the fact that they are affiliated with Air France-KLM they operate to the remote stands ("the Fokker farm"). Their flights now depart/arrive into the gate D06 complex.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

As a single traveller to the country with "coffee shops" , expect to get some attention from the nice customs people on the way back, so don't be tempted to bring back anything you shouldn't.
The only time I've ever had my bags searched at customs was coming back to the UK from Amsterdam. I was squeaky clean of course, but it's still a bit unnerving.

I know about such things being unnerving, West Midlands Police must have thought I looked too happy to be coming back to the UK on a trip to Ireland last year and asked me a lot about my job and where I worked. That was obviously not the same as customs but close enough for me.

I'd have politely asked what the purpose of the interrogation was and why they needed to know. The Police in the UK get away with far too much under the banner of terrorism and suchlike harassing citizens, while the Border Agency is approving sham Student visas and so on...

I travel alone frequently and have never had any issues like that whatsoever and I've never been asked any questions by customs. The only problems I've encountered have been with US Customs and Immigration, but that's a another story entirely!

The EU (is supposed to) have freedom of movement, unless you're a criminal borders should be passed unhindered.

 

[telstarbox]

Wikitravel is a good starting point for trips abroad, particularly for popular destinations such as Amsterdam, although as with any user-generated content it's advisable to double check the information elsewhere.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Amsterdam

http://wikitravel.org/en/Netherlands#Get_around

 

[WestCoast]

2) Obviously in the Netherlands I'll need some understanding of Dutch, although I don't expect to be very good at it in 2 months. Something to do other than play music on my commuting in the meantime! I do however predict I'm going to struggle anyway, so my question is this: Is English understood whatsoever? Hopefully I'll be fine anyway, but just wondering

Most Dutch people are extraordinarily competent in English; many speak it more clearly than some people with strong accents in the UK do! Obviously like Radamfi says, learn a bit of transport related vocabulary as well a few pleasantries and you're away!
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Probably best to try and avoid high speed services then, although I'll look into supplements and make a decision at the time on that one.

Well, the ICE100/120 are ICE International services. They run Amsterdam - Utrecht - Arnhem and have a supplement of just 2 euros single on a normal ticket. You can buy it from the TVMs under "ICE supplement". It's certainly worth doing for a ride on an ICE3!

The IC140 Amsterdam Centraal - Hilversum – Amersfoort - Apeldoorn – Deventer - Almelo - Hengelo which operate with DB InterCity stock carry no supplement.

It means you can get a ride on some of DB's key long-distance stock without leaving the Netherlands, highly recommended!

 

[Techniquest]

Thanks for all that,very useful!

I keep looking at the map and trying to decide what to do first.Gonna need a full day in Luxembourg by the looks of it,if I want to do the branches at least.Gonna focus on the mainlines on this trip,or at least those which the map indicates are scenic.

Ordered Platform 5's Benelux Railways book earlier,not cheap with packaging at £24.10 but cheaper than doing a trip to Birmingham or Cardiff to go to Ian Allen for it!

 

[87015]

There are loco diagrams for all three countries on ERG although obviously of less importance if you mainly doing track.

Ps If you get the NS ones, treat with caution as the locos and power cars are interchangable on the decker sets...!

 

[30907]

The new HSL in NL would be worth checking out - memory says the FYRA supplement is only a couple of Euros but I think we have a couple of NL resident posters who will confirm.

 

[Oscar]

On train announcements in the Netherlands are usually in Dutch only in my experience but Dutch is a relatively easy language to learn for an English speaker.

 

[atillathehunn]

The announcements in Schiphol station will be in both English and Dutch, and on most of the trains that pass through Schiphol. Other announcements are variable. Some around Centraal station in Amsterdam may well also be in English. Anywhere else it would be very unusual to have the announcement in English as well as Dutch.

Take a look at this website for the FYRA stuff: http://www.fyra.com/Travel/Tickets#2

Click on the domestic tab at the top of the page for fares within the Netherlands, though I think with the exception of the hop from Centraal - Schiphol the supplement is just €2,30. Slightly different on the Amsterdam to Brussels journeys, and different again on domestic Belgian journeys.
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BBC One and BBC Two are available nationwide in the Netherlands on cable so are available in many hotels.

I must get a terrible cable package - I only get BBC1! Then, it is a student apartment.
On the good packages (and in the good hotels) you should be able to get BBC1, 2, 3, 4. I did in my last apartment.

 

[radamfi]

I must get a terrible cable package - I only get BBC1! Then, it is a student apartment.
On the good packages (and in the good hotels) you should be able to get BBC1, 2, 3, 4. I did in my last apartment.

Maybe you get a special cut down cable package for students. According to

http://www.upc.nl/televisie/tv-zenders/

with UPC, the most basic TV package of 30 (analogue) channels includes BBC One and BBC Two. BBC Three and BBC Four are available with the digital package of 110+ channels.

One thing that may well be important to know is that credit card acceptance is nowhere near as universal as in most other western countries. Many places accept debit cards, but usually only those issued in the Netherlands, or those branded with Maestro. Not many people in the UK have Maestro cards.

In addition, vending machines, including ticket machines, only accept coins or Dutch cards/Maestro. A few ticket machines at Schiphol, Amsterdam Centraal and a few other places where there are a lot of tourists also accept Visa/Mastercard, but there is a fee.

One phrase I hope you don't hear very often is "onze excuses voor het ongemak"!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

My experience of Dutch on board train crew is that they all speak excellent English and are more than helpfull.

Regarding an evening in Amsterdam , much to do and see - but do not judge the city by the Redlight area or the main drag of the Damrak. Have a walk around on the older classic canals like the Herengracht and the Prinsengracht - the Leidesplein and Rembrantplein have good pubs , clubs and even the odd "special" coffee shop. Maybe with your retail job - you could check out the Albert Heine chain !

Be prepared for the cold - last February - the whole canal system froze up such that you could walk , skate and sit on the ice (on settees !)

 

[johnnychips]

If you are going to Luxembourg, the route from Liege is very scenic (loco CFL). So you could go in that way and back to Brussels or vv.

There is a very interesting preserved tramline at Thuin in Belgium, if you like that sort of thing, but opening is limited.

 

[atillathehunn]

Yes Dutch crew will often speak good English. If they don't, your fellow passengers can usually be called upon to translate for you.

It's pretty cold here at the moment (-8 with snow on the ground here in Limburg) and an emergency snow timetable in place on the trains - so can't recommend a visit for now! There was a 1, 000 km traffic jam this morning, so the news was saying - who says Europe deals better with the snow??

If we do get a proper cold snap you might well get to go skating on the canals - pretty good fun!

Oh, and Albert Heijn

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Apologies for getting the store name wrong .......
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By the way it is around -5 here in Herts , - train service running well , though the omens for Friday are not good. We get often slated for not coping with bad weather of all sorts here , not having the equipment and staff of say the Swiss / Austrians - but we do often get a bad press. Our Continental brothers are , am sure , getting stuck in to coping with the cold weather.

Wrap up well and keep the point heaters going etc !!!

 

[atillathehunn]

Apologies ChiefPlanner, I was only pulling your leg.

I suppose it's not that Britain doesn't expect the cold weather, it's just that it comes and goes in a relatively short amount of time, and therefore you can't justify the level of investment needed to have a team on standby for the few days the snow and really cold temperatures stick around. Same can sort of be said of here, though usually colder for longer than the UK.

Roads and bike paths all cleared here relatively quickly this morning (not sure how the new heated bike paths are going), and the trains seemed to be running fine though to an amended timetable to try and minimise the amount of points that need to be moved and therefore fail. Usually just means changing trains a little more frequently.

 

[Techniquest]

My experience of Dutch on board train crew is that they all speak excellent English and are more than helpfull.

Regarding an evening in Amsterdam , much to do and see - but do not judge the city by the Redlight area or the main drag of the Damrak. Have a walk around on the older classic canals like the Herengracht and the Prinsengracht - the Leidesplein and Rembrantplein have good pubs , clubs and even the odd "special" coffee shop. Maybe with your retail job - you could check out the Albert Heine chain !

Be prepared for the cold - last February - the whole canal system froze up such that you could walk , skate and sit on the ice (on settees !)

Thanks, shall have to remember that. As for Albert Heijn, what is that?

I hope it's a bit warmer by 11th March then!
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If you are going to Luxembourg, the route from Liege is very scenic (loco CFL). So you could go in that way and back to Brussels or vv.

Excellent, looks a bit of a twisty curvy route on the map so could be interesting. Think the rough plan so far is to get to Liege from whatever part of the Netherlands I'm in the previous day then go to Luxembourg, then come back the other way on an AM96 (or if it's randomly loco, I'll be quite happy with that too).

Certainly plenty to be trying to fit in, think I'm gonna need to do another Benelux Interrail at some point!

 

[radamfi]

Albert Heijn is a supermarket chain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Heijn

 

[atillathehunn]

Thanks, shall have to remember that. As for Albert Heijn, what is that?

I hope it's a bit warmer by 11th March then!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Excellent, looks a bit of a twisty curvy route on the map so could be interesting. Think the rough plan so far is to get to Liege from whatever part of the Netherlands I'm in the previous day then go to Luxembourg, then come back the other way on an AM96 (or if it's randomly loco, I'll be quite happy with that too).

Certainly plenty to be trying to fit in, think I'm gonna need to do another Benelux Interrail at some point!

Everytime I have seen the Luxembourg train in the last few months it has been loco hauled, though I guess I'm only in Liege a few times in a month.

To get to Liege from the Netherlands your best option, it would seem, is to come through Maastricht and catch the local service from here to Liege; though I stand to be corrected.

 

[Techniquest]

Thanks muchly,shall see exactly what happens on the trip in March but sounds good
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Not worth whether it would be better to do a new thread for it, maybe when I know the moves I need mileage figures for would be better. Anyway, in advance (7 weeks or so!) of the trip, would anyone here have any mileage for Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, or at least know where to look for it?

Been on YouTube tonight having got the Benelux Railways book from Platform 5, which I highly recommend to anyone interested in a book listing the classes used in each three countries as it's very informative on where to look for them/what they're used on, a brief history of each country's railways and some general running information. In short, I wish I'd had this book before I went to Brussels! Anyway, curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to see what the SNCB Class 41s sounded like. Really quite good to my eyes, see for yourself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES4GNaLmxSo A trip to Antwerp and to Gent it is then!

Also, the CFL Class 2200s sound a little like UK 323s to me, instant like for me! I see SNCF appear to use some of them too, noted 336 on a Luxembourg to Nancy-Ville in another video I watched in a blue and silver livery. Looks like I'll need a book on French motive power too!