HAL Shuttle in Zeebrugge to Blakenburg Station

[Hal&Rob]

Does anyone know if HAL provides free or pay shuttle service in Zeebrugge to the train station in Blankenburg? Want to go to Brugge on the cheap.

[Lair Bear]

If no shuttle, you might consider taking the tram that runs along the coast to Blankenburg. Then when you get to the train station in Brugge do the 'walking tour': http://www.*****.com/Brugge%205.html

 

Enjoy your trip.

[jocap]

The port/tourist board provided the buses when we went, with a tourist woman on board to tell pax where to go for the station etc.

Jo.

[LHT28]

Not as cheap as the train but we prebooked a taxi for 8 found some people on the roll call to share

it was 45E one way

[BNguy]

I (along with others I'm sure) are trying to plan our day in Zeebrugge. We arrive there on Jun 1, 2011 on the Rotterdam and according to our itinerary we are there from 8am to 6pm. I've searched the boards here and while some come close to giving us what I'd like to know, no one has actually answered our questions.

 

I know that you can take the Coastal Tram from Zeebrugge to Blankenburg station and then take a train into Brugge. That certainly sounds like something I could do however, can one walk from where the ship docks to the tram stop without violating some security breach or being run over by the constant parade of trucks going to and from the port?

 

HAL does not offer a DIY tour to Brugge, you have to take one of their rather pricey tours and then you can't wander off by yourself and explore as we'd rather do.

 

Sure you can hire a taxi, but for two people it becomes expensive, so there has to be a better way. The OP asked if there was a shuttle, one reply said there was but I'd bet that person wasn't on Holland America, otherwise there would be a lot of people telling us that.

 

So if anyone has some concrete information on how to go to/from the coastal tram in Zeebrugge (either via walking to some sort of transfer) or if there is a way to get from the port to Brugge without spending 90 Euros round trip, I'd sure like to hear it.

 

I'm sure I'll be accused of being snippy here, and if so I apologize, it's just that trying to find out the CORRECT information is very difficult and doesn't have to be. There are numerous posters here that post questions and some get answers but generally people do not come back here and post what their experience was in order to HELP others not make the same mistakes.

 

Thanks for listening and hopefully this will provide some results.

[LHT28]

Sure you can hire a taxi, but for two people it becomes expensive, so there has to be a better way. The OP asked if there was a shuttle, one reply said there was but I'd bet that person wasn't on Holland America, otherwise there would be a lot of people telling us that.

 

So if anyone has some concrete information on how to go to/from the coastal tram in Zeebrugge (either via walking to some sort of transfer) or if there is a way to get from the port to Brugge without spending 90 Euros round trip, I'd sure like to hear it.

 

You may get a better response to post on the HAL forum as you will have information from those that have sailed in Zeebrugges with HAL

There are a few docking areas so not really sure where you will dock

 

I mentioned a taxi but if you can share the ride with your fellow cruisers it is more affordable not a cheap as the train but certainly less hassle

Or just take a taxi to the train station .

there were several taxis waiting near the ship

 

where we docked you could not walk to town

It is a working port so not only dangerous it was a fair distance to the gates

 

http://www.portofzeebrugge.be/en/node/442

You might be able to find out where you dock

[Lair Bear]

I'm sure I'll be accused of being snippy here, and if so I apologize, it's just that trying to find out the CORRECT information is very difficult and doesn't have to be. There are numerous posters here that post questions and some get answers but generally people do not come back here and post what their experience was in order to HELP others not make the same mistakes.

 

Yes, perhaps you are a bit 'snippy', and no there is no 'CORRECT' answer because, as some have already mentioned, it 'all depends'.

 

A couple years ago when we went, our ship docked at a different area than where they 'typically' dock now. So, assuming it will be at the Swedish dock, the more recent one, you should be able to go ashore without any interference of trucks, etc. The tram station is a block or so away.

 

Is that 'legal to do'? Someone showed a picture of a 'no-enty' sign, but I cannot believe that so many others who have done this and took the tram to Blankenburg were thrown in jail or fined.

 

Take a taxi, pre-order that if you like, and pay 45 euros one way to Brugge, but don't even think of taking a taxi to take you to Blankenburg train station. The taxi driver would probably smile and charge you more.

 

If that does not totally answer your question or concerns, I would highly recommend that you stick with the HAL excursions and pay the dues, no matter how high they are.

[jocap]

The line we were on when the tourist board provided a coach was NCL.

If you go to the search button, and write Brugge, there's a lot of answers to this question....I remember someone showing maps of how to walk to Zeebrugge railway station. It's too far to walk to the Blankenburg one.

The port is a very busy one, with ferries and car passengers as well as the usual cargo ships, so it can be very difficult to walk around there.

Jo.

[BNguy]

Thank you for your answers, I appreciate the time it took to give them to everyone here. They have been helpful.

 

I've written to the Zeebrugge port authority, so far no response, we shall see.

[Hlitner]

Sometimes it can be wise to simply be patient. We have been on cruises where folks will spend big dollars to book cruise line shuttles/excursions only to discover that there was a free shuttle offered by the port. As to Zebrugge, the last time we were in that port we really did not make any advanced plans. When we got off the ship there was a taxi queue and we quickly found a few other passengers and simply shared a taxi into Brugges (much cheaper then cruise line shuttles if you get 4 or more). On the return we took the train and found a shuttle bus back to the port (can't recall if that bus was free or very low cost). The point is that there are several differernt ways to get from the port into Brugge so we are never overly concerned about making prior arrangements.

 

Hank

[SwKnight]

Sometimes it can be wise to simply be patient. We have been on cruises where folks will spend big dollars to book cruise line shuttles/excursions only to discover that there was a free shuttle offered by the port. As to Zebrugge, the last time we were in that port we really did not make any advanced plans. When we got off the ship there was a taxi queue and we quickly found a few other passengers and simply shared a taxi into Brugges (much cheaper then cruise line shuttles if you get 4 or more). On the return we took the train and found a shuttle bus back to the port (can't recall if that bus was free or very low cost). The point is that there are several differernt ways to get from the port into Brugge so we are never overly concerned about making prior arrangements.

 

Hank

 

That's JUST what I was LOOKING for Hank.

 

Thanks...

[jpver]

I see that reference is made to a place "Blankenburg". Attention the latter is situated somewhere in Germany.

The correct name is BLANKENBERGE a coast place situated close approx 5 km west from Zeebrugge.

 

The tramway from "De lijn" is running on the whole coast which only approx 65 km.As the tramway is mostly on own separate runway, it is confortable to travel quickly to all sites.

If you want top class shopping you have east at a few km "Knokke - Zoute"

On the oither side you have Blankenberge bu roughly 20 km further "Oostende" which is the major town at the Belgian Coast.

 

Unfortunately the site is not in english but in clicking at Routeplanner or Dienstregelingen you will be able to find your information.

http://www.delijn.be/dekusttram/info/sitemap.htm

[tom_uk]

I see that reference is made to a place "Blankenburg". Attention the latter is situated somewhere in Germany.

The correct name is BLANKENBERGE a coast place situated close approx 5 km west from Zeebrugge.

 

The tramway from "De lijn" is running on the whole coast which only approx 65 km.As the tramway is mostly on own separate runway, it is confortable to travel quickly to all sites.

If you want top class shopping you have east at a few km "Knokke - Zoute"

On the oither side you have Blankenberge bu roughly 20 km further "Oostende" which is the major town at the Belgian Coast.

 

Unfortunately the site is not in english but in clicking at Routeplanner or Dienstregelingen you will be able to find your information.

http://www.delijn.be/dekusttram/info/sitemap.htm

 

The problem arises in the first half-mile: getting from the ship's berth to the tram stop. I've been to Zeebrugge twice (on P&O) and my understanding is that cruise ships don't dock where the ferries dock; hence directions relating to ferry passengers don't apply to cruise passengers. When I was there with P&O last autumn, I couldn't see any easy way out of the dock area on foot. Indeed, it was very hard to see exactly where we would want to go: there seemed to be stacks of containers everywhere blocking possible exits. There was a road but with no pavement, and I don't recall seeing anyone walking.

 

As it happens, on that cruise there was no need for anyone to walk as P&O, to their credit, provide a free shuttle bus into Blankenberge. I'm afraid I can't help the OP with his query regarding HAL, except to suggest (like others) that the best place to ask would be on the HAL forum.

[BNguy]

Well I just wrote to Holland America about possible port shuttles and received the not-so-good reply that Holland America will offer no shuttles at any port on the Baltic cruise whatsoever. If you want to get into town via a port shuttle you have to take one of their shore excursions.

 

With that said, I'm going to go by my original plan of getting out at Zeebrugge and walking, there surely is a way as long as you are careful.