Martin’s Taxi from Zeebrugge to Bruges

[Baseball fan]

Does anyone have experience with Martin's taxi?  We are looking for a company to take us from the port to town in the morning and return late afternoon.  
 

We won't be there until May 2022.

 

Thanks

[sansterre]

We plan on using them in October.  I can tell you more in November.  But from the reviews, it sounds

good.  There is also a tram (or rail service?) but it doesn't go to the center of town like Martin's taxi does.  And with a group of 4 Martin's is less expensive.

[John Bull]

On 7/25/2021 at 6:49 PM, sansterre said:

We plan on using them in October.  I can tell you more in November.  But from the reviews, it sounds

good.  There is also a tram (or rail service?) but it doesn't go to the center of town like Martin's taxi does.  And with a group of 4 Martin's is less expensive.

 

This info pre-pandemic.

 

Public transport means ship's (payable) shuttlebus 2 to 3 miles to the rail station  at Blankenberge.

Then the hourly train to Bruges, takes about 12 minutes, day-return was about  €7.

Bruges rail station is on the edge of the  cobbled city centre, about a 20-minute level walk to Marktplatz.

The big problem is that the train is only hourly, and the shuttlebus means you can't plan to arrive at Blankenberge station shortly before a train.

 

Ships' "Bruges on your own" or similar drops you at Bargeplein, also a 20 minute walk from Marktplarz 

 

The tram (kust-tram) passes the dock gate & calls at Blankenberge on its way along the coast to Ostend & beyond to the French border at  De Panne. It doesn't go to Bruges.

 

There's a privately-operated shuttlebus between the port and Bruges' Bargeplein. Well-reviewed, much cheaper than ship's Bruges-on-your-own service, but I don't know anything else.

 

Martin's Taxis I've seen mentioned favourably on this board.

 

JB 🙂

[markeb]

6 hours ago, John Bull said:

Bruges rail station is on the edge of the  cobbled city centre, about a 20-minute level walk to Marktplatz.

 

I only did this once years ago from Brussels, and didn't have a real time limit, but the rail station is so convenient, and the walk to the Markplatz is in the city center or centre. And enjoyable. We wandered Bruges well away from the Markplatz (pre-mobile phone and Google Maps!), and may well have been on our way back to the rail station without knowing it!

 

If Martin's Taxis is quicker and comparable in cost, and drops off closer to the Markplatz (parts of which if memory serves are pedestrian only, BTW) as long as you plan on having a mobile voice and data plan in case you need to contact them for the return trip, unless you find a lot of questionable reviews on this board or other travel sites, I don't know of a reason not to use them. But with the caveats JB mentioned, the train is probably fine as well...

[Dutch_Travelgirl]

11 hours ago, John Bull said:

 

Public transport means ship's (payable) shuttlebus 2 to 3 miles to the rail station  at Blankenberge.

Then the hourly train to Bruges, takes about 12 minutes, day-return was about  €7.

Post(/mid?) pandemic, the train is still hourly. Prices depend on what day of the week you are traveling. If on a weekend day, a return will cost €5. On weekdays a return ticket will be €6,40. 
The walk from the train station into the historical city center is very pleasant. A word of caution, should you get lost on your way to the Market Square, please don’t ask for directions to the Marktplatz. Marktplatz is the German word for Market Square. The Belgian/Flemish translation of Market Square would be Marktplein, but most people will just use the word “markt” to indicate the beautiful square. 

Edited July 27, 2021 by Dutch_Travelgirl

[John Bull]

5 hours ago, Dutch_Travelgirl said:

. The Belgian/Flemish translation of Market Square would be Marktplein, but most people will just use the word “markt” to indicate the beautiful square. 

 

Thanks for the correction,

Marktplatz didn't quite seem right when I typed it 

My excuse - it's been a few years ago since I was last there.

 

JB 🙂

 

[markeb]

6 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Thanks for the correction,

Marktplatz didn't quite seem right when I typed it 

My excuse - it's been a few years ago since I was last there.

 

JB 🙂

 

Did the same thing! Interestingly, Google maps just labels it Markt, at least on the US site!

[Jadn13]

I booked this transfer service in the past.

 

 

Picked you up at the end of the port

https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g188676-d11469875-Round_Trip_Shuttle_Service_from_Zeebrugge_to_Bruges-Zeebrugge_West_Flanders_Provin.html