How Much is a Day Trip to Bruges from Brussels

Are you planning your trip to Bruges and don't know what budget you'll need? I'll tell you all about it below - take note!
How Much is a Day Trip to Bruges from Brussels

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If you are organizing a trip to Brussels, a stop in Bruges is a must. A little more than an hour away by road, Bruges is the perfect place to escape for a day and get lost in its narrow streets, canals and charming bridges.

But what budget do you need to make this getaway,how much does it cost to join an organized tour, and what would be the price if you decide to visit it on your own? I will answer these and some other questions below to help you decide which is the best way to organize your pocket during the trip.

How much does an excursion to Bruges from Brussels cost?

Typical house of witches illuminated at night| ©Olivier Depaep
Typical house of witches illuminated at night| ©Olivier Depaep

For those who opt for the most comfortable and economical option, the excursions to Bruges from Brussels cost about 45€ at Hellotickets. The journey between cities is done by private bus, you will be accompanied by an expert guide and a stop is made in the neighboring city of Ghent to complete the tour with a view of the best of Belgium.

If you do not like organized groups and prefer to travel in a more intimate way, there are similar tours that offer a more exclusive experience traveling in small groups: the price rises up to 90€, but this type of tour will allow you to better connect with the guide and the city, to better expose your doubts, ask for recommendations....

Whichever option you choose, during the day you will have free time to explore the city at your leisure, which makes it a very authentic experience.

To the budget of the tour, add about 20 or 25 € per person for food and drink (although there are much lower cost options, this is the average price of what it will cost you to eat in Bruges).

Book a tour to Bruges from Brussels

How much does a tour to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels cost?

Winter fair in Ghent| ©Jorge Fernández Salas
Winter fair in Ghent| ©Jorge Fernández Salas

You are in luck, because most of the organized tours that go to Bruges, also stop in Ghent for the same price, about 45 €.

This will allow you to visit both cities in one day (ideal if you do not have much time) and save on travel: you will not have to be aware of the schedules of public buses or trains, but you will have at your disposal the private bus of the excursion with which you will move from one city to another.

Book a trip to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels

How much does it cost to go to Bruges from Brussels by train?

View of Bruges from the canals| ©Despina Galani
View of Bruges from the canals| ©Despina Galani

If you are not convinced by the option of making an organized tour and prefer to make the visit on your own, there are trains that take you from one city to another for about 16 euros each way and about 30 euros approximately round trip.

Throughout the day there can be up to three trains per hour, so the frequency will not be a problem. The train station is located in the center of the city and the journey time is just over an hour, so it is a very comfortable trip.

Speaking of budget, just to get there and back you will have already spent almost 30€ and this does not include the stop in Ghent, which would require buying a separate ticket. If you also want to hire the services of a guide for a tour in Bruges, add about 10€ extra per person.

You can check train schedules, fares and availability on the Trainline website.

Book a tour to Bruges from Brussels

How much does it cost to go from Brussels to Bruges and Ghent by train?

Train to Bruges| ©frankieleon
Train to Bruges| ©frankieleon

If in addition to visiting Bruges you want to pass through Ghent during the day, you will have to make three journeys by train and therefore buy three tickets: Brussels-Bruges-Ghent-Brussels, in total, calculate between 35 and 40€. Here is the price breakdown:

  • Brussels - Bruges: 16€.
  • Bruges - Ghent: 8,70€.
  • Ghent-Brussels: 12€.

The distance between Bruges and Ghent is less than an hour, so you won't add many kilometers to your journey, but without a doubt, the logistics start to get complicated if you want to visit both cities in one day on your own. You will have to keep an eye on schedules and be aware of waiting times at each station.

Again, I recommend using Trainline to buy your tickets online so you don't have to fight or wait in line at the machines at the train station.

Book an excursion to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels

How much does it cost to get from Brussels to Bruges by rental car?

Visit Bruges by rental car| ©PlanetKorriban
Visit Bruges by rental car| ©PlanetKorriban

Renting a car can be a good idea if you have in mind to move around the country a lot, to be able to move around on your own without depending on public transport schedules.

However, it is not a cheap option and keep in mind that you can not access by car to the center of the main cities, so you will have to pay a parking during your visit to Bruges.

Doing a quick calculation, we see that if you rent a car can cost us about 50 € per day (to which should be added the proportional part that cost us insurance), about 20 € in gasoline round trip and about 15 € the parking of the car the whole day in a parking lot, the budget soars to 85 € only in travel.

If you do not plan to visit more cities, I do not recommend this option.

Book an excursion to Bruges from Brussels

How much does it cost to get from Brussels to Bruges by bus?

Visit Bruges by bus| ©Sludge G
Visit Bruges by bus| ©Sludge G

Going by public bus from Brussels to Bruges is the cheapest option of all, it can cost you between 15 and 20€ for a round-trip ticket. Buses usually depart from Brussels Central Station and take about an hour and a half to reach Bruges.

There are quite frequent buses running during the day, you can check timetables, prices and buy tickets on BusBud.

Book a tour to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels

Reviews from other travellers

4.8
· 3657 Reviews
  • J
    J.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    Bruges is charming with its canals and medieval architecture. What I liked the most was the tranquillity that you can breathe there, it's like travelling back in time.
  • L
    L.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    An enchanting journey full of history and beauty. Bruges is simply magical - a must if you visit Belgium!
  • A
    A.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    The trip to Bruges was spectacular, a 9 out of 10 experience, highly recommended!
  • H
    H.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    I loved the historical and architectural beauty of Bruges, but the trip from Brussels was a bit long.
  • E
    E.
    5
    (0 Reviews)
    Witches is a fairy tale come true! I went with my best friend and we were blown away by the medieval architecture.