velovoice
Veteran
- Location
- Between the City and the Sea
Thanks for this! I've been finding Cologne more than twice the price as anywhere else!
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redfalo
known as Olaf in real life
- Location
- Brexit Boomtown
Most probably, you should be able to travel to Brussels from Cologne with a full-sized bike on a non-highspeed train (the Thalys and ICE trains from Cologne straight to Brussels do not accept bikes).
You can see possible connections on Deutsche Bahn's English website
At "means of transport", chose "all excluding ICE". You'll have to change in Aachen and Welkenraedt, total journey time 3:16. It's a bit of a mystery if you can take bikes on that journey though. It definitely works on the train from Cologne to Aachen, but DB does not give any information on the trains in Belgium (and hence does not show any connection if you chose the option "Only show connections that allow carriage of bicycles". It will most probably work, as most (all?) trains in Belgium are supposed to take bikes, but you'd have to doublecheck this to be on the safe side.
Noted!
But note comment elsewhere that we might do a group ferry booking going &/or coming
ianmac62
Guru
- Location
- Northampton
Gosh @mmmmartin - you have a good memory if you remember our conversation about the "Not the Northampton CTC Tour to Aachen".
One of our group's committee members had worked and lived in Aachen for ten years and was active in the local group of the ADFC, the German equivalent of the CTC. So he organised a visit there. Eight of us went, booking our own ferry crossings and en-route accommodation, for the very reasons about insurance that @mmmmartin explained above. In Aachen though, the Northampton members were twinned with the local members. They met us on a Thursday evening when we pedalled into the city centre; a good friend, Alex, and I were twinned with Sabine, an Aachen cyclist who had two spare bedrooms. On the Friday, the locals were at work but Sabine gave us a route out into the countryside using just the junction numbers of the bike paths. She also recommended a village for elevenses of coffee and cake, and a city centre eatery which specialised in local delicacies for lunch (= black pudding). The afternoon we spent at a luxurious spa in the city (the waters were renowned in Charlemagne's time). Saturday we went on two rides with ADFC: a brisk ride in the morning jointly with the university cycling group which turned out to be a circumnavigation of the city including the Dreiländerpunkt and a leisurely ride in the afternoon which had the Dreiländerpunkt as its main objective. There were lots of cyclists at the point; it is the highest point in the Netherlands; but our hosts took pleasure in pointing out that it's not at the summit of the hill - that's wholly in Germany. Sunday was a whole-day ride to Monschau in the Eifel National Park. (Being well organised, ADFC Aachen publishes its rides on its website for the whole calendar year.)
Anyway, the relevance of all of this is that four of us speeded up our return home on the Monday by taking the train from Aachen to Ostend and so I hope the following helps anyone who is contemplating an early return next September. Each of us booked individually and *from memory* this is what I did:
Aachen station
Aachen station "Radstation"
The international train is delayed
International train interior
International train exterior
Liège station platform
Liège station - but there are lifts
Liège station's "Maison des cyclistes"
Maison des cyclistes - DIY cubicle
Belgian punctuality
One of our group's committee members had worked and lived in Aachen for ten years and was active in the local group of the ADFC, the German equivalent of the CTC. So he organised a visit there. Eight of us went, booking our own ferry crossings and en-route accommodation, for the very reasons about insurance that @mmmmartin explained above. In Aachen though, the Northampton members were twinned with the local members. They met us on a Thursday evening when we pedalled into the city centre; a good friend, Alex, and I were twinned with Sabine, an Aachen cyclist who had two spare bedrooms. On the Friday, the locals were at work but Sabine gave us a route out into the countryside using just the junction numbers of the bike paths. She also recommended a village for elevenses of coffee and cake, and a city centre eatery which specialised in local delicacies for lunch (= black pudding). The afternoon we spent at a luxurious spa in the city (the waters were renowned in Charlemagne's time). Saturday we went on two rides with ADFC: a brisk ride in the morning jointly with the university cycling group which turned out to be a circumnavigation of the city including the Dreiländerpunkt and a leisurely ride in the afternoon which had the Dreiländerpunkt as its main objective. There were lots of cyclists at the point; it is the highest point in the Netherlands; but our hosts took pleasure in pointing out that it's not at the summit of the hill - that's wholly in Germany. Sunday was a whole-day ride to Monschau in the Eifel National Park. (Being well organised, ADFC Aachen publishes its rides on its website for the whole calendar year.)
Anyway, the relevance of all of this is that four of us speeded up our return home on the Monday by taking the train from Aachen to Ostend and so I hope the following helps anyone who is contemplating an early return next September. Each of us booked individually and *from memory* this is what I did:
- Booked a through ticket from Aachen to Ostend (Oostende) on Belgian Railways website for myself and my bike. The ticket for me was charged per kilometre; it was a flat price for the bike. Tickets are released twelve weeks in advance.
- The journey necessitates a change at Liège (Walloon / French) Luik (Flemish / Dutch) Lüttich (German). So I had to nominate a timed train from Aachen to Liège; and a timed train from Liège to Ostend.
- I didn't have to book a seat for either train. The four of us wanted to sit together and booking seats individually but together was beyond our collective capabilities.
- We booked in advance because we wanted to travel together and because we wanted to be certain of bike space. If you buy a ticket at the station(s), I think you have to pay the flat price for the bike for each leg. It doesn't make any difference to the ticket price for you, as you're charged per kilometre. Unless you've reached your 65th birthday, when Belgian Rail offers a flat fare for any journey. Which is amazing value. I remember this clearly as, at the time, I was 64.
- The trains from Aachen to Liège are operated by Belgian Rail. They must use their oldest rolling stock. The exteriors were covered in (colourful) graffiti; the seats in the carriages had lost their springs. The most unglamorous international train ever; it just shuttles forwards and backwards between the two cities. But no difficulties with bike storage.
- The Liège to Ostend train is possibly the longest train journey you can make in Belgium. It's terminus to terminus. As it starts from Liège, there's no difficulty with bike storage.
- Liège station had newly reopened. Rebuilt to a Spanish architect's design. Space age - and with a "maison des cyclistes". Newer and cleaner than Aachen's "radstation". And with individual self-service bike booths with tools.
- This train stopped at three stations in Brussels (good if you want to catch a Eurostar), at Ghent, at Bruges, and at its terminus in Ostend.
- The Belgian Rail staff - at the stations and on the trains - were unfailingly smiling and helpful with our bikes. And spoke English.
Aachen station
Aachen station "Radstation"
The international train is delayed
International train interior
International train exterior
Liège station platform
Liège station - but there are lifts
Liège station's "Maison des cyclistes"
Maison des cyclistes - DIY cubicle
Belgian punctuality
StuAff
Silencing his legs regularly
- Location
- Portsmouth
Just looked at the Accorhotels (Ibis/Novotel/Mercure et al) website and going a bit out of town in Köln could be much cheaper, particularly bearing in mind it'll be for two nights.
Or we could save a lot more by doing two night rides instead. That's what we do isn't it? I'll be right behind you Stu
mmmmartin
Random geezer
will they take the membership money automatically and renew it? I seem to recall some sort of email from them but I must have deleted it. The website is not awfully helpful: there appears to be no way of renewing membership but there is a button to cease membership. And the website specifically says they can't answer questions over the phone or by email.
yours,
Confused of Kent
Here it is. Please note the here link is specific to the person hence I have edited it out. You will need to try and retrieve yours from the email. Mine was dated 20/11/15 Subject: Blijven we vrienden
Dear Sir/Madam,
You are currently member of Stichting Vrienden op de Fiets, until the end of this month. We hope you have enjoyed the Dutch hospitality when cycling or hiking in The Netherlands this year.
Your membership will automatically end on December 31, 2015. Unless you register for next year. For 10 Euro only you will receive a new membership card and an updated booklet with host adresses in January 2016 - and you can enjoy our services for yet another year.
Registering is easy, just click here.
You will receive a confirmation message upon registering. You are requested to pay your 10 euro fee upon reception of your package in January. Payment information will be included with your booklet and membership card.
Dear Sir/Madam,
You are currently member of Stichting Vrienden op de Fiets, until the end of this month. We hope you have enjoyed the Dutch hospitality when cycling or hiking in The Netherlands this year.
Your membership will automatically end on December 31, 2015. Unless you register for next year. For 10 Euro only you will receive a new membership card and an updated booklet with host adresses in January 2016 - and you can enjoy our services for yet another year.
Registering is easy, just click here.
You will receive a confirmation message upon registering. You are requested to pay your 10 euro fee upon reception of your package in January. Payment information will be included with your booklet and membership card.
ianmac62
Guru
- Location
- Northampton
If you can't find the email you may be able to do it by logging in. For this you will need your membership number and your post code. The website is: http://www.vriendenopdefiets.nl/
mmmmartin
Random geezer
great, thanks, i have filled in the form as a "new" donor. had to give iban number and that sort of thing. received this:
"A registration with Stichting Vrienden op de Fiets ends at the end of the current calender year. We are getting close to this years’ end. In order to prevent unnecessary double charging, we have postponed your registration to 2016. In January 2016, you will receive an updated booklet with over 5,000 guest addresses in the Netherlands and abroad, along with a detailed bicycle map and your personal donor’s card.
Kind Regards,
Stichting Vrienden op de Fiets"
the number i have been given is different from last year. I wonder if they will, as they say, post you the card and the book to an international address before you send them the money.
"A registration with Stichting Vrienden op de Fiets ends at the end of the current calender year. We are getting close to this years’ end. In order to prevent unnecessary double charging, we have postponed your registration to 2016. In January 2016, you will receive an updated booklet with over 5,000 guest addresses in the Netherlands and abroad, along with a detailed bicycle map and your personal donor’s card.
Kind Regards,
Stichting Vrienden op de Fiets"
the number i have been given is different from last year. I wonder if they will, as they say, post you the card and the book to an international address before you send them the money.
jiberjaber
Veteran
- Location
- Essex
Done....Emails please as requested
jiberjaber
Veteran
- Location
- Essex
I've always stayed in an IBIS just out of town, 15min train ride in, though I was in the car for those times. Great service and beer (did I not mention this already!
)
