Eurostar - Any Belgian Station ticket

[Essexman]

I have a Standard Premier booking to Any Belgian Station, out 10.57 this Wednesday and back 16.56 on Thursday.

Two questions:

1. Does it permit me to use First Class on the Belgian trains?

2. Can I use it for more than one journey in Belgium? Eurostar info said it could be used up to 24 hours after arrival / before return. I plan to go to Ostend on Wednesday evening and Vichte Thursday morning. It could be that both outward journeys are valid on the outward Eurostar ticket and both returns on the return Eurostar ticket (as within the 24 hours), but can they be used for two journeys in each direction (from Brussels to Belgian stations & back)?

 

[tannedfrog]

2. Can I use it for more than one journey in Belgium? Eurostar info said it could be used up to 24 hours after arrival / before return. I plan to go to Ostend on Wednesday evening and Vichte Thursday morning. It could be that both outward journeys are valid on the outward Eurostar ticket and both returns on the return Eurostar ticket (as within the 24 hours), but can they be used for two journeys in each direction (from Brussels to Belgian stations & back)?

I can see how you might get away with it but I think "to any Belgian station" is supposed to be one journey away from Brussels upon arrival, and one journey towards Brussels before your outward Eurostar.

Did you pay more for the "any Belgian station" bit? I think it used to be included.

Belgian train fares are inexpensive by the way

 

[Essexman]

Yes it is more expensive than just to Brussels, although 'Any Belgian Station' used to be included in the price for all tickets.

And yes, one journey is how I think it's assumed it will be used, but I can't see anything to suggest that an outward & return on consecutive days can't effectivley be used as a 'Freedom of Belgium' ticket.

 

[Oscar]

£8.50 one-way / £17 return add-ons to Standard Premier/ Business are valid in 1st class. £6 one-way / £12 return add-ons to Standard tickets are valid in 2nd class (yes, that is the correct term in Belgium). So as far as I can see you can use 1st class.
Officially, the add-ons are valid for one journey from Brussels to any Belgian Station (which of course may be broken within the 24 hours) and one journey back within 24 hours of departure. I suppose the answer to your second query depends on your interpretation of the rules - do you have to go to your destination by a direct route? You could say that Vichte was your destination and you were going via Oostende but I expect that NMBS/SNCB would argue that this was not a reasonable route. I would probably try to ask the guard on the return journey before departure from Oostende.