Eurostar+DB ticket

[paddington]

I booked a London to Duesseldorf ticket via Eurostar.

It appears not to be a London-Spezial as I can't find those words anywhere, it comes with two QR codes, one for Eurostar and one for DB.

Although the Eurostar train is fixed it says I can take any DB ICE train from Brussels to Germany on the same day, so I intend to break my journey in Brussels for the day. In any case the first ICE departs 1 hour after my scheduled arrival.

The trains to Germany depart from Midi/Zuid and stop at Nord/Noord before leaving Brussels. Does anyone know if I could get off the Eurostar and then take a Belgian train to Brussels North without buying a new ticket, then return there at the end of the day to join the DB train?

What if I want to go to Brussels Central?

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

I have not used one of these myself yet, but as far as I know it's the equivalent of an 'Anytime' on the Brussels - Cologne section so you can use it on any train (bar Thalys) and break the journey at any point within the validity period. There is also an hourly connection on local trains via Aachen, changing at Welkenraedt and Aachen, which helps with the long gaps between ICE trains.

 

[duesselmartin]

a ticket from Midi to Nord only costs a view Euros.

I also find the Belgian b-europe site helpful as it gives cheap deals and one can choose between ICE and Thalys. This saves, Düsseldorf bound, a change in Cologne and as Cologne is very conquested delays are not uncommon there.

 

[30907]

I have not used one of these myself yet, but as far as I know it's the equivalent of an 'Anytime' on the Brussels - Cologne section so you can use it on any train (bar Thalys) and break the journey at any point within the validity period. There is also an hourly connection on local trains via Aachen, changing at Welkenraedt and Aachen, which helps with the long gaps between ICE trains.

According to the ES website it's only valid on ICE (which in any case is now 2-hourly except for a 1616 train which is FSuO). You could break your journey at Nord/Noord and resume it later.

 

[TCDD]

According to the ES website it's only valid on ICE (which in any case is now 2-hourly except for a 1616 train which is FSuO). You could break your journey at Nord/Noord and resume it later.

I travelled last Easter and tweeted Eurostar as to this ticket's validity on other services between Brussels and Aachen. Their reply indicated it was valid on Belgian domestic trains, so I used the IC Brussels - Verviers and the local train to Aachen (and the RE onwards to Cologne) without any problem.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are the ICEs ticketed as Belgian trains within Belgium, whereas Thalys is global-fare everywhere? That would explain it.

 

[reb0118]

You can use a Belgian FIP Free International Coupon on the ICE so you could be right there.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Tapatalk

 

[30907]

I travelled last Easter and tweeted Eurostar as to this ticket's validity on other services between Brussels and Aachen. Their reply indicated it was valid on Belgian domestic trains, so I used the IC Brussels - Verviers and the local train to Aachen (and the RE onwards to Cologne) without any problem.

I stand corrected - I've not used one to see what the ticket itself says. Worth knowing.

 

[Oscar]

Are the ICEs ticketed as Belgian trains within Belgium, whereas Thalys is global-fare everywhere? That would explain it.

I don't think so. They don't show up on the Belgian railways journey planner, it's possible to buy a Brussels-Liège ticket for the ICEfor 24 € on the DB website (Belgian domestic fare is 15 €) and you can't use the ICE with an Any Belgian Station ticket.

 

[D1009]

Are the ICEs ticketed as Belgian trains within Belgium, whereas Thalys is global-fare everywhere? That would explain it.

When I last travelled on one, which was 3 years ago, I'm sure there was an announcement that normal Belgian tickets were not valid on it, and neither were Eurostar "Any Belgian station" tickets.

 

[ajb690]

I was on an ICE from Brussels earlier this week. The person behind me tried to use an any Belgian train ticket, and the guard was adamant they were not valid and sold them a single to Liege.

 

[EAD]

I was on an ICE from Brussels earlier this week. The person behind me tried to use an any Belgian train ticket, and the guard was adamant they were not valid and sold them a single to Liege.

I too used the ICE on Friday and Sunday just gone. There were clear announcements in all languages that Belgian domestic NMBS/SNCB fare tickets Brussels - Liege were valid but only with payment of a supplement. I can't remember quite how much it was, but it was a fair bit.

Given there is a domestic IC service every half an hour between Brussels and Liege taking about an hour there isn't much need to take the ICE (which takes 47 mins) unless you really want to (or you bought a specific ICE ticket).

 

[monxton]

There are two topics mingled in this thread:

1. can you use a Eurostar + DB ticket to travel to Cologne by regional Belgian and German trains ?
   
2. can you travel on a DB ICE using a Eurostar to any Belgian station ticket ?
   

I want to do the first of these, because we're travelling with bicycles which are not accepted on the ICE, so my plan is to go Brussels - Welkenraedt - Aachen - Cologne, by IC and regional trains.

I've just had a response from Eurostar which reiterated "if the ICE train is chosen your ticket is only valid for those trains". That seems clear that I can't use it on regional trains, but I suspect the writer was pasting in some standard text about the DB ticket not being valid on Thalys (i.e. not the question I asked).

I'm encouraged by the posts above #2 and #5, but the Eurostar website and email have left me with some doubt about the DB ticket being valid on the Belgian trains. Once I get to Aachen the regional train would be DB, so I'm reasonably confident about that leg. Is Eurostar just wrong?

 

[Joe Paxton]

You could perhaps try asking the advice of the man in @seatsixtyone?

 

[monxton]

Not just ICE:


The add-on cost for Brussels to Cologne was £4, so it seemed worth the gamble.

 

[30907]

Not just ICE:
View attachment 31170

The add-on cost for Brussels to Cologne was £4, so it seemed worth the gamble.

The reference to EC/IC is puzzling - I suspect it is the standard text for all destinations in Germany on ES+DB, where it would make sense (though I can't see why you'd be barred from Regional trains in Germany).

Once you've got as far as Welkenraedt on the Belgian IC I can't see you having problems as these are flexible tickets.

OT and for future reference - does it say the journey must be completed the same day?

 

[monxton]

OT and for future reference - does it say the journey must be completed the same day?

Yes, that's in the image - it says "... to Cologne Hbf on the date shown above", that is, the date of the ES journey.

 

[30907]

Yes, that's in the image - it says "... to Cologne Hbf on the date shown above", that is, the date of the ES journey.

Thanks. I should learn to read sometime.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

The EC/IC reference I take to be a reminder that the ticket is an 'A' tariff fare in Germany, ie. you can take any train (bar Thalys). There haven't been EC/IC trains on Brussel-Koln since ICEs were introduced about 12 years ago.