Buses from London to Brussels

If you’re not taking the Eurostar or flying, or if you want the cheapest way to get from London to Brussels, taking a bus is the best way to get from the UK to Belgium.

National Express operate buses from London to Brussels in conjunction with a company called Eurolines. Coaches leave London Victoria Coach station for the Brussels city centre four times a day, with three daytime buses to Brussels at 8:00, 9:30, and 14:00 and one night bus to Brussels at 21:30.

The journey time on this route can take between 8 and 9 hours, depending on traffic, ferry schedules, and timetables. Buses often run late, so make sure to leave yourself ample time in Belgium if you have a connection to make.

Tickets for buses from London to Brussels with National Express can cost from £5 including the booking fee and a 2-suitcase baggage allowance if you make an advance booking online during a sale period. Otherwise fares start from £25 for standard online tickets.

Buses from London to Paris

If you can’t take the Eurostar train or you want a less expensive option for getting from London to Paris, taking a bus or coach is a good way to get across the channel to France.

National Express run buses from London to Paris in conjunction with Eurolines. Coaches are standard, with luggage holds in the bottom for larger bags and overhead storage space for personal items.

Buses leave London from the Victoria Coach station five times a day, with three daytime departures to Paris at 8:00, 10:00 and 12:00, and two night buses to Paris at 21:30 and 22:30. They arrive at Paris Gallieni bus station, which is located on the eastern edge of the city centre.

The total travel time from London to Paris can be 8.5 to 10.25 hours, depending on traffic, ferry times, and schedules. Night buses usually take longer than daytime buses.

Tickets for buses from London to Paris with National Express can cost as little as £9 for singles including the booking fee and a 2-suitcase luggage allowance if you book online in advance during special sale periods. Otherwise standard online fares are £25 for singles.

Trains from London to Amsterdam

Taking the train from London to Amsterdam is a great way to get from the UK to The Netherlands.

Traveling by rail from the capital to Amsterdam requires taking two different trains operated by two different companies: Eurostar and Thalys.

First, you should take a Eurostar train from London St Pancras train station to Brussels Midi-Zuid train station (more information about this route here).

When you arrive in Brussels, change to a Thalys train to Amsterdam Centraal train station (more information about this route here). Conveniently, this train also departs from Brussels Midi-Zuid train station.

The total train journey time from London to Amsterdam is around five hours. Eurostar trains often run late, so make sure to allow time in Brussels so that you don’t miss your connecting train to Amsterdam.

Tickets for this route should be booked in advance. Train tickets from London to Amsterdam can cost as little as 34.50 pounds for the train from London to Brussels and 29 euros for the train from Brussels to Amsterdam, but you have to book at least 30 days in advance. The closer you book to the day of travel, the higher the train ticket prices will be.