I had been in Brussels and was looking for an alternative way home to flying. This seemed like a good idea at the time, but would it be fun or just horrible? Watch on to find out! Your Eurostar ticket lets you travel to any of the major Brussels stations, so I’ve also included a wee bonus hop into town to sample some flavours of Belgium 🙂 I hope you enjoy the video.
Eurostar Brussels Midi – London St Pancras International
Cost £60 one way in Standard. 17:56 – 18:57 (2hrs 1 min)
National Express London Victoria – Edinburgh
Cost £23.90 one way. 22:30 – 07:40 (9hrs 10 mins)
I mention Scott from ‘Planes Trains Everything’ in this video – be sure to check out his fantastic YouTube channel if you haven’t done so already!
Music courtesy of epidemicsound.com
‘Ride this Train’ by Robson Carver (end credits)
Maps courtesy of…ach I forgot to include a map, sorry.
Hi, I’m Steve. I am a travel reviewer and post my trip reports here on YouTube. I pay for my own travel and produce my own videos. If you have any questions about my journeys or travel advice in general, please drop me a comment – I do read every single one. I’d also love to hear any recommendations you may have for future content, or why not challenge me to try something a little out of the ordinary! If you are looking to collaborate on any type of project, I’d love to hear from you – email me your ideas and hopefully we can work together in the future.
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42 Comments
Chocolate- Chips/Mayonnaise-Beer suprised it wasn't you with a dodgy tummy😁. If you go back to Grand Place in the background is an woman in traditional dress with fans thought I was in the CBD here!! I enjoy your travels – it shows ( to me) you can have fun on a budget and I still do and like long distance travel @ 70 plus💙 BUT 8 hrs one loo break OMG😆
P.S. have an holiday idea – saw reference to Northern Lights in Scotland and where to see (BBC weather). A maybe future vlog?
Jan Adelaide
Leonidas is a famous Belgian chocolate manufacturer with outlets about everywhere. The sell boxes with a variety of chocolates. Pick the largest box. Though buying real, fresh chocolates while the weather is hot is not recommended.
Belgian waffles?
Mega impressed with the sharpness and stability of the video.
What camera were you using?
Great video as always, so happy your coach seat selection worked out well for extra legroom.👍
That coach journey didn't seem so bad! I used to travel up to the north east of England in the early 80's on National Express, 3 hours to Cheltenham then 7 hours to Middlesborough. Today any north east trip if not done in the car is with LNER! Great video Steve
Would genuinely like to see you travel in luxury for a change.
Just watched this Steve, and only 10 mins in the door (at home in wales) after driving most of that route on the way home from Edinburgh 😂 just been there to watch the tattoo 👌 🏴 ❤️
I did the same as you and went into Centraal, but the return was very unlike yours! I travel in my wheelchair and at Centraal they said I couldn't go back up the main line because there was nobody to get me off with a ramp at Midi. Hmmm, believable! They sent me to the metro (who also made me buy a ticket) and then I found the lift was broken to the required platform. Had to travel the wrong way and make several changes to get back to midi, I was so stressed when I got back there! Never again with a long layover in Brussels, Midi is horrible and Centraal isn't worth the risk.
I once did a 51 hour Flixbus coach trip from Bucharest to Bordeaux!
I love brussel sprouts
My niece was sitting just to your right behind the driver, her dad just noticed 👍
Love the variety in you videos. Always look forward to Saturday Mornings, never knowing where your going to take us. Loved the bonus Red Arrows display the other week. Was lucky to see them every year at Hoylake RNLI open day growing up. Keep up the great work!
Couldn't eat mayonnaise with fries personally but depends on taste 👍..went on Eurostar in 2002 from London to Brussels, that was my first and last time abroad lol unless I win lottery 👍
There is talk of relocating Victoria Coach Station, but it's such an iconic location, I think some are dragging their heels. It's also a listed building, so finding an alternative use would be a challenge. As for 'nice' coach stations, Glasgow's Buchanan Coach Station is bright, airy and efficient and one of the best I've come across. Between our two reviews, I think getting National Express seat 2A is going to be pretty tricky in future!
I went to Brussels a few years back and got off at Bruxelles Midi thinking it was the centre. If only I'd watched YouTube back then! Great little video Steve, hope you sleeped well after the coach
Another great video, thanks.
Weird that Belgium is smaller than Highland Region in Scotland 🏴
The essential food groups: frites, chocolate and biers.
I did the London-Edinburgh trip numerous times in years gone by- I still have nightmares of cramped legs and no sleep. Please God, never again.
I’m feeling your pain. As Alan Napier said to Sean Connery in Marnie: I warned you about traveling
Go for Standard Premier next time. I think it used to be called Leisure Select and similar to the new "Standard Premium" on Avanti West Coast, it's the same first/business class seat, without the food/lounge bit – but saves a few ££ on the Business Premier option.
Steve – I'm taking the family to Munich from 14 – 21 December for the Christkindl Market experience as my daughter has never experienced one and would love to visit with you and Alicja if you could make it. I hear they have great beer there too! [In fact, I know they do as I was stationed there in the late 70s and fell in love with the city].
Belgium sure has a problem with graffiti
I would never take a over night bus. I'm 6'6" tall 290lbs…😂😂😂
Excellent video Steve! We took Eurostar from London to Paris when we were there for a quick daytrip. We left our London hotel early in the morning, got off the train in central Paris by 10;00 local, hit the tourist high spots, back on the train by 18;00, and we were tucked into our beds in London by 22;00. Brilliant way to travel, better than flying!
Wow what a journey Steve.
I don't think i would like to do that.
Thanks for taking us on your journey.
Hi Steve, if the long distance coaches stop at this motorway services, it should be that toilets are cleaned anyway, the driver can communicate ahead of arrival, if an instance is reported, Just closing the facililty is is a NONO .This with Covid is indeed essential, also not pleaseant for travellers in nearby seats. Assume this was filmed before you moved to Montrose, which is I believe a great place to live and more relaxing than Edinburgh. Stay safe & travel well.
When I saw that 'Welcome to Scotland' sign it felt like coming home. Which is 'a wee bit weird' as I've never been more than 3 miles north of York. Guess I've been watching too many of your Scottish videos. :))
"Welcome to Scotland. Our sincere apologies for all the shite you had to drive through to get here."
😀
(actually, kinda unfair because the last 100miles of England is STUNNING)
Thanks again for a wonderful journey to areas I can only dream about. You make them amazing.
Smashing video Steve! No Belgian chocolates for your good lady? Oh dear!
28c is too hot. LOOOOOOOOL!
Have done London to Cologne on flix it wasn’t that bad for 14 hours slept most of it but also you were on the same train departure I went on sunday with same carriage shame it wasn’t same train 😀
Your sprouting up all over place Steve 😊 enjoyed video
Why not fly?
Another class video Steve. You try out the Glasgow to Donegal coach service someday, which are operated by Mc Ginley Coach Travel, Bus Feda and Doherty's Travel and also the London Victoria to Dublin service operated by Expressway, they have Bernard Kavanagh & Sons Coaches operating that service so should try them out. Look forward to watching more videos. Best wishes to yous both. ☘️☘️
Another excellent video. I agree that Victoria Coach Station isn't a great place to be. My own experience mirrors yours, with no bus at the bay at the appointed time, and no info on when it might appear. I found an unmanned info desk, where two workers in high-vis jackets sat at the back with their feet up, who reluctantly made a phone call to see where my bus was. Poor building not really fit for purpose, but its location means there is little they can do to expand it. That doesn't excuse poor communication re delays though. A place to avoid, really.
There is no such thing as bad Belgium beer. Try stofvlees met friet and a trappist beer. You were there on a cool day, many days it's been near 40c
Bummer , I was just there and could have given you a lift back.
I don't understand why your bus route didn't go up the A1 if you're heading to Edinburgh. Surely, the Glasgow bound bus would travel up the west coast!
The Eurostar leg was interesting, and I've never been to Brussels, but it looked really nice. 👍
Well there’s that lace stuff that they’re famous for.