Oh, for an UC sale....

Drinks on you then ! Nice one !

As the initial bit, from Brussels to LHR, is within the Euro zone, how does that work for checking in? I always assume 3 hours prior to a flight for the US, but this is essentially within the EU, so is that different?

2 hours is the rule I use within the eu, but perhaps less. Though be aware Brussels is a pretty big airport, so can take a while from past security to the gate... If the gates are at the end.

Just been looking, the Shertaon seems to be the best bet. On the airport and, according to the blurb, literally opposite arrivals and departures. Not quite sure how that works! It also looks as though there's a train link from there to Brussels Midi, which is where Eurostar goes to. Has anyone used that route to and from the airport???

Drinks on you then ! Nice one !

Yes indeed . Or, more likely, drinks down me lol.

It also looks as though there's a train link from there to Brussels Midi, which is where Eurostar goes to. Has anyone used that route to and from the airport???

Yes, it goes at least every 20 minutes and takes 20 minutes. Direct. Get out of the eurostars departure, go downstairs, look for the signs, so to platform...

Brilliant. Thanks!!!!

Sheraton is right on the airport site at Brussels Airport (bit like some of the hotels at Gatwick though not inside the terminal building like Bloc) so actually you can stroll across from the hotel to checkin in under 2 minutes, then head back to hotel for breakfast :-) Pretty much zero to do nearby the airport so if you are on an early Eurostar day before and lunchtime or later flight next day you probably would have been better staying in the centre.

Make sure you have your ticket before getting on the train from Brussels Midi to the airport (Eurostar used to allow you to choose an end station other than Midi/Zuid, not sure if they still do) as they now charge a hefty €7 extra per ticket if you buy from the guard on the train "A surcharge of € 7 automatically applies for tickets purchased on board the train, as opposed to tickets purchased through one of the many alternative SNCB sales outlets. This surcharge cannot be cancelled by the train conductor. " You can buy ticket in advance online at sncb.be, a standard ticket will cost €8.50 one way (including the Diabolo airport fee).

+1 on what Smid said of the walk from passport control to your departure gate - can take a while, though if you're on Easyjet they are usually on one of the closer gates (but they start boarding very promptly and have everyone checked through onto the skywalk in a queue while arriving passengers are still getting off the plane!). Checkin 90 minutes before flight is fine but certainly head through passport control 1 hour before departure - plenty of places for a coffee etc and there's even a smoking room airside if you're desperate.

We will be on a BA flight to LHR and then VS from there. We're planning on arriving at the airport around 8pm the night before, seems preferable not to be on site!

I did email Eurostar customer services, as their site mentions something about tickets being used beyond Brussels. It wasn't clear from the site and actually, the reply I got didn't help much! Thank you for the info about the surcharge if you don't get s ticket before boarding, I hadn't considered that, but my default would in any case be to get a ticket first! from what I can see, and the help from here (thanks again!), it looks as though getting by train to the airport isn't an issue. Thank goodness!

Eurostar tickets to Brussels used to be valid to any Belgian station at no extra charge, not any longer though.

They've lost the any belgian station addition to all eurostar tickets, but they are still valid for the brussels region. Not sure if that is the airport currently. They seem to have an airport surcharge now.


But lets face it, unless its 1200 quid, its worth it...

Check the main thread on ex-dub and the thread and the one about being monitored.

http://v-flyer.com/forum/index.php?f=4& ... =viewtopic

http://v-flyer.com/forum/index.php?f=4& ... =viewtopic

You used to be able to ask for a bag to be "short checked", so you get it back in London and not take the final leg. It sounds as if some staff will not allow this any more.

To avoid this you can try and change airports when booking final leg, fly into lhr and out lgw. They'll give you your bag back in the london airport you arrive in.

As for getting to DUB, its pretty well served from most airports by both aer lingus and ryanair. In some ways it is ideal, I'm hard pressed to find a better served non uk airport for flights. I can get a 20 quid return fare before luggage from birmignham for instance. Brussels or Paris might have been as good back in the day, but those are now eurostar territory, and involve a bit further to get to the airport...

Presumably, I could also get off in London if we just take cabin bags????