Connection time at Bruxelles Midi

April 13, 2008 2:53 AM

If I arrive at Bruxelles Midi on a train from Paris, how much time would I need to catch a train to Leuven? Is 10 minutes enough?

In particular, I'm considering a train scheduled to arrive at 7.47, and then there's a 7.57 departure to Leuven. Is this easy, impossible, or somewhere in between?

posted by blue mustard to travel & transportation (10 comments total)

Dicey. Midi is a reasonably large station. You could easily spend 10 minutes (if not more) making you way from one platform to another. And if the arriving train is a couple of minutes late ... I'd recommend against it. I tend to be a bit cautious about these things, but I'd want 30 minutes for a connection.
posted by outlier at 3:05 AM on April 13, 2008

Outlier is right, it could easily take 10 minutes to find the right platform if you're not familiar with the station. On the other hand, on weekdays there are four trains or so per hour to Leuven, so missing your connection shouldn't be a big problem. (You can search the timetables here.)
posted by reynaert at 5:05 AM on April 13, 2008

Noo, I'd say go for it. The Thalys platform is about a two-minute walk from the platforms for local trains. As long as there are no delays (and the Thalys isn't usually bad), 10 minutes is easily enough.
posted by creeky at 5:08 AM on April 13, 2008

I would agree with creeky, that it's probably doable especially if you already know what platform you're departing from.
posted by cabingirl at 7:11 AM on April 13, 2008

If you have no baggage, no problem. If you're loaded down and won't be able to get off the train without waiting for everyone else, no.
posted by blue_beetle at 7:20 AM on April 13, 2008

I got lost repeatedly at Bruxelles Midi. The platforms are not arranged in a very consistent order.
posted by dhoe at 7:25 AM on April 13, 2008

Thanks everyone for your responses. I'm on a tight schedule, so it's helpful to have some idea what to expect. I'll have no baggage and have bought a ticket online, so maybe I'll make it. And if not, reynaert is right, there's another train 12 minutes later.
posted by blue mustard at 7:43 AM on April 13, 2008

It's doable, especially if you have no baggage.
posted by spatula at 10:14 AM on April 13, 2008

That is close but it should be possible. And I love Leuven.
posted by ysabella at 12:10 PM on April 13, 2008

The result: the train to Leuven was just a few platforms away from the Paris train and I made it with a couple minutes to spare. Thanks again to all for your responses.
posted by blue mustard at 10:20 PM on April 17, 2008