Duration of Bruges Day Trips from Brussels
If you're short on time but want to visit Bruges on a day trip from Brussels, don't worry: you'll have plenty of time to discover it... and fall in love with it! and fall in love!
Panoramic view of Bruges | Elijah G
A very common question when organising a trip to Belgium is how long the excursions to Bruges last or how much time we should spend in the city to get to know it well.
Like everything else, the longer the better. It's hard to get tired of the sights and the special atmosphere. But since our travel time unfortunately doesn't last forever, I'll tell you how long Bruges tours last and what you'll be able to see in Bruges if you visit the city in a day.
How long does a tour to Bruges last?
If you want to book an organised tour to Bruges from Brussels, a day tour is the most common way to do it. It takes very little time to get from one place to the other, making Bruges the perfect place to escape to.
Day tours usually take about 9 hours between transport and sightseeing, which is more than enough time. Normally, you should be at the meeting point around 10am and you will be back by 8pm.
As this is an organised tour, you will be accompanied by a guide who will define the best possible itinerary for you. But throughout the day, you will also have free time to enjoy the essence of the city at your leisure.
How long are the tours to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels?
If you want to make the most of your time and also visit the neighbouring city of Ghent, the journey time will be a little longer. Instead of the usual 9-hour trip to Bruges, you'll need about 10.5 hours.
But what does this mean? Well, you'll have to get up a little early, because you'll have to be at the meeting point around 8:30 in the morning to make the most of the day. You can take a nap on the bus or you can enjoy the Belgian landscape that awaits you behind the window.
The journey is not too long (Bruges to Ghent is less than an hour), so the bus ride won't be too long at all. What's more, if you decide to book a day trip to Bruges and Ghent from Brussels to visit both cities in one day, this is the best way to save time.
How long is a tour to Bruges if I am travelling on my own?
If you decide to skip the guided tours and visit Bruges on your own, you will have a little more flexibility when visiting Bruges, depending on how much time you want to spend in Bruges.
Travelling by train, for example, it will take you just over an hour to reach Bruges from the capital. Bear in mind that the last train leaves at around 12:00 midnight and the next one doesn't leave until almost 6:00 am.
If you prefer, you can also spend a night in Bruges. This way you could extend your Bruges tour to two days to get the most out of it. I've put together a little guide analysing the price of tours to Bruges which might help you to better organise your trip.
How much time do I need to visit Bruges and Ghent on my own?
It is possible to visit Bruges and Ghent in one day from Brussels on your own, but I do not recommend it. The train journeys are no longer than the private tour bus, but require more preparation and long waiting times at the station.
Still, if you plan to visit Bruges and Ghent on your own during your trip to Brussels, my recommendation is to dedicate two days to them and take the opportunity to spend a night in Bruges and have the chance to enjoy it under the stars too.