How to Book Train Travel From Belgium to Amsterdam

ou can easily travel by train from Belgium to Amsterdam with a direct trip on the Eurostar, Thalys or Intercity trains. Your travel time will be spent zipping by the beautiful countryside complete with windmills and tulips. Read on to learn how to book train travel from Belgium to Amsterdam.

Book Train Travel From Belgium to Amsterdam

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Book online using Rail Europe. You will need an address in Europe if you purchase online using the railway's sites. Rail Europe will book you on the most convenient train available and mail your tickets within a few days. To book train travel from Belgium to Amsterdam, call Rail Europe at (888) 382-RAIL or visit the link below.

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Catch an InterCity train towards Amsterdam. There are three trains a day from Brussels with a fare of about $100 each way with no reservations required. There are several stops in Belgium to catch the InterCity train, so this is the best train to take if you are not in Brussels.

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Book a seat on the Thalys, which travels from Brussels to Amsterdam in two hours and 35 minutes. Trains depart about every two hours from Brussels South Station with fares starting at around $60.

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Take advantage of the "Kids Ride Free" program. The TGV and Thalys offer promotions throughout the year where children ride free with paying adults. Check for current deals before booking a ticket.

5

Flaunt your youth. If you're under 25, you qualify for discounted tickets on many trains throughout Europe. Great deals are available on rail passes as well, which allow you to travel between several countries.

Prepare for Your Arrival in Amsterdam

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Prepare yourself for smoke. As soon as you arrive at Schiphol or Centraal Station in Amsterdam, you will be hit by the strong smell of cigarettes. Restaurants in both stations are grand cafe style, which encourages smoking, so don't expect to get away from the smoke.

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Book a bike before you arrive. You'll notice locals riding their bikes everywhere, so have the bike rental company meet you at the train station. You'll fit in immediately.

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Be sure to see the Van Gogh Museum and Anne Frank's house while you are in Amsterdam. These two popular tourist attractions are within walking distance from Centraal Station.

How to Report Travel Expenses

When a person from a business or organization travels, his hotel, food and transportation are often paid for by the business or organization for which he works. The traveler must keep track of the expenses and keep the receipts to make sure that he can properly fill out a travel expense report when he returns. The travel expense report is a document that includes a list of the items and services that were paid for by the traveler. Although each organization has its own requirements and regulations regarding travel, there are some general items that should typically always be reported on travel expense reports.

1

Take a travel expense form from the travel department or from human resources before leaving on the trip. The travel expense report will include a number of items that need to be filled in after the trip is completed. Typically these forms are one sheet. Sometimes they're printed on envelopes.
In the case that the employer requires employees to fill out travel expense forms electronically, print out the electronic form before the trip and use it as a template to record costs during the trip.

2

Save all of the receipts from the trip. If the travel form is printed on an envelope, simply place the receipts into the envelope after each purchase is made. If there is no envelope, receipts can be placed inside of plastic zipper bags. Be sure that every purchase is accounted for with either a physical receipt or a credit card statement after the trip has finished.

Wait to receive balance statements from the credit card company before submitting the report. Verify that you have included all of the costs from the credit card balance on the travel expense report. Add up the receipts and make sure that they are all accounted for and that the costs are placed in the right sections of the report.

3

Complete the "Food" section of the travel expense report. This section will likely be broken up into days. Simply write in the amount of money spent on food from each day. It is important to remember to include tips that are paid in cash on this expense report; otherwise your math may come up a few dollars short after the trip is completed.

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Fill out the section that includes the prices for hotels and lodging. If this section includes services obtained at the hotel, like Internet fees or tips to the bellhop, be sure to include these things. If room service is ordered and added to the hotel bill, subtract this amount from the "Lodging" section and make sure to include it in the "Food" section before the expense report is submitted.

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Fill out the "Travel" section by including the price for the plane tickets or the amount of miles driven if driving your own car. Check with the travel department to find out what the rate is per mile. Typically it is somewhere around 50 cents per mile, if using your own vehicle. If a rental vehicle is used, a reimbursement of the miles is not given, however gas costs will still be reimbursed.