Since Fyra stopped transportation between Amsterdam and Brussels I was wondering if there is way to get there cheaper and convenient than usual NS trains with two over stops.
I found that megabus has connection between cities. But I've never traveled by megabus in Europe.
Does anyone have such experience? Or maybe someone knows better way to get to Brussels from Amsterdam?
Megabus is okay. At this time it is one of the more sensible options. You can also check Eurolines. They have similar prices and a lot of connections. Choose what suits you best. Note that Eurolines will drop you near the Brussels North railway station. Megbus stops near the Central station, a stone's throw from the Grand Place. The Central station is a bit better connected to the local public transport network than the North station. But eventually it depends on where you want to go.
Thalys would be a more convenient option (quicker and more comfortable) but significantly more expensive than the bus!
The CEO of the Belgian railways has announced "some solutions" for this week, without specifying which ones ... (Source). Stay tuned!
UPDATE (01/02/2013)
The promised solution is there. You can read the official relaese in Dutch or French.
As of the 18th of February 2013, there will be two direct IC trains from Brussels to The Hague, taking 2h15 and stopping in Mechelen, Antwerp, Roosendaal, Dordrecht and Rotterdam. As of the 11th of March 2013, there will be 8 daily trains. Due to network congestion, the trains will not continue to Amsterdam. Travelers to Amsterdam have to change trains in Rotterdam. During the weekends the trains will only run from Antwerp to The Hague, due to works on the Brussels-Antwerp line.
A light a the end of the tunnel? Wait and see. In Summer there will be a final decision.
In December 2014 there will be "normal" hourly trains again between Amsterdam and Brussels.
The three most straightforward options for travelling between Brussels and Amsterdam (or elsewhere in the Netherlands) are, ordered by increasing price (and comfort/speed):
All these leave multiple times per day, and can be booked online in advance for a reduced price. Bus tickets can be found starting around €10, while NS tickets start above €20.
I can't recommend the buses to anyone. They often get stuck in traffic, making it a tedious journey. I personally find hitchhiking more pleasant.
But, if you make this journey regularly there are two good ways to spend much less on the train:
use the Belgian Rail Pass. This gives you 10 rides in Belgium for one year. You can use one Pass with several people. It costs 76 euro as of July 2014. You write down Essen (last station before the border) and Brussels.
Get a 40% kortingskaart in the Netherlands. The minimum term is probably one year.
A ticket from Amsterdam to Essen with 40% reduction is about 15 euros. So you end up paying about 23 euros instead of the hefty 40 euros. About the same price as the bus.
And as of December 2014 there will be a convenient direct connection again.
IDbus, Sofia Bus and Megabus all have a bus line between Amsterdam and Brussels. If you want to find the schedule with the cheapest price, check out Busbud Amsterdam Brussels route. Best deals start at 15€ from what I read.
