Back around August time, I was looking for somewhere to go in December. Preferably somewhere that had Christmas markets (I know, I hate people so why do this to myself). I looked on Ryanair and couldn’t really find anywhere that stuck out to me and certainly nothing that was a price I wanted to pay.
I then decided to look on Eurostar since they go to Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris. I like all 3 and I am happy to go back to them. They each have their charm that makes me want to go back. Amsterdam has trams and canals and nice walks. Brussels has trams and great architecture, Paris has the metro and cool districts.
I decided on Brussels (mostly because it was the cheapest and going to Amsterdam would mean a change in Brussels anyway since the line is closed right now for upgrades to Amsterdam Centraal to allow for crossing the border there instead of going back to Brussels to do it) and proceeded to get my £39 each way fares. Once I had purchased them I didn’t really think anymore of it as I had a few trips planned for before then anyway.
It got to the start of December and I started to look to see where else I could go from Brussels. I am one to want to go to different cities and experience them too and use the main destination as a base. I looked and then remembered Aachen was only about 90 minutes on the train and they had a pretty cool Christmas market there.
I looked at the return train prices and they were a little more than I wanted to pay. It was about €50 return. I mean, it’s not totally unreasonable given it’s cross-border travel. I decided to think about it for a few days.
I then looked a couple of days before I was due to leave and the price had jumped to €57 return. Against my better judgement I waited another day to see if the prices would come down. They didn’t. I ended up paying &euro62 return. That will teach me to wait so long!
THe day came for going to London to get the train to Brussels. I finished work at 06:00 and went straight to bed and slept for about 4 hours before getting up and getting ready and then heading out.
I had all my snacks ready (you’d think the journey was more than the 2 hours it really was) for the journey to London and then to Brussels. I treated myself to the fast train to London (mostly because it was the cheapest) and got on. It appeared I had upset the passenger who was in the seat next to me by asking him to move his stuff off my reserved seat. The absolute cheek of me to do that!
I got to London with plenty of time to spare so I just went and sat at St Pancras until check-in opened for my train.
Check-in opened at 13:00 and I went and queued and went through security (so much better than airport security as I could take my drinks with me having paid a normal price for them) and then crossed the border. It’s weird here because the border here is manned by the French (even though it goes to Belgium and the Netherlands too). I guess it’s because we get into France first. I had my passport stamped and I just went and sat and waited until it was time to board the train. They announce the platform only 20 minutes before departure. I find that strange given how many people it carries. I think it’s something like 750 people per train. It seems like a tight turnaround. They did it though. We got away on time.
I just sat on the train and listened to music and just rested my head. I was so tired. I couldn’t really sleep much though. I don’t even know why. We got to Brussels on time and I had a quick look on the map for the direction I needed to head in. I got my bearings and just headed to the hostel. It was only a 5-minute walk from the station. I was pretty well placed for everything.
I checked in at the hostel and asked for a lower bunk and they sent me to a room. There was no lower bunk free so I went back down and after 10 minutes they found me a lower bunk. I was happy. I don’t like being on the upper bunk. It’s a long way down!
I decided to just stay in for the night. It was only 19:30 but I was really tired and I had sustenance so I just chilled. I tried to sleep as I was getting the train at around 08:30 to Aachen in the morning. One guy in the room decided he wanted to keep his bedside light on for ages. Finally, I had to ask him to turn it off and once he did I was able to get to sleep.
Aachen Sights
Brussels Sights
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I got up around 07:15 so I could get showered and ready and give myself enough time to go and find a store to get breakfast before the train. I did that and then went to the platform that it said the train was departing from but it wasn’t listed. I double-checked the app and it was still showing platform 3.
I then went to the information centre and she said never to trust the app but to trust the display boards on the platforms. The display board was showing platform 7A for the train. I went and sat there and had my pastries and waited for the train.
The train was on the platform but the doors weren’t open for us yet. They opened after another 10 minutes and I just got on the silent carriage. The guard on the platform said any free seats would be displayed with a green light above. I didn’t pay to reserve a seat as that would have added an extra €6 each way.
Luckily, nobody seems to like to sit in the silent carriage and I had ample seats to choose from. I still chose a window seat even though it was dark and dreary outside so I couldn’t see much.
We got to Aachen on time and I was beginning to regret my choice of going so early. The Christmas market and the cathedral didn’t open until 11:00 and I had 90 minutes to kill. I decided to take the long way round to get to the cathedral so that it would kill time. I found another supermarket and I went in and checked to see if they sold the sweets and chocolate that I like. They had a couple of the ones I wanted but not a lot. I just got a croissant and left.
I carried on walking towards the main square and stopped to take pictures every once in a while. I found a souvenir shop and I thought it was a bit pricey so I left and walked around parts of Aachen I didn’t when I was here last time (see here and here).
I had a quick walk around where the Christmas market was and to another part of the city that I hadn’t been to before and then headed back to the cathedral. The cathedral here is free to enter and it is so pretty inside. The decor and the architecture are just really cool to see. Inside I bumped into some Mormon missionaries and I went up to them and said “Hello Mormons”. One asked how I knew who they were and I mentioned that I was a missionary about 24 years ago. We got told off for talking too loud. It wasn’t super loud but they expect near silence in the cathedral.
I left the cathedral and went walking around the market to see what was on offer and it hasn’t really changed from when I last visited. Food, ornaments, chocolate, drinks. I decided I was hungry enough for some hot food so I found the McDonald’s and just went there and had some food and sat in there for about 45 minutes.
I left there and then went towards where I needed to get the bus to go to the big supermarket. I found a souvenir shop and it was just as pricey as the one I had seen earlier. I got my souvenirs and headed to the bus stop. I tried to get a ticket but it was only in German and I couldn’t understand it and tried to select the single journey ticket but the bus was pulling up. I got on and didn’t pay. I know. I’m a bad tourist. I promise it’s a rarity that I don’t pay for tickets and it’s only usually in situations like this where I can’t get it from the machine or on the bus.
I decided to go to the supermarket as I knew they would have the stuff I wanted. I wanted different kinds of Haribo, some Yogurette’s and some Kinder. The kind you can’t get here in England. The last time I was here the supermarket was a Real,- but it is now a Kaufland. I spent €40 on stuff. I didn’t buy just for myself but for my friends too.
I put it all in my backpack and it was so heavy. On the bus on the way to the supermarket, I saw a sign that said Aachen that I wanted to get a picture of so I decided I would walk to that (even with the HEAVY backpack) to get the picture and then just get the bus the rest of the way. I got to the sign and got my picture.
I decided that I would just carry on with walking as I had also seen a church that I wanted to see if I could get in and see. I got there but it wasn’t open. That’s ok though. I was tired so didn’t mind. I crossed the road and had a walk around the cemetery that was there. I love doing this. Seeing the different gravestones and the dates on them is always fascinating to me.
I then headed back to the city to walk around the market and get myself a Kartoffelpuffer (see the pic below). I remembered them being nice when I got them last time. This time they didn’t seem as tasty. Maybe it’s because I was feeling a little unwell. I didn’t even want to get Kinderpunsch!
I decided after walking around a little more I would just head to the station and sit there until it was time for the train. I was so tired at this point and my feet were killing me. I got to the station and sat on the platform but had to go to the waiting room at the information centre as my hands were so cold. I was wearing 2 pairs of gloves and this wasn’t enough. The wind was just making it so so cold.
Another reason I went to the waiting room was because I had seen on the boards that the trains to Brussels were being cancelled. I was hoping that I could get the train on the platform if this was the case. Reader, it wasn’t the case so I just stayed in the waiting room for about 90 minutes and then went up to get the train.
I got to the door of the quiet coach so I could be first on and get a seat. I could see where all the green lights were so I wasn’t worried about getting a seat. I just wanted to be on and in the warmth. On DB trains, if you don’t reserve a seat you can do a comfort check-in a few minutes before the train leaves. This gives you the option to find an empty seat and then select that seat and it will no longer be available for another passenger. It also means the guard doesn’t have to check your ticket.
The train was 20 minutes late leaving as we had to wait for a late running train. The high speed line between Aachen and Cologne is closed for works so they had to wait for a late running regional train. We ended up getting back to Brussels about 30 minutes late. I didn’t even mind though as I was going straight to the hostel so I could go to bed. I knew I had enough sustenance so didn’t need to worry about that.
I got back and had the room to myself (for only a few hours though) and I got my stuff ready for tomorrow and packed everything. I was checking out tomorrow but leaving my case so I could walk around Brussels.
Total steps: 22,955
Total miles: 10.44
Total kilometers: 16.80
Below are some pics from today
I got my case from the locker and found some comfortable seats and just sat and had some food and drink and chilled for about 90 minutes and then headed to the station. By the time I got there, I had about 15 minutes before check-in opened. I went and got some food and drink from the Carrefour and then went and checked in and went through security and immigration and then just sat and waited for boarding to start. I found out where we needed to board so I went and stood there for about 10 minutes and then boarding opened. I just wanted to be on the train and relaxing and trying to get an hour’s sleep since I was working at 06:00 tomorrow.
Since it was dark there was nothing to see on the journey home. I had the 2 seats to myself so just relaxed and waited for St Pancras to arrive. Once I got off, I just headed to get the train home. No drama, not much waiting, no delays. Happy times. I finally got in at about 23:55 and decided not to unpack and just head to bed.
All in all, this was a good trip and I am looking to see when I can get back to Brussels.
Total steps: 45,467Total miles: 20.62
Total kilometers: 33.18
View all of my Aachen media here
View all of my Brussels media here