Lille - Info (Travel, Hotels, Bars, Directions etc)

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I'll be going to this game, Lille away that night suited me perfectly as I always intended to be in Paris the following day.

I arrive in Brussels around 10am that morning and I intend to take a train to Lille around 1-3pm. Which train station do I go to, how do I get there, which train station at Lille do I stop at and how do I get from my hotel (which is near the zoo) to the Stadium? Is bus or train a better option?

@JimEFC
 
Imagine being on a white knuckle ride and chucking-up for 2 hours during and 6 hours after the journey...and every time you truly and make a step forward the ground isn't there......that's an accurate summary of a cross channel ferry in bad weather.


Most ill I ever got on a ferry was Isle of Wight to Southampton...had been on the island for the music festival, but I swear that whoever drove that boat was sadistic.
 
I'll be going to this game, Lille away that night suited me perfectly as I always intended to be in Paris the following day.

I arrive in Brussels around 10am that morning and I intend to take a train to Lille around 1-3pm. Which train station do I go to, how do I get there, which train station at Lille do I stop at and how do I get from my hotel (which is near the zoo) to the Stadium? Is bus or train a better option?

@JimEFC

OK...here's how I'd do it...

If you're in Brussels... you need to get to Gare Bruxelles Midi.
Use their metro, it's simple enough. Easier to get a taxi though, and prob only about 2 euros more, taxis are pretty cheap in Brussels.

If you're in a rush just walk into a hotel and say "I need a taxi to Midi Station - I want to go to Lille".
Hotel staff everywhere in the world are pre-programmed to help people who ask, whether you're a guest there or not :)

Once you're at Midi, there's one wall that is the Eurostar ticket office, ignore that if you're there in the daytime. If it's a massive hurry, go there.
Otherwise go for 'Billeterie' or 'Guichets' or whatever it's called this year. Look for the ticket office with a queue basically. Eurostar will be obvious (big blue thing with gold stars all over). Go for the other ticket office with a queue.
Then ask the person last in the queue if they are waiting for travel today (it's Brussels so they'll speak English). If they say they're queuing for future travel, ask them where the desk for today travel is, and go there instead.

Local Bruxelles-Lille train...allow 2 hours for journey time, it'll drop you at Gare Lille Flandres (I think...if it's Europe it's not a disaster, they're both in town).
Exit Lille Flandres station from the main front door, walk straight forwards up the shopping street and you'll be in Grand Place in no time (3 minutes) [clock tower dead ahead, aim for that]

Sounds like you're staying up near Bois de Boulogne? The big massive park? So basically it's hit Grand Place and keep going, the same direction.
If in doubt there's a tourist office in Place Rihour (hit the Grand Place and go left through to the next square.
I'd just ask people at Flandres station though, there's an information desk there
**Also pick up a metro map at that desk, or something anyway, maybe a booklet called something like "Guide Lille Métropole"- there'll be a metro map in the back pages of that.

If you need to get to the ground in a hurry, get on the metro at Gare Lille Flandres - Yellow Line, Platform sign will say Cantons. Get off at Cité Scientifique - follow the crowd.

Hope that helps!

Also - NEVER leave your bag unzipped or your pockets open in Brussels station (Midi). Things that were in there will walk.
 
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you can also get a high speed french train from brussels midi - lille by booking on voyages-sncf.com - office is in london and tickets dispatched next day. cost me just over £45. takes just over 30 mins.
 


@JimEFC is it possible to get to the Brussels airport (not Charleroi) early in the morning from Lille directly? I have a flight at 9, so I need to be there somewhere around 7, 7:30 I think. How can I get there or do I have to do it straight after the game?
 
in the office today and printed off my tickets, I was panicking just having them in pdf didn't seem real until now. Can't wait for this COYB!
 
@JimEFC is it possible to get to the Brussels airport (not Charleroi) early in the morning from Lille directly? I have a flight at 9, so I need to be there somewhere around 7, 7:30 I think. How can I get there or do I have to do it straight after the game?

Hiya mate - I guess the train to Gare Bruxelles Midi is the best way...but I don't know, never been to that airport.

Try these links:

Airport travel info: http://www.brusselsairport.be/en/passngr/to_from_brussels_airport/

Book Belgian Trains: http://www.belgianrail.be/en/Default.aspx

I checked Eurostar and the first Brussels train is 09:33 - so that's no good.
 
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