GLL abroad: UK ➡️ Belgium

Welcome to a new series of posts, documenting my experiences with travel in a sustainability conscious way 🌍

Last month I did something completely new and travelled abroad by train! I did a full international trip using only public transport and had a brilliant time. If you are in a lucky enough position to be able to travel and want to move away from flying to a less impactful means, here are some ideas about how you can see more of the world for less emissions 🚄

My trip started with two trains to my first stop to pick up my travelling companion. We then caught a train to London and took the Underground to St Pancras international to catch our train to Brussels! We arrived with plenty of time to browse the varied collection of shops and cafes at the station, and went through security in a matter of minutes. While security checks are still in place like an airport, the process felt much less stressful and there was no need to worry about liquids and other restrictions, like baggage weight. After the checks, there is a large waiting lounge where you can get a snack and/or drink and feel excited about the adventure ahead 🎒

Then it was time to board! This was my first time using the Eurostar trains, and my first impressions were that it was definitely much nicer than a lot of trains I’ve been on. We were in standard seating and had lots of room. After acclimatising to the difference in pressure as we left London, I soon relaxed into the journey as we watched the south of England go by. As someone who is claustrophobic, I was a little concerned about the part of the journey where we went through the Channel Tunnel, but after the tunnels coming out of London it didn’t feel as noticeable a difference and didn’t take long at all. I listened to a podcast (The Psychology of Your 20s, if anyone is interested) and did some colouring (book of choice from Calm over Chaos) and before I knew it we were in France. I really enjoyed the journey, there’s something about watching the world go by in a different country that’s just different to being at home, and in some ways when we pulled into the station it felt the whole thing was over too quick, I was so comfortable! 🛤️

We arrived in Brussels only 2 hours after leaving London and walked to our accommodation. Neither of us had visited before and we only had 2 nights away, so we had to make the most of our time. On our half days we were able to walk to see a number of the major sights, such as Grand Place (first photo), and on our full day we booked to use the hop-on, hop-off sightseeing bus. These buses are often viewed as overtly touristy and expensive, but if you’ve got a city like Brussels where major attractions and sights aren’t all in the centre, using a bus that will take you to all these places as well as getting to see the in-between areas is an easy and enjoyable way to get around, without having to individually pay for transportation to each place. You can also get extra information from the audio narration, plus some jaunty music. Using the bus we were able to visit the Atomium, the European Parliament and Parc du Cinquantenaire, to name a few (see photos below – all author’s own).

Having the sightseeing bus ticket gave us peace of mind that wherever we got off in the city, we’d be able to pick it back up as many times as we wanted to that day. Getting off at the stops meant the bus route provided us with a fun day’s exploring while giving us a flavour for Brussels in our limited time. We also tried to visit local independent eateries during our stay, not only to experience the city more like the locals but to support small businesses in the city too – I can confirm the waffles and chocolate are very good.

On the last evening and final morning, it snowed! We were so lucky to see so many beautiful places in the snow, although some of us did not pick the right shoes for that type of weather (me) 😶‍🌫️🤦‍♀️Thankfully, the trains still ran even with the change in weather, with only 10 minutes added onto our journey back to London. UK side, we then continued our journey home via the Underground, trains and buses, to complete the public transport journey.

The verdict: As so much of this trip was new to me, I wanted to see how I found the process. After this trip, I will absolutely be using the Eurostar again – the process was simple to use and for those of us in the UK it really opens up a range of options to visit Europe flight-free. While the Eurostar service isn’t new, I hope it continues to lead in train travel which is enjoyable and more environmentally sustainable. With less waiting times, no need for airport transfers and the ability to get straight into the heart of so many interesting cities, train travel can really enhance your holidays and travel plans.

And as for Brussels, if you are looking for a short break that offers beautiful architecture, history and modernity and many delicious sweet treats, I would definitely recommend. Often not talked about as much as other European capitals in terms of tourist hotspots, visiting in January gave us all the same amazing sights and experiences but with none of the waiting times and crowds. We were able to walk into restaurants in some of the most popular areas without reservations and see attractions clearly and peacefully. As for food, while the city isn’t known for being extremely vegetarian friendly, I was able to find vegetarian and vegan options for all our meals in a range of cafes and restaurants. Overall, for my first Eurostar trip this was a pretty good way to start.

Having the opportunity to travel can really transform us as people and make us more open-minded and connected to others. So if you’re planning a getaway for 2025, explore train travel options and arrive directly into the action of the place whilst also enjoying the journey as part of the experience. See more, emit less. Until the next adventure… 🗺️