chalkitdown

Thats a good deal, there are award nights available at Leiden if you have the spare points but compared to what you're paying not worth it to you.

chalkitdown

Delft is one hour and 24 Euro from Antwerp on the train, Delft to Voorhout takes half an hour and costs 5.60 Euro. Voorhout to Amsterdam Central takes 45 minutes and costs 12.40 Euro same day return.

Petrol is now at 1.64 Euro a Litre in Holland, thats $12.98 an Imperial gallon.

So ya, I still suggest the train to end your trip.

If you don't have much baggage that is.

chalkitdown

I spent too long driving around London with an AtoZ map strapped to my knee like a fighter pilot to not appreciate GPS.
I do always have a map because of the limitations of GPS devices, they need power, EMP pulses, ect.

One of my favourite applications is to use it whilst walking. To be accurately steered through unknown cities by voice makes finding most places of interest very easy. I use an earpiece so I don't look like a target for muggers.

highlanderfil

I couldn't even find that! It starts with October, seemingly...

highlanderfil

Yep, that's how I got Leuven and Brussels.

highlanderfil

I don't have any points left and didn't even see Leiden on the Points Break list.

highlanderfil

Well, one thing I'm contemplating doing is going Brugge/Antwerp-Delft on the train, then renting a car for my final day around Amsterdam, to drive to Zandvoort and then just to the airport (I prefer relying on myself than on public transport). Will explore that option, thanks for putting it in the back of my head.

LapLap

Nope, I was seeing 13-15 September at Ijmuiden (nothing at Leiden)

highlanderfil

Hm, weird. Oh well.

OK, new plan hatched. I am going to make the following changes:

- Try to get Holiday Inn to make a change so that I stay at the Brussels hotel two nights instead of one in exchange for Leuven. This might be tough because Leuven is still available on the Point Breaks site, but Brussels is not. Is it worth trying to stay in Leuven for both nights instead? Convenience says no, but perhaps others know best.

- Pick up the rental car in Brussels on the 6th (Sixt) and go to Germany, then back to Bruges.

- Drop off the car on the 11th in Antwerp and take the train to Delft

- Pick up another rental car for the last two days of driving to Noordwijk/Zandvoort/Haarlem/Amsterdam Airport, etc. One question about that. I'm used to train stations having parking here in the States. Would I be able to find the same around Amsterdam?

How does this all sound?

highlanderfil

OK, so since Brussels is off the Point Breaks list, I can't trade Leuven for it. Staying both nights in Leuven seems counter-intuitive, though...

highlanderfil

Amazing. Regardless of when I'd pick up the car (4th, 5th or 6th of September), Sixt gives me the same 238 Euro rate. 5th it is, I guess, since I'd have to get to Leuven somehow and the city itself doesn't have a Sixt location.

highlanderfil

Where did you get this pricing info?

chalkitdown

You need to book directly with NL Rail, I've looked at raileurope before, their prices always seem higher, here's a link.

http://www.ns.nl/reisplanner-v2/index.shtml

chalkitdown

It's that part of the trip that may be easier by train than driving. Parking around Amsterdam is expensive. Some stations outside Amsterdam do provide cheap park and ride, but all are outside town and will place you on the rail system in any case.
Have a look at this thread. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...terdam+driving

highlanderfil

Can I get the tickets at the station? For some reason the site craps out at the 4th step, after I enter my credit card - doesn't give me confirmation.