BRU diabolo fee
Oct 3, 2012, 7:10 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
BRU diabolo fee
So I assume most of you would know that travel from/to BRU airport requires the diabolo fee on certain fares. I just paid for my fee online and was issued a ticket in PDF with a barcode. Do I show this to attendant on the train? Or at the counter in exchange for a physical ticket? I just don't want to be kicked off the train or have to pay for the fee again as i won't have any cash on me at the time of travelling, hence why I need all this paid in advance.
Any experience/advices available on this matter would be much appreciated!
Any experience/advices available on this matter would be much appreciated!
Oct 7, 2012, 6:47 am
#2
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Gent, Belgium
Programs: Miles & Bonus *S
Posts: 448
Just show this to the attendant on the train, this pdf is the surcharge ticket. Make sure you print it out though, they don't accept digital versions. Oh, and the fee applies to all tickets to/from BRU, not just some.
Also, I'll warn you now,the trains doing the airport runs between Brussels and the airport are old rustbuckets.
Edit: I assume you know you need the surcharge in combination with a regular ticket, right? Just the surcharge is not enough.
Edit 2: when are you arriving? I've heard rumours of a trainstrike starting thursday and ending on saturday (we just had one last wednesday)
Also, I'll warn you now,the trains doing the airport runs between Brussels and the airport are old rustbuckets.
Edit: I assume you know you need the surcharge in combination with a regular ticket, right? Just the surcharge is not enough.
Edit 2: when are you arriving? I've heard rumours of a trainstrike starting thursday and ending on saturday (we just had one last wednesday)
Oct 8, 2012, 7:14 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
Another strike? I knew about the wednesday strike. A friend has sent me his gopass 10 in the mail so ill use that in combination with the diabolo ticket. I have already printed it out. I have been on these trains before when i came vack in may and since that was first time riding trains in europe i had nothing worse or better to compare to. Unless they got worse than when i was there i think ill survive. I will be arriving the 30th of this month. If you know of another strike please keep me posted. I will be monitoring too.
Oct 9, 2012, 4:53 am
#4
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Gent, Belgium
Programs: Miles & Bonus *S
Posts: 448
Also, I'll keep you up to date about strikes if/when they occur.
Oct 9, 2012, 4:32 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
Yep. Thanks! I will be heading to Liege. If you wanna meet up at BRU on my return leg let me know. Also, do you think i can bring back beers as checked luggage? Will that cause any concerns with security? And how easy is it to withdraw money from the atm at the airport? Last time i arrived i had someone meet me there but this time i will be travelling solo. I'll take the train to leuven then transfer to liege-guillemins. Im pretty nervous about it since i don't speak french or dutch save a few words. I already looked up time tables and such but still trying to make back up plans in case something goes wrong. Any advice would ve appreciated?
Last edited by DevilsX; Oct 9, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Oct 10, 2012, 12:17 am
#6
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Gent, Belgium
Programs: Miles & Bonus *S
Posts: 448
I'm on the train to BRU right now, so I'll check up on the atm thing for you. Also, as far as I know bringing back beers as checked luggage is fine, just make sure they are properly wrapped in something like a towel to minimise the chance of the bottles breaking.
Generally speaking though, taking the train is fairly easy and if you're in doubt just ask someone (staff or not) for help in English, they will gladly do so.
Generally speaking though, taking the train is fairly easy and if you're in doubt just ask someone (staff or not) for help in English, they will gladly do so.
Oct 10, 2012, 2:24 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
My debit cards are either Visa or Mastercard. I do have a credit card with a chip in it that I can try to do a cash advance in case my debit doesn't work. Isn't it a Belfius ATM that's available at BRU?
Oct 10, 2012, 4:06 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Gent, Belgium
Programs: Miles & Bonus *S
Posts: 448
I'm used to it being Dexia, but yes it's Belfius indeed.
http://www.brusselsairport.be/en/pas...sfer_exchange/
this bit of the BRU website also lists where the ATMs are in the airport.
And by debit card I referred to regular bank cards, since well, over here, Visa and Mastercard are credit cards.
http://www.brusselsairport.be/en/pas...sfer_exchange/
this bit of the BRU website also lists where the ATMs are in the airport.
And by debit card I referred to regular bank cards, since well, over here, Visa and Mastercard are credit cards.
Oct 10, 2012, 4:33 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
Last time I stayed there the only ATM i was able to use my bankcard in was the BNP Paribas. It accepted the card but since my pin was longer than 4 digit it rejected it. I was hoping I'd have an easier time finding a usable ATM this trip. The friend I'm staying with uses Dexia/Belfius too, I'll try it and see what happens.
Oct 11, 2012, 5:05 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ATL
Programs: AA PLT, DL
Posts: 309
Yeah I found that out the hard way :P I just contacted ING and asked if I could open a non-resident account. They said it would cost about 100 Euros per year to maintain. I might have to consider this offer if I plan on being back there often 