European Trains - ticket pricing

[trekker12]

I'm contemplating a quick summer dash across to Hoek, spend a few days riding down to Bastogne, ride up the Muur de Huy, see a few WWII museums and catch a train back towards Holland for a last day riding before the ferry home.

My question is do I need to book train tickets in Belgium and Holland in advance and reserve the bikes onto them or can I just pitch up at a train station and get to where I want to head for a similar price? Do they extortionately increase the price like they do here in the UK? I'd rather leave the trip somewhat flexible and unplanned.

[Torslanda]

Although I have never used trains outside the UK, I believe THIS is a very useful guide.

[trekker12]

Oddly enough I've used that site a lot and thought of asking here before looking on there. thanks Tors!

The answer appears to be as follows: -

(1)  Local & regional trains in any country = turn-up-and-go ticketing:  Tickets for local, regional & suburban trains can easily be bought at the station.  The price is fixed, so there's no price advantage in pre-buying.  Reservation isn't compulsory, indeed it's usually not even possible, so these trains can never sell out, so again there's no point in pre-buying.  You simply buy a ticket at the station and hop on the next train, sitting anywhere you like.  Think New York Subway!  Buying online simply saves a few minutes at the ticket office, that's all.

Domestic trains wholly within Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium & Luxembourg work on this principle, with reservations neither necessary nor possible, even for longer-distance InterCity trains.  You turn up, buy a fixed-price ticket at the station and hop on the next train.

[Canardly]

I'm contemplating a quick summer dash across to Hoek, spend a few days riding down to Bastogne, ride up the Muur de Huy, see a few WWII museums and catch a train back towards Holland for a last day riding before the ferry home.

My question is do I need to book train tickets in Belgium and Holland in advance and reserve the bikes onto them or can I just pitch up at a train station and get to where I want to head for a similar price? Do they extortionately increase the price like they do here in the UK? I'd rather leave the trip somewhat flexible and unplanned.

If possible include Overloon war museum. Was the site of the only tank battle in Holland during WW2 and has an impressive collection.

[andrewc]

I was in Holland last year https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=104738.msg2202489#msg2202489

At the end of the trip I got a train from Groningen to the Hague for 33 euros for myself & the bike, just walked into the station & bought the ticket from a machine.  Only limited bike space on that train though.    Previously I've done similar from places in Belgium back to the coast.  Usually a small charge for the bike, but never any hassle with it.  Not particularly spendy either.