Mechelen and Leuven Train Trip Review: Is it Worth it?

Planning a day out in Belgium and trying to decide where to go? So, too it’s almost like I get it – there are many quaint spots calling your name. Maybe, you’re pondering a trip to Mechelen and Leuven, accessible by train? This review is really designed to assist. As a matter of fact I want to walk you through my experience, highlighting some wonderful things about both cities and also maybe offer advice to make the best out of your visit.

Why Choose Mechelen and Leuven for a Day Trip?

What exactly makes Mechelen and Leuven appealing for a day of exploring? Well, for one thing, they are both super accessible from Brussels. Plus, each gives you their own distinctive flavor of Belgian charm. Leuven has like that youthful energy from the university, combined with a very history. Mechelen, in some respects, gives off a bit more of a laid-back, perhaps residential feel, but is also quite historically significant.

Mechelen, arguably, used to be the capital of the Netherlands ages ago, a fact that is reflected in its architectural gems. You will be in awe when viewing places like St. Rumbold’s Cathedral, and the Grand Beguinage. As I was saying, Leuven, is really more so famed for its Stella Artois brewery, its unbelievable town hall, and the peaceful atmosphere of the Groot Begijnhof, and, of course, also the vibe from all of the students around.

Getting There: Train Travel in Belgium

Taking the train in Belgium? Very efficient! Typically, trains run super often, and it is just a quick trip from Brussels to either Mechelen or Leuven, even too both. We’re talking about perhaps 20 minutes to Mechelen, and close to 30 minutes to Leuven from Brussels Central Station. It’s certainly a pretty easy, straightforward process, and the train stations are also located just very conveniently near the city centers.

Make sure that you check the train schedules in advance via the NMBS website or app. And by the way you might want to just get a day pass for unlimited travel if you think that that works better for you, financially. One important thing is to validate your tickets before hopping aboard the train, basically there are machines at the platform you need to use.

Mechelen: A Walk Through History

What did I actually see and do in Mechelen? As a matter of fact I started at St. Rumbold’s Cathedral, it’s just virtually unmissable due to how tall it is. I just really recommend that you climb the tower, too it’s almost like if you are up for it – for like a fantastic panoramic sight of the entire city.

I strolled around the Grand Beguinage, in fact a UNESCO World Heritage site, with quite historic buildings, and peaceful courtyards. Afterwards, I stopped by the Kazerne Dossin Memorial, basically a powerful location that will address Belgium’s role in the Holocaust. It is is something you need to expect can be emotionally hard, but just super informative and memorable.

Mechelen Highlights and Recommendations

St. Rumbold’s Cathedral: The highlight is climbing the tower for those expansive townviews.
Grand Beguinage: Is that picture-perfect courtyards providing peace.
Kazerne Dossin Memorial: To remember, that’s something super important.
Brewery Het Anker: How can we forget that there is something in every Belgium city for beer enthusiasts to look forward to. It features the Gouden Carolus. A brand of well known strong beer.
Dyle Path As a matter of fact I liked it. It is an opportunity for you to walk along the river with floating homes and flowers on your way to the center.

Leuven: University Town Charm

On to Leuven! Like I’ve said, the ambiance shifts. You will just literally feel this scholastic atmosphere throughout. It tends to be quite energetic. I went straight to the Grote Markt, or as they say, the Grand Market, really just to watch the incredibly sculpted Leuven Town Hall.

As a matter of fact I explored the Groot Begijnhof, seemingly one of the better preserved Beguinages in Flanders. In addition I did go on that Stella Artois brewery tour, even too if you aren’t big into lagers – just to understand the brewing traditions of Leuven. Obviously one of those must-dos for some folks is kicking back by the Oude Markt (Old Market Square), that is often termed “the longest bar in Europe,” because it’s basically filled with a gazillion of places that can be had. As I was saying all those beer drinkers get what I am saying, do they not?

Leuven Highlights and Recommendations

Leuven Town Hall: See very fancy Gothic architecture.
Groot Begijnhof: Get into peaceful gardens and also historic residences.
Stella Artois Brewery: How beers have been made, that’s actually quite educative
Oude Markt: Basically the most well known spot on the globe when you like meeting folks from throughout the globe in places offering alcohol.
University Library As I was saying the center and top of knowledge where people come for hundreds of years to spend countless nights learning new stuff.

Food and Drink: Savoring Belgian Delights

Okay, food! Seemingly we just really should speak on some gastronomic adventures of any trips to Belgium. It could be that you want waffles. As a matter of fact it just tends to be that you want waffles, chocolates, and fries; Belgium does these food groups to a T.

So you like local things? Try something unique such as Mechelen’s Gouden Carolus beer cheese, in fact this is unique for that place. In Leuven, what you really want is those student-style cheap eats places, and obviously bars filled up featuring Belgian beer selections. Or there are more top tiered restaurants too, naturally. A stop in a chocolatier store for just very unique praline collections, that is what one needs.

Comparing the Costs: Is it Budget-Friendly?

Day trips to Mechelen and Leuven, naturally, can be very budget-friendly. With train fares generally quite decent priced. Seemingly eating and drinking do come in a spectrum; you might be spending some small money, or you might even spend pretty huge money, you understand? Sight-seeing generally shouldn’t eat up all the dough because of all of the sites worth just viewing, at zero dollars. So like you’re backpacking, or balling. So just pick, you got this.

One Day or Two? Deciding on Your Itinerary

Do you think, you can really fit both cities just into one day? Arguably, with proper strategizing, basically that tends to be definitely do-able, still anticipate it’s really will feel like you just grazed the skin. In that case that would be what I will say to most, I like a pace that isn’t fast at all. But arguably, your preferences might really say you need that, at the expense of slower and relaxing exploring.

In other words you can choose Mechelen, and after, train to Leuven. Alternatively, spend an afternoon/morning just exploring both cities and dedicate them separate travel times of two separate full days.

Seemingly in the event you have much more time, considering an overnight time just would allow anyone exploring deeper and savor like that specific, you understand. This strategy allows us basically enjoy places such as, walking along empty roads once the day travelers went where they were going. Is that nice?

Potential Downsides and Considerations

As I was saying every destination does have drawbacks, in any case these cities happen to be in a nation so fantastic like this that I wouldn’t expect too many.

The Kazerne Dossin, I guess I’d mention, tends to be an experience that stirs the soul deeply, so too it’s almost that you should prep what could occur mentally and think about scheduling after activities being on the “up-swing”. If it’s during peak days, Leuven just really will certainly become chock full of all sorts of traveling people.

For both travel goals you could potentially see sites being closed with little fanfare, I did hear on some tourism channels these occurrences did come by occasionally in places along that Europe axis, as they usually need maintaining.

Tips for a Smooth Trip

Train Tickets: Do a buying pre-journey
Comfortable Shoes: You need to know how critical these will be.
City Maps: Use phone map thing
Learn Key Phrases: Basic expressions always work for nice chats. “Please”, and such phrases will get you better interactions!

A Memorable Belgian Getaway

What thoughts do I have after all is finished? Well, for sure these little excursions proved to provide an immersive view into Belgian landscapes both urbanistically and by traditions; each just boasts their thing going that separates them while just being closely aligned by ways the locals love things, as if from the very heart. A day for both in these very destinations could be fantastic if organized for the long and speedy adventure to remember back with, if not go two-days so all is savored!