You Don’t Have to Do It Alone: The Power of Friendship
A Barge Journey with MARK NEPO on the rivers and canals in BELGIUM
May 29 – June 4, 2025
GETTING THERE
Getting to:
MS Raymonde
Getting to Ghent where the MS Raymonde barge is docked
Make arrangement to fly to Brussels, Belgium, airport code: BRU both for arrival and departure. You may arrive on May, 29, early enough to get to Brussels and make arrangements to catch a train to Ghent on the same day.
The train station at the airport is called :Brussels Airport-Zaventem railway station. It is located directly below the terminal. Remember, if you are departing from North America, you need to leave the day before. Boarding on the barge Raymonde begins at 6 pm with dinner at 7 pm on May 29.
The best route from BRU airport to Ghent is by train, and as stated above, there is a train station at the airport. The “fast” trains will get you to Ghent in around 45 minutes – 1 hour, other trains will take 1 1/2 hours up to 2 1/2 hours. You may also choose to get a taxi from the airport to the barge dock.
NEW INFORMATION
Croisi Europe, our barge agents, just sent us the information of where the barge will be docked in Ghent. It will be moored at: RODETORENKAAI.
The map below shows the location. The closest train station to the barge in Ghent is: Gent-Dampoort. Use this link to see where the train station is and where the barge will be: https://maps.app.goo.gl/D1CirqPRz6gUNb8V8
The distance between this train station and the barge is a 10 minute walk. You can still get a taxi if you don’t wish to walk. Remember you are looking for the barge: MS Raymonde operated by Croise Europe
If for some reason you end up at a different train station, don’t panic, as long as you are in Ghent a taxi can easily get you the the mooring dock: RODETORENKAAI.
There are two main train companies that provide rail service. Click on their names to go to their website:
SNBC seems to have more routes
Normally you can only buy tickets on line 30 days or less before your departure.
If you wish to arrive a day or more before the retreat or wish to extend your time in Brussels after the retreat, as you can imagine, there are many hotels in Brussels. To get you started, here are three of them.
Ghent to Halle
our route
Arial Map of Gent-Dampoort Train Station and docking station of the Raymonde Barge
Hotel Concorde
GETTING BACK
You will disembark from the Raymonde barge in Halle by 9 am on June 4. The train from Halle to the aiport takes about 45 minutes, or you may take a taxi. We recommend that if you decide to take the train, book the tickets in advance. The train station is: Station HALLE, VAN DEN PEEREBOOMSTRAAT, 1500 Halle, Belgium
Halle is a smaller city with a population of around 40,000. If you choose to visit Halle, there are some delightful areas to explore such as: the enchanted forest, murals; Malakoff tower; Lembeek castle, and much more.
