Liège Station
London-Maastricht: 12th July 2010.
It was only after we’d booked seats for the concert in Maastricht that we looked at ways and means of getting there. Maastricht does have an airport, called Maastricht/Aachen Airport, which may well be unique among airports, because it’s named for cities in two different countries. And, I haven’t found out whether the actual airport is in Germany or the Netherlands, anyway.
It’s academic, though … there are, as far as I could find out, no direct flights from UK.
So, in this case, the train is a far more quick and efficient way to get there. If you buy a ticket to Brussels on the Eurostar, it’s good for any station in Belgium. That’s a bit frustrating, because Maastricht is just over the border. But, Eurostar were able to sell tickets good for any station in the Netherlands; I could have gone to Groningen, in the far north-east of the country, if I wished.
There are, however, no trains direct to Maastricht from Brussels/Midi; you need a train to Liège (or Luik or Luttich, depending on which direction you approach it from). That’s a modern, well designed station, in which the minutes you have to spend waiting for the train to Maastricht are fairly painless.
The railway station at Maastricht, on the other hand, is quirky and old-fashioned, but on the outside only. The workings inside are efficient and modern, like a modern DAB radio in a ‘retro’ case. And, I think it’s the first station I’ve ever seen with stained glass windows in the concourse.
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Hi Keith,
What an unusual railway station, the building does look old, but very quirky, I love the stained glass windows as well, this is definitely unique.
By: magsx2 on September 29, 2010
at 7:46 am
I’m trying to remember whether or not there were stained-glass windows in the railway station at Antwerp … there certainly are a few pubs with them, notably the Bombay Bicycle Club, in Adelaide.
In Queensland, the Yatala Pie Shop has some beauties; I’ll be posting pictures when its turn comes around.
By: travelrat on September 30, 2010
at 6:30 am
Hi Keith,
I haven’t been to the Yatala Pie Shop for years, mainly because now you have to go off the highway to get there. Sounds like they have done the place up a bit, will be looking forward to seeing the photo’s.
By: magsx2 on September 30, 2010
at 8:37 am
We had a little difficulty finding the pie-shop, too … although my brother in law says it’s where it always was; it’s the road they moved! I’ll give you a preview of the stained glass window; it’s at http://www.flickr.com/photos/31258795@N00/5041169078
By: travelrat on October 1, 2010
at 6:11 am
Hi Keith,
I love the window, and it’s got the Australian animals on it as well, very nice.
Your brother in law is correct, when they put the new highway in it by passed the pie shop. It used to be right on the main highway originally.
They lost a few customers when this happened, but now they even have tourist buses stop. So I assume the owners made a few deals, and the pie shop never died but become more popular.
By: magsx2 on October 1, 2010
at 8:41 am