I'm off to ride the full Tour of Flanders cyclo in a couple of weeks and to get back to Brugges after the ride to pick my car up I'm going to try and get on the train at Aalst with bike. I can book a train ticket and bike ticket online no trouble butdo I risk getting stranded in Aalst? I cant find out how many bikes sncb trains allow and with 20000 others doing the ride it wont take many with the same idea as me to clog the trains up.

Why not leave your car a bit closer to Aalst, even leave it the day before and ride from Aalst up to Gent and on to Brugges?

Aalst to Gent is a pleasant enough ride, and Gent to Brugges is nicer still along the canals.

Thats a good idea but sadly my boat crossing isnt until late pm on the day before so wont have time.

Hmmm.

I'd still look at the possibilty of driving to Aalst, parking somewhere out on the Aalst-Gent road, and getting the train back, either the evening before or early in the morning, before the sportive.

I'd think a bit of fannying about before the start would be preferable to trying to get back afterwards.

Having said that, Belgian railways seem to run better han Brit ones, so maybe you'll be ok.

Another alternative is find a Brit who is doing the sportive with a car in Brugges, and aim to sort out a travel plan.

Try posting on roadcyclinguk or veloriders to see if you can hook up with some Brits out there. We're just doing the 140 then frites and Mayo after. Good luck!

I don't think many of the Belgians would be returning to Brugge via train.
Is there no way you can get a spot on the pendlebus going from Ninove to Brugge early on Saturday AM?

I'm probably going to ride the 150 on my MTB with slicks this year.

(and btw trains in Flanders are ran by NMBS by the way :-))