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Belgium By Train
Although geographically small, Belgium is bursting with sites and activities. Visit the cosmopolitan capital of Brussels and take the train to popular cities like Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp. Visit the lush green hills of the Ardennes region and be sure to try some Belgian beers and delicious chocolate along the way.
Train types in Belgium
- Route Map
- Domestic trains
- International trains
![Map with main train connections in Belgium](/content/dam/images/interrail/belgium.adaptive.767.1626084534780.jpg)
There are a number of train types in Belgium ready to transport you. The Belgium network is operated by NMBS/SNCB, the Belgian National Railway Company. Use the Eurail train timetable to check times for trains in Belgium.
Regional and intercity trains in Belgium
InterCity trains (IC)
Run between larger cities like Brussels, Antwerp and Liège.
International travel to The Hague/Rotterdam (Netherlands), Luxembourg City, and Lille Flandres (France).
No reservation required.
CityRail trains
Run in the area around Brussels.
No reservation required.
Brussels Airport supplement trains
Run from Brussels Airport to cities like Antwerp, Ghent, and Brussels.
A supplement required, see here for more information.
International high-speed trains in Belgium
- High speed trains to Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Germany on the routes:
- Brussels – Lille – London
- Brussels – Paris
- Amsterdam – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Paris
- Amsterdam – Rotterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Disneyland Paris
- Dortmund – Düsseldorf – Cologne – Liège – Brussels – Paris
- Reservations are compulsory for these trains, which can get fully booked. We recommend making your reservations as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
- Read more about special booking conditions on our dedicated Eurostar page.
- Services to Amsterdam, Dortmund, and (Disneyland) Paris are operated by red-coloured former Thalys trains.
- Brussels – Cologne – Frankfurt am Main
- Reservations are compulsory from June 1st until September 1st
TGV
- TGV trains run from Brussels to multiple French destinations:
- Lille, Marne la Vallée Chessy (Disneyland), Strasbourg, Rennes, Nantes, Lyon, Marseille, and Montpellier.
- Reservations are compulsory.
Other international trains in Belgium
- Brussels – Munich – Salzburg – Vienna
- Brussels – Erfurt – Halle – Berlin
- Reservations are compulsory
International IC
- Brussels – Namur – Luxembourg
- Brussels – Antwerp – Rotterdam – Amsterdam
- Antwerp – Gent – Kortrijk – Lille
- Liège – Luxembourg
- No reservation
- Brussels – Antwerp – Rotterdam – Amsterdam – Berlin – Dresden – Prague
- To Dresden and Prague from 25th March
- Runs three times a week
- Reservations are compulsory
Popular connections
- Domestic connections
- International connections
View approximate train travel times between popular Belgian cities using InterCity trains:
Route | Travel time |
---|---|
Brussels to Antwerp | 47m |
Brussels to Bruges | 56m |
Brussels to Ghent | 31m |
Brussels to Liège | 58m |
Ghent to Antwerp | 55m |
Route | Which train? | Travel time | Reservations |
---|---|---|---|
Brussels to London (Great Britain) | Eurostar | 3h | Required |
Brussels to Luxembourg City (Luxembourg) | InterCity | 3h | None |
Brussels to Paris (France) | Eurostar | 1h 30m | Required |
Brussels to Amsterdam (Netherlands) | InterCity | 3h | None |
Brussels to Marseille (France) | TGV | 5h 30m | Required |
Brussels to Vienna (Austria) | ÖBB Nightjet | 14h 30m (overnight) | Required |
Brussels to Berlin (Germany) | European Sleeper | 11h 30m (overnight) | Required |
Brussels to Frankfurt (Germany) | ICE | 3h | Optional (Required June 1st until September 1st) |
Reservations
Eurail reservation self-service system
- Eurail
- Eurostar, TGV, ICE, RailJet, Nightjet, European Sleeper
- Eurostar, TGV, ICE, RailJet, Nightjet, European Sleeper
Administration costs when booking through Eurail self-service
- € 2,- p.p.per train
- Additional € 9,- per order (for paper tickets)
With railway carriers
- SNCB (b-europe): International trains to Netherlands, France, Germany, and UK
- Eurostar, TGV, European Sleeper, Nightjet
- DB (German railways): International trains
- ICE
- ÖBB (Austrian railways): International trains
- ICE
- ČD (Czech railways): International trains
- ICE
- European Sleeper: Only European Sleeper trains, international
- ÖBB Nightjet: Only Nightjet
Other platforms
- Rail Europe: International trains
- Eurostar and TGV
- ACP Rail: Eurostar trains to London
An explanation of how each booking platform works can be found here: How do I book my reservations
Locally at the train station in Belgium
- International trains can be reserved at the train station, the following booking costs are applied:
- ICE to Germany: € 7
- European Sleeper, Eurostar and TGV: € 12
Eurostar trains are popular and therefore, usually sell out quickly. Make sure to get your seat reservation in time. Alternatively, find trains without seat reservations in our timetable by toggling on the ‘no reservation needed’ button.
Get your Pass for Belgium
Benelux Pass
Discover Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg by rail.
Standard prices from $ 131
Global Pass
Have the freedom to explore Belgium and up to 30 other Eurail countries.
Standard prices from $ 233
Tips and tricks for Belgium
Quick facts
Capital: Brussels
Population: 11 million
Language: Dutch (Flemish), French, German
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Dialing code: +32
Train stations in Belgium
The main hub stations in Belgium are Bruxelles Midi/Brussel Zuid, Brussel Centraal, Brussel Noord, Antwerpen Centraal, Gent Sint-Pieters and Luik Guillemins. At these train stations, it's possible to connect to trains to Belgium’s main cities and many international destinations.
Station facilities
Stations in Belgium usually have excellent facilities, often including:
Luggage lockers
Foreign exchange desks
Restaurants and cafés
Tourist information offices
ATM cash machines
Elevators and escalators
Access for disabled passengers
Spelling of city names
On the Eurail train timetable and at stations you'll usually find the local spelling of Belgian cities and train stations.
Here is the local spelling of some popular Belgian cities:
Antwerp = Antwerpen
Bruges = Brugge
Brussels = Brussel/Bruxelles
Ghent = Gent
Ostend = Oostende
Transport and accommodation deals
With a Eurail Pass valid in Belgium, you can travel by bus to neighboring countries, and get up to 20% off on hostel accommodation in Brussels and Bruges with Europe's Famous Hostels.
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