24 hours in Bruges
In 24 hours, explore the charming city of Bruges, known for its character, canals and chocolate.
Travel is back! Make sure to book your seat reservations well in advance to guarantee your seat(s).
Would you rather avoid reservations all together? Check out our reservation-free itineraries.
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Trains in Belgium
When you hop on trains in Belgium, you'll be sure to end up in charming cities full of culture and history. Visit Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges on a Belgian rail adventure. It's simply the best way to see this historic country's most impressive sites!
TRAIN TYPES IN BELGIUM
The Belgian rail network is run by NMBS/SNCB, the Belgian National Railway Company. You can use the Interrail train timetable to look up train times for Belgian rail journeys.
- Route Map
- DOMESTIC TRAINS
- INTERNATIONAL TRAINS
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 Express trains
Run from Brussels Airport to cities like Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels.
A supplement of €5 is required.
International high-speed trains in Belgium
EuroCity (EC)
Run from Brussels to Luxembourg, Strasbourg (France) and Basel (Switzerland).
Reservations are optional and recommended, because seats can fill up quickly.
Eurostar (ES)
The Eurostar runs between Brussels and London (Great Britain).
Reservations are compulsory.
ICE
ICE trains runs from Brussels to Cologne and Frankfurt in Germany.
Reservations are optional and recommended, because seats can fill up quickly.
Thalys (THA)
The Thalys runs from Brussels to Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Paris (France).
Reservations are compulsory.
TGV
TGV trains run from Brussels to Paris and Marseille (France).
Reservations are compulsory.
Popular connections in Belgium
- Domestic routes
- International Routes
How long does it take to travel between major cities on the Belgian rail network? This table shows journey times for InterCity trains, which don't require reservations.
| Route | Travel time |
|---|---|
| Brussels to Antwerp | 47 minutes |
| Brussels to Bruges | 56 minutes |
| Brussels to Gent | 31 minutes |
| Brussels to Liège | 58 minutes |
| Gent to Antwerp | 55 minutes |
| Route | Which train? | Travel time | Reservations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brussels to London (Great Britain) | Eurostar | 3 hours | Required |
| Brussels to Luxembourg City (Luxembourg) | InterCity / EuroCity | 3 hours | None |
| Brussels to Paris (France) | Thalys | 1.5 hours | Required |
| Brussels to Rotterdam (Netherlands) | InterCity | 2 hours | None |
Reservations for trains in Belgium
Which trains in Belgium require reservations?
No reservations: NMBS/SNCB.
Supplement of €5: Brussels Airport Express.
Optional: ICE and EuroCity.
Compulsory: Eurostar, TGV and Thalys.
TGV and Thalys trains only have limited seats for people with an Interrail Pass. You should make reservations for these trains as soon as possible.
How can I make reservations for trains in Belgium?
You can make reservations for international high-speed trains:
Online: through our Reservations Service.
At local train stations: at a ticket office.
By phone: through one of the railway call centres.
For more information about reservations in Belgium:
Get your Pass for Belgium
Interrail Global Pass
Offers you extensive rail travel in 33 European countries including Belgium
Youth, senior and family discounts available
Prices from € 185
Tips and tricks for Belgium
Belgian main train stations
Belgium's main stations have connections to many domestic and international destinations. These stations are:
Brussel Zuid/Bruxelles Midi
Brussel Centraal
Brussel Noord
Antwerpen Centraal
Gent Sint-Pieters
Luik Guillemins
Belgian train stations often have excellent and modern facilities:
Lockers
Cash machines and a foreign exchange desk
Restaurants and cafés
Tourist information offices
Elevators, escalators and access for disabled passengers
Spelling of cities in Belgium
You'll usually find the local spelling of Belgian cities on Belgian train timetables and at train stations in Belgium. Names will be in both Dutch and French.
Good to know:
Antwerpen/Anvers = Antwerp
Brugge = Bruges
Brussel/Bruxelles = Brussels
Gent/Gand = Ghent
Oostende = Ostend
Transport and accommodation deals
With an Interrail Pass valid in Belgium, you can travel by bus to neighboring countries, and get a 10% discount at the Brussels Meininger Hotel.
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