Year after year, Belgian railway operator NMBS / SNCB is seeing growing interest in international train travel during the summer months. Since 2019, the number of bookings via NMBS / SNCB International has increased by more than 50 per cent, the operator says in a press release. 

NMBS / SNCB offers train journeys to over 6,000 destinations in 14 European countries, with more than 1,000 of them reachable within six hours from Brussels and requiring at most one transfer. 

Popular destinations

The most popular countries are France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. NMBS / SNCB is also seeing strong sales growth and clear interest in Spain, the most recent country added to its international offering.

Last summer, NMBS / SNCB recorded no fewer than 1.5 million international bookings. This year, ticket sales for international train travel in July and August via the NMBS / SNCB International platform are at the same level as at this time last year. 

This is despite the fact that last summer the Olympic and Paralympic Games were held in Paris and the European Football Championship took place in Germany.

France is the leading destination, especially the cities of Lille, Paris, Marne-la-Vallée (Disneyland Paris), Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg, Rennes and Avignon. 

Germany follows, with Aachen, Cologne, Frankfurt and Berlin being particularly popular. 

The United Kingdom, especially London, the Netherlands, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Denmark and Spain complete the top ten destinations.

Neighbouring countries

A few months ago, NMBS / SNCB, in collaboration with the French railway operator SNCF, launched a classic OUIGO train service between Brussels and Paris. 

The journey takes three hours, with three return services each day. This new, affordable alternative (from €10 per journey) to travelling by road was an instant success and remains very popular. 

In addition, train services between Belgium and the Netherlands have been significantly expanded, with a total of 64 trains per day now in operation. 

On top of the existing connections to Roosendaal and Maastricht, NMBS / SNCB, in cooperation with the Dutch operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), has been offering two new services since December last year: the Eurocity Direct, which takes passengers from Brussels-South to Amsterdam-South in just two hours, running 16 times per day, and the EuroCity, which connects Brussels-South with Rotterdam via Brussels Airport-Zaventem, also with 16 daily return journeys.

Since the beginning of the year, these three new international connections to Paris, Amsterdam and Rotterdam have already sold 2 million tickets. 

High-speed trains

High-speed connections remain the most popular across all destinations. The TGV INOUI trains ensure smooth travel from Brussels to the south of France. 

Night trains are also performing well, thanks in part to the ÖBB NightJet, which runs three times a week between Brussels and Vienna. 

Today, NMBS / SNCB offers no fewer than 6,000 destinations in 14 European countries. More than 1,000 of these can be reached within six hours from Brussels, often directly or with just one transfer. 

2030

By 2030, NMBS / SNCB aims to reach as many as 8,000 international train destinations. This ever-expanding network reinforces the role of Brussels-South station as an international hub at the heart of Europe, with nearly 300,000 travellers passing through each week.

NMBS / SNCB recently expanded its international offering with 200 new destinations in Spain, including high-speed services within the Iberian Peninsula and between Spain and France, as well as other long-distance and regional trains. 

Madrid and Barcelona are the main hubs of the Spanish rail network, from where passengers can easily travel throughout the country by train, whether to explore the historical heritage of Castile, the Moorish palaces of Andalusia or the wild landscapes of Asturias. 

The train takes travellers from Brussels to Barcelona in under nine hours, with just one transfer in Paris or Valence. This makes the train a sustainable and comfortable alternative to flying, driving or taking the bus. Since tickets to Spain were added to the NMBS / SNCB International range, their sales have been steadily growing.

“Travelling by train offers numerous advantages. In an era where protecting the planet is crucial, the train is a sustainable and environmentally friendly means of transport. The train is also synonymous with comfort, taking passengers straight to the heart of many major European cities. One arrives directly in the city centre, without having to be at the station hours in advance. Train travel is safe and hassle-free, virtually door to door. Passengers can stretch their legs, relax, read, take a nap or enjoy a meal while watching the scenery glide by”, NMBS / SNCB says.

Positive results for the classic Brussels–Paris train after 6 months of operation

The OUIGO Train Classique service between Brussels and Paris, launched by NMBS / SNCB and SNCF Voyageurs on 19 December last year, has been a great success. In just six months, this train connection has already attracted 500,000 passengers. Now that the summer holidays have begun, more than half of the available tickets for July and August are still priced under €39.

The OUIGO Train Classique takes passengers from Brussels to Paris in just three hours. The trains run three times a day in each direction at key times: in the morning, around midday and in the early evening, both on weekdays and weekends. 

In Belgium, the train stops at Mons, and in France at Aulnoye-Aymeries, Saint-Quentin (one round trip per day) and Creil. The detailed timetable is available on the NMBS / SNCB International website.

Ticket prices for a single journey range from €10 to €59 (Brussels–Paris). Children under 12 pay a maximum of €8, and children under 4 travel for free. This classic train between Brussels and Paris is a fast, sustainable and comfortable alternative to the car or bus, with particularly attractive fares, even for last-minute bookings.

To ensure that travel remains accessible to everyone, especially families, there is a special offer allowing children under 12 to travel at a discounted rate, even during school holidays. Since the launch, more than 25,000 children under 12 have already taken advantage of this offer.

Passengers on the classic OUIGO Brussels–Paris train have a reserved seat and may bring one piece of hand luggage and one small suitcase. 

When the service was launched, the option to bring a folded bicycle in a cover was offered free of charge, and this offer will continue throughout July and August. 

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