Belgium‘s NMBS / SNCB, France‘s SNCF Voyageurs, and Switzerland‘s SBB CFF FFS are joining forces to launch a pilot project from July 2027 that will extend the existing TGV inOui service between the two European capitals of Brussels and Strasbourg in Alsace to the Swiss city of Basel.

The current service, jointly operated by SNCF Voyageurs and NMBS / SNCB, will be expanded to Basel in cooperation with the Swiss operator SBB CFF FFS.

The aim is to offer one daily return service on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, allowing passengers to travel easily between Belgium, France, and Switzerland.

Thanks to this extension, travellers from Switzerland will also be able to continue their journey to London in the United Kingdom via a connection in Lille in the Upper France (Hauts-de-France) region, or travel onwards to the Netherlands from Brussels. The train will therefore provide a credible alternative to air travel on these routes. Under the current timetable, it is not possible to travel from London to Switzerland with a connection in Lille.

Same intermediate stops

From the beginning of July 2027, the TGV inOui will operate between Brussels-South and Basel, serving the same intermediate stations as the existing service.

The train will depart Brussels at around 7:00 (AM) and call at Lille-Europe, Roissy Aéroport CDG TGV, Champagne-Ardenne TGV, Meuse TGV, Lorraine TGV, and Strasbourg-Ville, before arriving at Basel SBB at around 12:30 (PM).

At around 14:00, the train will depart Basel for Brussels, arriving there at approximately 19:00. Passengers changing trains at Lille-Europe for services to London will arrive in the British capital at around 20:00 local time.

Ticket sales are expected to begin in spring 2027.

Notes

• Today, NMBS / SNCB and SNCF celebrated 30 years of TGV connections between the two countries. 
• The press release speaks of Basel SBB and not Bâle SNCF, which is adjacent. 
• A Belgium – Switzerland connection was the wish of Mobility Minister Jean-Loc Crucke (Les Engagés).
• Until 2016, there was such a connection, but that was a ‘slow’ and ‘classic’ train. 
• There’s a rolling stock and ETCS (ERTMS) issue with the current train sets. Independent railway commentator Jon Worth was present at the celebrations and he noted Groupe SNCF CEO (and former French Prime Minister) announced the TGV-M will ride to Belgium from 2029.
• Het Grote Belgische Trein Forum (The Great Belgian Train Forum) predicted the route extension. Only the start date was too optimistic. 

NMBS / SNCB & Infrabel related news

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Channel Tunnel updates

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• London St. Pancras Highspeed pledges financial support for cross-Channel rail services.
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