International rail travel from Antwerp in Belgium is continuing to grow strongly, with Eurostar reporting a 16% increase in passengers during the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The growth comes as Antwerp gains another direct international high-speed connection, with Deutsche Bahn’s ICE trains beginning direct services to Cologne this morning, Monday 7 September 2026. At the time of writing, ICE 312 seems on time. 

The new ICE service will run twice a day between Antwerp-Central Railway Station and Cologne, with intermediate stops at Brussels Airport – Zaventem, Leuven, Liège, and Aachen Main Station. The journey to Cologne takes around 2 hours and 20 minutes.

In Gazet van Antwerpen, Dimitri Temmerman, spokesperson for NMBS / SNCB, described the service as the first-ever high-speed train connection between Antwerp and Germany.

The timetable, however, is not particularly convenient for Antwerp passengers wanting to make a day trip to Cologne. The trains leave Antwerp at 11:01 and 19:01, while departures from Cologne are scheduled at 06:11 and 14:38.

There is a reason for this apparently timetable, which the newspaper doesn’t mention. The Deutsche Bahn ICE is a German train, scheduled from a German point of view, coming from Germany. From this point of view, the timetable makes sense. For passengers travelling from Antwerp, however, it is less convenient.

An evening return is still possible by travelling from Cologne to Brussels and continuing to Antwerp, although this adds roughly an hour to the journey.

International rail travel is growing

The new Cologne connection is arriving at a time when demand for international train travel from Belgium is increasing.

According to NMBS / SNCB, bookings through its international division rose by 8.8% during the recent summer holiday compared with the same period in 2025. Germany was among the most popular international destinations for Belgian rail travellers.

Eurostar is seeing even stronger growth from Antwerp. The operator recorded approximately 16% more passengers departing from Antwerp during the first eight months of 2026 than during the corresponding period in 2025.

Cordula Descheemaeker, Eurostar spokesperson, said the Antwerp to Paris route was on course for a record year in passenger numbers. The company has increased capacity on the route during 2026, helping to accommodate the additional demand.

The figures suggest that the growth in international rail travel is not limited to one destination. Antwerp is increasingly becoming a departure point for international train journeys to cities across neighbouring countries.

More trains and faster connections

Transport economist Jochen Maes of research institute Ecorys attributes the growth to several factors.

He points to increased purchasing power in Belgium, partly linked to automatic wage indexation, as well as changes in spending patterns since the COVID-19 pandemic. Travellers are spending a greater share of their income on experiences such as holidays and city trips.

At the same time, the international rail offer from Antwerp has expanded considerably and journeys have become faster.

The EuroCity Direct service between Antwerp and the Netherlands, introduced at the end of 2024, now operates more than ten times a day. It is considerably faster than the former Benelux service, making rail a more attractive option for journeys to the Netherlands.

Antwerp now has direct international train services to destinations including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Paris and Cologne, with different operators offering a range of journey times and service levels.

Competition on the Antwerp–Paris route

The Antwerp–Paris market is also set to become more competitive.

Eurostar recently increased its daily service on the route, but currently remains the only operator. That will change on 14 December, when Dutch operator GoVolta is due to launch a daily Amsterdam–Paris service calling at Antwerp-Central and Ghent St Peter’s.

Eurostar will remain substantially faster, taking just over two hours between Antwerp and Paris. GoVolta’s trains are expected to take more than four hours.

The arrival of a second operator nevertheless gives passengers another option on a route where Eurostar has so far had no direct competition.

Four direct London trains

Eurostar is also expanding its direct service between London and Antwerp. From 14 December, four trains a day will run directly from London to Antwerp-Central, with a journey time of around 2 hours and 41 minutes.

There will still be no direct service in the opposite direction. Antwerp-Central lacks the infrastructure required for the passport and security checks needed for passengers travelling to the United Kingdom. That will not change. Who will pay for that infrastructure, and necessary personnel? 

Passengers travelling to Great Britain also need a valid international passport; a Belgian identity card is not sufficient.

Direct trains to Disneyland Paris

Eurostar is also offering a direct option for visitors heading to Disneyland Paris. From Friday through Monday, passengers can travel directly from Antwerp to the resort in around 2 hours and 20 minutes.

Weekend departures from Antwerp are scheduled at around 08:30, arriving at Disneyland at approximately 11:00.

The expanding range of international services underlines the growing role of Antwerp-Central as a gateway for cross-border rail travel. The latest passenger figures from Eurostar and NMBS / SNCB suggest that demand is keeping pace with the rapidly expanding international train offer.

More on cross-border trains

• Europe’s night-train revival: a real comeback or a false dawn?.
• Dutch and Belgian passenger advocates call for swift reopening of Hamont-Weert railway.
• European Sleeper plans Brussels – Antwerp – Malmö night train service for 2028.
• ‘New’ Amsterdam-Hamburg ICE service is actually a diversion of Berlin trains.
• RAIL IN EUROPE | Off-the-shelf trains to speed up delivery and cut costs.
• GoVolta unveils ambitious expansion with new services to Cologne, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, plus high-speed trains to Paris.
• PASSENGER PACKAGE | European Rail Passengers’ Federation and Back-on-Track Europe welcome EU rail reforms but call for stronger cross-border rights.
• European Sleeper, Nightjet and OUIGO Train Classique services through Belgium to change from September 2026.
• Catalonia and Andorra launch studies for first cross-border Tramvalira project.
• Arriva expands Paris train ambitions with extra The Hague to Belgium connections.
• EUROSTAR | From Brussels to London in Eurostar Plus (2026).
• NMBS / SNCB: International train travel continues to grow in popularity with Belgian holidaymakers.
• Political push in the Netherlands for Eindhoven to Brussels EuroCity.
• TGV inOui Brussels – Strasbourg – Basel from July 2027.
• Deutsche Bahn Cologne – Ostend ICE caters to 700,000 Belgian Coast-loving tourists from Germany.
• RAIL BALTICA  | Tallinn – Valga / Valka – Riga – Vilnius by train.
• SPAIN | Renfe suspends Paris high-speed project amid certification deadlock.
• Finland and Sweden to be linked by rail this summer.
• European Parliament rubberstamps new regulation to upgrade cross-border railway capacity coordination.
• GoVolta launches daily Amsterdam to Paris day train via Antwerp and Ghent, with tickets from €19.
• EUROPEAN SLEEPER | Brussels to Milan night train now via Antwerp, Breda and Eindhoven instead of Liège and Aachen.
• ÖBB NIGHTJET | New generation carriages to debut on Amsterdam–Zurich route in December 2026.
• 8.7 billion rail trips in Europe in 2024 as Switzerland leads and Belgium’s data remain unavailable.
• Deutsche Bahn, DSB and Vy present direct Berlin to Oslo route, from summer 2028.
• European Rail Passengers Union: EU must act now to make cross-border rail travel seamless, fair, and green: passengers demand guaranteed rights and simpler ticketing.
• European Sleeper sets out vision for 40-route night train network across Europe, including London.
• RAIL BALTICA | Elron, Vivi, and LTG Link launch joint tender for regional trains.
• Trenitalia / FS Group advances Paris hub to power European high-speed expansion, looking at Belgium and the Netherlands in the long term.
• Train Charter Services replaces Keolis as operator for GoVolta trains.
• Brussels Airlines and Deutsche Bahn team up for Antwerp – Brussels Airport – Liège – Cologne ICE codeshare.
• Trenitalia unveils €2 billion investment plan and orders 74 new Frecciarossa high-speed trains.
• Belgium and the Netherlands work on Brussels to Eindhoven direct train, possibly via Antwerp.
• Snälltåget to run Stockholm – Malmö – Copenhagen – Hamburg day trains from May 2026.
• Nox night trains: a smart new cabin concept or just an unachievable dream?.
• How firm are Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn’s “2030s” Germany to London train link plans?.
• Leo Express files plans for extraordinary 2026 Bratislava–Ostend and Venice–Northern Germany services.
• Rail should be functional, not fine art: EU leaders call for standardisation and lower costs.
• Subsidies for night trains? “You cannot fix this until someone builds more sleeper and couchette carriages”.
• Leo Express and Arenaways plan direct train between Prague and Venice.
• Italo targets the German high-speed rail market.
• Trenitalia eyes expansion into Germany’s high-speed trains market.
• European Commission wants to link all EU capitals by high-speed train by 2040… and that’s not going to happen.
• Travellers in Europe increasingly open to choosing trains over planes for short-haul journeys.
• REVIEW | European Sleeper night train.
• Paris Nightjet axed: France’s withdrawal threatens Europe’s night train revival.
• Iron Rhine gets renewed political attention in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
• ÖBB prioritises Railjet over Nightjet: Is the night train revival a False Dawn?.
• EUROPEAN SLEEPER | Brussels to Barcelona night train to stop in Avignon, Montpellier, Narbonne, and Girona.
• Trenitalia, Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB launch Frecciarossa EuroCity trains linking Berlin, Munich, Milan, Rome and Naples.
• EU train travel report sees increase in cross-border passenger trains and easier bookings.
• Brussels to Luxembourg by train under 2 hours by 2030?.
• Eurostar and five more train operators joined the European Agreement on Journey Continuation.
• ÖBB’s new Nightjet sleeper cars accommodate solo travellers with Mini Cabins.
• EUROCITY EC-8 | Basel to Cologne in SBB’s Panoramic Car.
• REVIEW | Trenitalia Frecciarossa 1000 Paris – Milan in Business Executive.
• RAIL TOUR OF EUROPE | How easy is touring Europe by train?.
• Eight train connections between the Netherlands and Belgium by 2030?.
• REVIEW | ÖBB Nightjet Amsterdam – Zurich night train.
• Nightjet Vienna/Innsbruck to Brussels, or how we got thrown off the train in Aachen.
• Why the expensive ÖBB Nightjet is really not that expensive.
• Ticket Distribution: the failure of railways to sell themselves.
• To use night trains in Portugal and Spain or not?.
• Night trains in Europe.
• Low-cost, long-haul trains to conquer Europe?.
• Fly now before it’s taxed and consider using the train instead.

Channel Tunnel updates

• Virgin Trains takes major step towards London–Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam services.
• Eurostar to offer direct, no-train-changing London to Antwerp services from December 2026.
• EUROSTAR | From Brussels to London in Eurostar Plus (2026).
• TRENITALIA | FS Group orders 19 high-speed trains for expansion in France and Paris – London route.
• A loop as a creative solution for serving Cologne Main Station on a Frankfurt to London route?.
• Switzerland – United Kingdom direct train moves closer as SBB-CFF-FFS, SNCF Voyageurs and Eurostar sign memorandum of understanding.
• A London-bound Eurostar terminal at Antwerp-Central? Highly unlikely!.
• #CROSSCHANNELRAIL | Expanding UK-Europe train links most realistically leading to Switzerland.
• Eurostar unveils €2 billion Alstom ‘Celestia’ fleet of double-decker sustainable trains.
• Gemini Trains partners with Uber for Stratford to France Channel Tunnel route.
• Eurostar and St. Pancras Highspeed back major station expansion to double capacity amid growing international demand.
• EUROSTAR | London – Frankfurt, London – Geneva and Amsterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Geneva from 2030?.
• Alstom wants its double-decker trains to ride through Channel Tunnel.
• London St. Pancras Highspeed pledges financial support for cross-Channel rail services.
• London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink aspire to to triple train services to France, Belgium and the Netherlands and add services to Germany and Switzerland.
• Heuro wants to operate high speeds trains between Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Paris and London from 2028.