On 2 April, I went to Amsterdam in the Netherlands with the EuroCity Direct to interview Ype Driessen of Fotostrips.nl on his first textual novel ‘Vanilla‘. I decided to combine it with a cultural activity.
Tag: Amsterdam
BELGIUM | Overtourism already an issue… in 1926
Complaints about overcrowding, disruptive visitors and pressure on cities may feel like a distinctly modern problem, associated with places such as Venice in Italy, Barcelona in Spain or Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Yet Belgium experienced remarkably similar tensions a century ago, when a surge in foreign visitors sparked widespread unease among local residents.
WORLDPRIDE AMSTERDAM 2026 | Pride Express links Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp to Amsterdam on 1 and 2 August 2026
Last year‘s Pride Express was successful enough, so organiser Jurgen Dedeckere has another go. His dedicated Pride Express train will link Belgium with WorldPride Amsterdam on Saturday 1 August 2026, offering passengers a combined transport and entertainment experience between Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp, and Amsterdam. The return trip is scheduled for Saturday night, bringing you home…
European Sleeper pushes Brussels–Cologne–Zurich–Milan night train to 9 September 2026
The Dutch–Belgian cooperative European Sleeper has postponed the launch of its new Brussels–Cologne–Zurich–Milan night train to 9 September 2026, instead of the previously announced 18 June 2026. Ticket sales will open on 17 March 2026. The company states that the delay is primarily due to extensive infrastructure works in Germany and Switzerland, combined with the…
Trenitalia unveils €2 billion investment plan and orders 74 new Frecciarossa high-speed trains
Trenitalia is accelerating towards 2030 with a major €2 billion investment programme aimed at strengthening its leadership in high-speed rail and transforming Italy’s passenger rail sector. Gianpiero Strisciuglio, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Trenitalia, outlined the strategy at the Forum Masseria Winter Edition, confirming the purchase of up to 74 new Frecciarossa 1000…
City of Antwerp seeks new concession holder for event venue beneath Antwerp-Central Railway Station
The City of Antwerp has launched a call for a new concession holder for the large shell space beneath the railway bridges of Antwerp-Central Railway Station, currently occupied by Club Ampère. The entrance to the venue is located at Simonsstraat 21, and the site forms part of the Kievit II urban development project that significantly…
NETHERLANDS | Arriva will not launch the Groningen to Paris service in 2026
Dutch private railway operator Arriva, which has been planning to launch open-access services between the Netherlands and Paris in France, via Brussels in Belgium, will not put this project into operation in 2026. The information was first revealed by Thibault Lapers on his Mobilithib blog, based on statements from the company itself.
DENMARK | 2.5 days in Copenhagen
I turned 44 in June. I have this tradition – when possible – of not being in Belgium for my birthday. From Sweden in 2013 to the Châteaux of the Loire Valley in 2014, Lake Orta in 2015, Rome in 2016, London in 2018, North Carolina and Virginia in 2019, England in 2022, and Rotterdam…
A London-bound Eurostar terminal at Antwerp-Central? Highly unlikely!
A new use is being sought for the vacant space of Plopsa Station, located at the rear of Antwerp-Central Railway Station. Belgium‘s national train operator NMBS / SNCB owns the space and says it is open to all ideas. For Antwerp’s Alderman for Tourism and Mobility, Koen Kennis (N-VA), this opens the door to an…
ANTWERP | KMSKA schedules ambitious exhibition programme for 2026, featuring international masters such as Antony Gormley, Philip Aguirre y Otegui and Ossip Zadkine
In 2026, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, KMSKA) will be showcasing major international names. The large solo exhibition by Antony Gormley will be followed by an exhibition by Philip Aguirre y Otegui and Ossip Zadkine.