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: EuroCity
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.
BELGIUM | More than 9.5 million travellers took the train this summer
In Belgium in July and August 2025, more than 9.5 million passengers travelled by train, almost 3% more than last year, the NMBS / SNCB reports in a press release.
27 SEPTEMBER 2025 | Farewell Tour for ‘Benelux’ Intercityrijtuig (ICR) coaches in the Netherlands and Belgium
On Saturday 27 September 2025, a special heritage train will operate across the Netherlands and Belgium to mark the approaching withdrawal of the last Intercityrijtuig (ICR) coaches from regular service.
RAIL TOUR OF GERMANY | Avoiding delay-plagued ICEs in favour of regional trains
October 2024. During a week-long whistle-stop tour of Germany, we visit Dessau-Roßlau in Saxony-Anhalt, Weimar in Thuringia, Coburg in Upper Franconia (Bavaria) and Kassel in Hesse. Smaller cities, yes. But each with their own significance. Untouched by overtourism. We’re avoiding using the white trains of DB Fernverkehr, Deutsche Bahn‘s long-distance section and opt to use…
NMBS / SNCB sees popularity increase of international train travel
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.
Trenitalia, Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB launch Frecciarossa EuroCity trains linking Berlin, Munich, Milan, Rome and Naples
Starting in December 2026, Trenitalia’s sleek Frecciarossa ETR1000 trains will begin linking major cities across Italy, Austria and Germany with five new daily EuroCity services. These international high-speed routes, developed in collaboration with Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB, mark a significant expansion in European cross-border rail connectivity.
ANTWERP 2025-2030 | City government wants Eurostar to London terminal in Antwerp-Central, EuroCity Direct for domestic travel and new train stations
On Saturday 14 December 2024, Bart De Wever (N-VA) and Kathleen Van Brempt (Vooruit) presented ‘Allemaal Antwerpenaar‘ or ‘All Antwerpians‘, the City of Antwerp governing agreement for the 2025-2030 term.
EuroCity Brussels – Paris to run from 19 December 2024
The EuroCity from Brussels-Midi/Zuid in Belgium to Paris-North in France will start running regularly on Thursday 19 December 2024. From French perspective, the service will run under the OUIGO brand. This train service already ran in the summer for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
GoVolta wants to run trains from Amsterdam to Bruges
Dutch railway company GoVolta has submitted applications for three new international train services from January 2027. The new rail operator has submitted applications to the Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM), the authority for consumer and market in the Netherlands for trains to Bruges in Belgium and Hamburg and Frankfurt in Germany.