Brussels Airport in Zaventem will further expand its long-haul offer in the coming years, with several new intercontinental destinations joining the network. From March 2026, Air China will launch direct flights from Brussels Airport to Beijing and Chengdu, adding two major Asian destinations for Belgian travellers.
Tag: Netherlands
NS buys 36 new Stadler Flirt Flex trains for local, intercity, and international services
The Nederlandse Spoorwegen or NS, the Netherlands‘ state railway, ordered 36 new Stadler Flirt Flex, Sprinter in NS terminology, trains for over €400 million. Unlike the current Sprinter trains, the ultramodern trains, named Flirt Flex, will once again have the classic yellow-blue NS livery. The first trains are expected to enter Dutch service in 2030.
#CROSSCHANNELRAIL | Expanding UK-Europe train links most realistically leading to Switzerland
A new independent analysis has laid out the most comprehensive roadmap yet for expanding direct high-speed rail services between London in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe. The #CrossChannelRail Final Report, published on 17 November 2025, is the result of an unusually detailed investigation that included visits to sixty-three stations across the continent, technical assessments…
REVIEW | ‘Universal Tongue’, on dance, at Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS) until 4 January 2026
The Museum at the Stream (Museum Aan de Stroom, MAS) in Antwerp is currently celebrating the universal language of dance with ‘Universal Tongue‘, a monumental video installation by Dutch visual artist Anouk Kruithof. Running until 4 January 2026, the exhibition immerses visitors in a dazzling mosaic of dance from across the globe, showing how movement…
Subsidies for night trains? “You cannot fix this until someone builds more sleeper and couchette carriages”
“I’m so tired of these arguments about small pots of money (or not) for night train operations. You cannot fix this until someone builds more night train carriages”, independent railway commentator Jon Worth posted on Bluesky. That last sentence in all caps. “Because then we can start to run night trains that aren’t with knackered…
FLANDERS | Chocolate now top agricultural export as Brussels Airport is world’s biggest chocolate retailer
For the first time, chocolate and cocoa products have overtaken dairy products as Flanders‘ most important agricultural export. In 2024, exports of chocolate and cocoa products peaked at €4.8 billion – an increase of 33% compared to 2023.
European Sleeper acquires GreenCityTrip, expanding into rail-based package holidays
European Sleeper has acquired GreenCityTrip, a sustainable travel brand previously operated by Flywise Travel, as part of its strategy to expand into night train package holidays and appeal to a wider market of rail travellers.
Flixtrain wants to run trains in the Netherlands
FlixTrain is preparing to launch direct services in the Netherlands, according to Flix chief executive André Schwämmlein, RailTech reports. Flixtrain is currently active in Germany.
The best cities for gay cruising? London, Berlin, Paris, Madrid and Barcelona
A new Global Gay Cruising Index published by Erobella in September 2025 reveals where gay men around the world have the best chances for spontaneous erotic encounters, and Europe emerges as the undisputed leader.
Eurostar unveils €2 billion Alstom ‘Celestia’ fleet of double-decker sustainable trains
On 22 October 2025, Eurostar has announced a landmark €2 billion investment in up to 50 new double-decker trains — the first of their kind to operate through the Channel Tunnel and on the United Kingdom‘s rail network.