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…
Tag: Rotterdam
SAN MARINO | 2025 record year for tourism
I turned 45 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…
European Sleeper plans Brussels – Antwerp – Malmö night train for 2028
European Sleeper is exploring a new night train linking Brussels in Belgium with Malmö in Sweden via the Netherlands, and Copenhagen in Denmark, in cooperation with German rail operator RDC Deutschland. The service could start in April 2028, creating a direct overnight connection between the Benelux and Scandinavia for the first time in more than…
GoVolta unveils ambitious expansion with new services to Cologne, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, and high-speed trains to Paris
Dutch open-access operator GoVolta has announced its most ambitious expansion plans yet, notifying the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (Autoriteit Consument & Markt, ACM) of three new international routes while also seeking permission to carry domestic passengers on its Amsterdam to Berlin and Amsterdam to Paris services. Spoiler alert: notifying a government agency such…
Belgium tourism reaches new heights as record visitor numbers underline the country’s growing appeal
Today is the National Holiday of Belgium. On 21 July 1831, Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha took the constitutional oath to become King of the Belgians.
Arriva expands Paris rail ambitions with extra The Hague to Belgium connections
Dutch rail operator Arriva has unveiled plans to significantly expand its international rail ambitions by adding direct services from The Hague and Amersfoort to Paris, complementing its previously announced Groningen to Paris route. The company is now targeting a launch in early 2028, although it acknowledges that the timeline remains uncertain.
NMBS / SNCB: International train travel continues to grow in popularity among Belgian holidaymakers
International rail travel is becoming an increasingly popular choice for Belgians heading abroad during the summer holidays, according to new figures from NMBS / SNCB. Belgium‘s national railway operator says bookings for international journeys continue to rise, supported by an expanding network that now offers connections to more than 6,000 destinations across 15 European countries.
A loop as a creative solution for serving Cologne Main Station on a Frankfurt–London route?
Deutsche Bahn (DB) and Eurostar have teamed up to make a Germany to United Kingdom high-speed train link possible. But as independent railway commentator and specialist in cross-border passenger train connections Jon Worth knows, there are a few hurdles.
European Parliament approves new regulation to upgrade cross-border railway capacity coordination
The European Parliament has given its final approval to the Regulation on the Use of Railway Infrastructure Capacity in the Single European Railway Area, a landmark decision set to transform rail transport across the continent.
GoVolta launches daily Amsterdam–Paris train via Antwerp and Ghent, with tickets from €19
From 14 December 2026, Dutch rail operator GoVolta will begin daily services between Amsterdam and Paris, stopping in Antwerp and Ghent in Belgium, as well as in Haarlem, The Hague, Rotterdam, Lage Zwaluwe, and Roosendaal in the Netherlands, and Arras and Longueau (near Amiens) in France. Tickets for the route, which are available to book…