Brussels Airport welcomed almost 11.7 million passengers during the first six months of 2026, despite industrial action and disruption caused by the conflict in the Middle East and the Strait of Hormuz. The airport also reported strong growth in cargo traffic, underlining its role as one of Europe‘s leading freight hubs.
Tag: Switzerland
France welcomes 102 million visitors and earns €77.5 billion from tourism in record-breaking 2025
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…
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.
TGV Brussels – Strasbourg – Basel from July 2027
Belgium‘s NMBS / SNCB, France‘s SNCF Voyageurs, and Switzerland‘s SBB CFF FFS are joining forces to launch a pilot project from July 2027 that will extend the existing TGV inOui service between the two European capitals of Brussels and Strasbourg in Alsace to the Swiss city of Basel.
TGV 9870 Brussels – Strasbourg to be extended to Basel
According to railway observers and fans on Het Grote Belgische Trein Forum (The Big Belgian Train Forum), the SNCF-operated TGV 9870 from Brussels in Belgium to Strasbourg in Alsace, France, will be extended to Basel in Switzerland. This would happen from the mid-December timetable update.
Italy welcomes more than 185 million visitors as tourism surges 7.1% in record year 2025
Italy’s tourism industry reached another historic milestone in 2025, with more than 185 million arrivals recorded across the country as international demand for Italian culture, cities, beaches and cuisine continued to grow strongly. New figures from the Italian Interior Ministry’s ‘Alloggiati Web’ system show that total arrivals increased by 7.1% compared with 2024, rising from…
EUROPEAN SLEEPER | Brussels to Milan now via Antwerp, Breda and Eindhoven instead of Liège and Aachen
Belgian-Dutch railway cooperative European Sleeper has announced in its newsletter changes to the route of its new Brussels in Belgium to Milan in Italy night train, which will launch on 9 September 2026. The modifications will take effect with the timetable change in mid-December 2026, creating a direct night train connection between the Netherlands and…
European Sleeper from Brussels and Amsterdam to Milan? Yes, but how?
In December 2025, European Sleeper announced a new night train connection: Brussels in Belgium and Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Milan in Italy. Independent railway commentator Jon Worth published some thoughts on that news.
New generation Nightjet carriages to debut on Amsterdam–Zurich route in December 2026
From Sunday 13 December 2026, the ÖBB Nightjet connecting Amsterdam and Zurich will operate with the latest Nightjet New Generation rolling stock (with individual pod!), SBB-CFF-FFS has confirmed. The switch marks the final step in a fleet-wide renewal programme and brings the Amsterdam–Zurich service into line with other Nightjet corridors already benefiting from the modern…
8.7 billion rail trips in Europe in 2024 as Switzerland is best of class and Belgium’s data remain unavailable
In 2024, Europe’s rail networks experienced unprecedented demand, with passengers embarking on 8.7 billion trips, accumulating a total of 444.5 billion passenger-kilometres. This surge marked a new record, eclipsing the previous peak of 400 billion passenger-kilometres set in 2019.