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.
Tag: Zaventem
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.
NMBS / SNCB to expand train services by 3% under 2026–2029 transport plan
Belgium‘s Federal Government has approved a new three-year rail transport plan that will see state-owned train operator NMBS / SNCB expand its train services by a further 3% between December 2026 and 2029. One of the most notable changes will be the introduction of additional early-morning trains to Brussels Airport – Zaventem, allowing passengers from…
BRUSSELS AIRPORT | 24.4 million passengers in 2025, 3.3% more than in 2024, cargo grows by 8.5% with 795,000 tonnes of freight
24.4 million passengers travelled through Brussels Airport in Zaventem in 2025, an increase of 3.3% compared to 2024, the press release says.
BELGIUM | Access gates to be introduced in major railway stations, reversing earlier opposition
The Belgian Federal Government is moving ahead with the installation of access gates in major railway stations, despite earlier opposition from passenger groups, unions, and the railway operator itself, Gazet van Antwerpen, Het Nieuwsblad and De Standaard report.
BRUSSELS AIRPORT | 2026 brings Chengdu, Palma de Mallorca, Oviedo, Gdańsk, Pristina…
Brussels Airport in Zaventem is heading into one of its most dynamic years in recent memory. As first revealed by Thibault Lapers on his Mobilithib blog, Belgium’s main airport expects a busy 2026 summer season with more than 4,000 weekly flights, underpinned by a wave of new routes, new airlines and long-haul expansion.
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.
Brussels Airport to Milan Malpensa with Brussels Airlines, operated by Air Baltic, ft. the 2025 check-in and boarding software hack
Autumn 2025. We – Sam and Danny, Michel and Wille, and Timothy – are travelling to Japan for a quite classic tour of the Land of the Rising Sun. We are flying separately as we used miles. On the planning: Tokyo, Kanazawa, Shirakawa, Osaka, and Expo 2025, Hiroshima, Himeji, Miyajima, Kyoto, Nara, Nagoya, Hakone, and…
Reorganising train travel in Belgium by 2050: going for the Swiss or the Dutch model?
On 4 December 2025, the Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport has published the executive summary of a groundbreaking study – ‘Lange termijn exploitatiemodel van het spoornetwerk‘ – that redefines how Belgium plans the future of its rail system. This is the first feasibility study ever produced for an integrated long-term timetable covering the entire…
Brussels Airport now connected to Beijing, Chengdu, São Paulo, Chongqin, and Sälen, but loses the Caribbean
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.