Planning a trip around Belgium by train but don’t know where to start? Check out our rail map of Belgium – we've highlighted some of the most popular routes in Belgium and from France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands to Belgium for you.
If you're travelling around Belgium by train, you'll most likely take one of SNCB's Intercity services (IC), which connect the major cities in Belgium. For example, you can get from Brussels to Bruges in 54m, Brussels to Ghent in 28m, Antwerp to Ghent in 56m and Antwerp to Bruges in 1h 25m.
Cross-border routes are served by international high-speed trains such as the Eurostar, DB's Intercity Express trains and SNCF's TGV trains. As an example of how quickly you can travel from Belgium to another country by train, a Eurostar service from Brussels to London could take as little as two hours.
Want to know a bit more about some of the most popular train routes in Belgium? Check out our table below and click on the route you’re most interested in – you’ll find plenty of information, including journey times, ticket prices and some useful FAQs. At Trainline, we connect directly to SNCB, Eurostar, Deutsche Bahn and SNCF's ticket inventory, so your train ticket will always be valid for travel if you book online with us.
Route | Distance | Fastest journey |
---|---|---|
Brussels to Antwerp | 26 miles (42 km) | 35m |
Bruges to Brussels | 55 miles (88 km) | 54m |
Charleroi to Liège | 52 miles (83 km) | 1h 31m |
Liège to Antwerp | 65 miles (104 km) | 1h 28m |
Ghent to Brussels | 30 miles (49 km) | 27m |
Dinant to Brussels | 47 miles (76 km) | 1h 55m |
Brussels to Amsterdam | 108 miles (175 km) | 1h 53m |
Bruges to Paris | 166 miles (268 km) | 2h 42m |
Brussels to Paris | 164 miles (264 km) | 1h 23m |
Antwerp to London | 194 miles (313 km) | 3h 31m |
If you’re planning on travelling from Belgium to France, Germany, the Netherlands or any other European country, why not get a Rail Pass – it can be a cost-effective way to travel cross-country by rail. There are two types of Rail Passes which cover train travel in Belgium and Europe:
The main benefit of one of these passes is that Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg all count as one country, The Benelux. That’s three countries to explore for the price of a One Country Pass!
Looking for ideas for your next trip to Belgium? You’ve come to the right place! Our Belgium Travel Inspiration hub is full of handy guides to help you plan the perfect Belgian holiday.
Want to explore another European country but not sure about the trains you can take? Click on one of the country guides below – we’ll provide you with all the information you need about train and ticket types, discounts and destinations. If you’re travelling to Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy or Germany, have a look at our Spain Rail map, Switzerland train map, France train map, Italy train map and Germany train map pages, or for a general overview of the European rail network, head to our Europe train map page.
Our Belgium rail map highlights the main intercity railway lines in Belgium, as well as the main rail connections to its neighbouring countries, including France, the Netherlands and Germany.
SNCB is the main train operator in Belgium. There are also a number of other companies (Eurostar, SNCF, and Deutsche Bahn) that run cross-border services in and out of the country as well.
Our trains in Belgium page is your one-stop shop for learning all about rail travel in Belgium. If you want to know more about SNCB trains and ticket types, check out our dedicated page to SNCB.