Belgium by Train

Belgian National Railways (SNCB/NMBS)

Belgium may be a small country, but it is rich in variety and has loads to offer those who love art, history, atmosphere and good food:

65 km of coastline, boasting wide sandy beaches and rolling dunes, less than 1 1/2 hours journey by train from Brussels or Antwerp.
the Ardennes, an area of renowned natural beauty, where you can breathe fresh country air whilst exploring picturesque little towns and villages (e.g. Namur, gateway to the Ardennes, less than one hour from Brussels by train)
its great "Art cities" including Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Liège, Mons, Tournai, Ghent, Tongres and Veurne.
its pine forests, in open heathlands in the sleepy Campine region
its countless castles

Belgium's comprehensive rail network will speed you to your destination in the shortest possible time. All over the country (including Brussels Airport, which is linked by 4 trains/hour to Brussels North, Central and South stations), you will find Tourist Information Offices which will be pleased to provide you with a wealth of well-illustrated brochures free of charge. Or consult the regional Tourist Information Offices' Web sites: Tourism in Wallonia, and Tourism in Flanders. Early in 1997, Belgian National Railways opened its own Internet Web site, Official Belgian Railways On-line, which you should consult if you need any further information.

Belgium - crossroads of Europe

London, Paris, the German Rhine and Ruhr area, Luxembourg, Rotterdam and Amsterdam - all are just a few hours away by regular, fast and comfortable trains which run non-stop across the intervening borders. That's why we will be pleased to welcome you as our (paying) guest, whether you are here for business or pleasure.

Belgium by train - a wise choice

Travelling by train in Belgium never takes long and is never expensive. What's more, Belgian Railways offers a wide range of special deals.

Travelling by train from town to town

Intercity (IC) and inter-regional trains (IR) offer fast and reliable connections between towns and regions. Intercity trains call only at major stations, whilst inter-regional services also stop at some local stations. "L trains" are local trains, calling at all stations. Generally, IC, IR and L trains run regularly every hour (though some trains run only every two hours), leaving at the same time past the hour. The whole timetable is integrated, which means you should never have to wait long for a connection. In major stations, the departure times of all trains are shown chronologically, together with the platform numbers, on a board or monitor screen in the departure hall. Yellow timetables posted in stations show departure times, destinations and platform numbers Mind the days mentioned in the middle of the yellow timetables! On some stations, white posters show arrival times.
For further information about Belgian Railways, please phone:

in the United Kingdom: 0891-516.444 (calls charged at 49p/minute, office hours only)
in Belgium (Brussels): (02) 555.25.55 or (02) 555.25.25

Your train to Belgium: Eurostar

From the centre of London to the heart of Brussels in two hours 40 minutes, regardless of the weather conditions? That has been possible on Eurostar, the first European high-speed passenger train. Never before has it been so easy to reach Belgium from the UK. Already there are at least eight services each way every day between London and Brussels Zuid/Midi, where convenient connecting trains to and from the principal towns in Flanders and Wallonia are available. Whether you're interested in a sight-seeing trip through Belgium, a weekend shopping spree or a taste of culture in the many theatres, concert halls and museums, Eurostar can make it happen! From now on, Brussels is only a stone's throw from London. Quickly and comfortably, Eurostar brings you to your destination. The stylish lighting, the air conditioning and the pneumatic suspension put you at your ease, whatever speed you are travelling. Individual seats equipped with fold-down tables, head and foot-rests and a personal reading lamp, together contribute to maximum comfort. Extensive catering services also help to make your journey a relaxing one.

in first class you are served a tasty meal (included in the ticket price) at your seat: breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, depending on the time of day.
in second class you might choose to visit the buffet cars, where you can purchase warm meals, salads, sandwiches and drinks too. These may be consumed on the spot or at your seat. You will also be able to choose from a wide range of drinks and snacks available from the refreshments trolley.

Prices

Eurostar offers you a number of different price and travel options. Please note that all prices include the cost of advance seat reservation, which is necessary for all travel by Eurostar.

young persons and senior citizens can travel at special rates without significant restrictions;
an extra effort is being made on behalf of children in order to encourage travel in family groups;
holders of certain international travel passes are also entitled to certain discounts;
anyone spending a weekend in Belgium (or in the UK, if traveling with a ticket issued in Belgium) including at least one Saturday night can benefit from particularly reduced price tickets;
special rates apply to travel in groups of more than 10 persons (even better in groups of more than 40 persons)
through ticketing between certain main stations in the UK and Belgium, including travel by Eurostar, is available.

Enquire for current details at the Eurostar pages, at International rail ticket counters, or by phone from 0900/10.366 in Belgium; for reservations phone 0900/10.777 in Belgium, 0345-881.881 in the UK (local rates apply throughout the UK) or +44.1233.617575 anywhere else.

Station facilities

At all major stations you will find a railway information counter and an international reservations desk. Other travellers' facilities available generally include snack bars, restaurants, newspaper stands, bookshops, photo booths, change bureaux... Telephone kiosks are usually nearby; most operate with Belgacom "telecarte" cards obtainable from ticket-offices, news-stands etc., but some accept 5 and 20-franc coins or only work with Proton Cards [table]

The station has the answer!

At the major stations you will find information about train departures in chronological order on display boards or video monitors. Timetables of connecting trams and buses are also displayed where available.

You will see the boards and monitors when you enter the station. Yellow posters in the departure hall and on platforms also give the necessary information. The board marked "Composition des trains" or "Treinsamenstelling" shows the expected location of coaches with reserved seats on international trains, generally by reference to the letters displayed on the platform. But as there may be last-minute alterations at major stations, please check again on the platform itself, and on the side of the coach in the case of trains that are split en route.

At most stations you will find a complete map of the Belgian rail network. Each year, at the end of May, the complete internal timetable and guide to rail travel (Indicateur Officiel/Spoorboekje) is published in printed and electronic (ARIDISC in either DOS, Windows or Macintosh versions) forms with instructions for use in English, Dutch, French and German. Updates are issued as required during their period of validity. Like the international timetables containing an extensive range of through and connecting train services in western Europe which are published twice yearly, they are on sale at ticket counters. Free summary timetables and leaflets containing details of inclusive excursions, cycle hire etc. are also issued.

Travel through Europe on the cheap!

You can buy standard international tickets, valid for travel between two specified stations (including unlimited stopovers en route) at any time within two months, at all main railway stations. However, you can often save money by taking advantage of one of the many special fares or passes which are available subject to certain restrictions (eg age-limits or period of validity). A summary is given here; enquire at ticket counters for full details.

Interrail pass If you are under 26 years old, this pass gives you unlimited travel for 15 days or one month on the rail networks of 28 European countries, divided into 7 zones. The price depends on the number of zones you intend to travel through. To qualify, you must have been resident for at least six months in one of the participating countries.
"BIJ" tickets Young people under 26 can also travel with BIJ tickets which are issued for international journeys between certain specified stations at reduced prices. These tickets are sold only at authorised travel agencies.
"Zoom" If you are travelling in a small (e.g. family) group, consisting of up to five people including one adult and one child under 16, you can take advantage of "Zoom" group tickets for return journeys between two specified stations (25% discount for adults, 50% for under-16s).
The "Eurodomino" Pass If you want to enjoy unlimited travel on any 3, 5 or 10 days at your choice within one month in Belgium (or any other European country in which you are not resident), you should buy the appropriate Eurodomino Pass. This also entitles you to a 25% discount on the price of the standard return ticket you need to reach the chosen Eurodomino country, if bought at the same time.
The "Rail Europe Senior" (RES) Pass If you are at least 60 years old, you can obtain a 30% discount on international rail tickets for travel to some 20 European countries including Belgium by holding a RES Pass, which costs BEF per year.

Rail fares for travel in Belgium

Belgian Railways issues single (aller/enkel) and return (aller- retour/heen en terug) first and second-class tickets for journeys between stations wholly on its network. These should be bought at the station ticket-counter where available; at unstaffed halts board the train beside the orange notice on the platform and buy your ticket from the guard (chef de train/treinwachter) without delay. Note that, unless specially requested and indicated specifically on the ticket, both single and return tickets are valid only on the day of issue, and are not valid for a stopover en route.
Standard fares depend mainly on the distance to be travelled, plus a fixed amount representing the terminal charges, rounded up to the nearest 5 BEF. Discounts, which are expressed in percentages, apply only to the distance-related element. Standard tickets for children over six but under 12 years old are sold at a 50% discount. Where several stations are located within a single conurbation, the fare to or from any of them is the same and depends on the average distance involved. First class fares cost about 50% more than 2nd cl. For example, standard adult 2nd class single fares in BEF (2000): 10km: 45, 20km: 100, 30km: 135, 40 km: 175, 50km: 210, 75km: 295, 100km: 390. However, substantial discounts for rail travel are available:

50% Reduction card: applies a 50% discount to any standard fare in either 1st or 2nd class: 620 BEF/month.
"Weekend" returns: valid Fri - Mon, 40% and 60% discount for first and subsequent (up to 5) passengers travelling together respectively.
"A day at the coast/in the Ardennes": the same discounts as for "weekend" tickets, but available any *day* during the summer for travel to stations along the coast or south of the rivers Meuse and Sambre.
"B-Tourrail" Pass: Unlimited travel on Belgian Railways on any 5 days at your choice within one month: 2nd Cl. 2200 BEF, 1st class 3390 BEF.
"Benelux Tourrail" Pass: Unlimited travel on Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg Railways on any 5 days at your choice within one month: 2nd cl.: under 26: 3160 BEF, others: 4220 BEF.
"Go Pass": If you are under 26 years old, this Pass entitles you (and other people under 26 with you) to make a total of 10 journeys wholly within Belgium (and starting after 7.45 am Mon-Fri). Price: 1490 BEF
"Multi-Pass": If you are travelling as a small group consisting of up to five people, you can take advantage of this Pass to make one return journey or two single journeys between two specified stations anywhere in Belgium (and starting after 7.45 am Mon-Fri). Price depends on number of travellers: up to 3 persons: 1320 BEF, up to 4 persons: 1490 BEF, up to 5 persons: 1650 BEF.
"Golden Railpass": If you are over 60 years old, this Pass entitles you (and people over 55 or under 12 with you) to a total of 6 person- journeys between two specified station anywhere in Belgium (and starting after 8 am Mon-Fri). Price: 1320 BEF 2nd cl., 2030 BEF 1cl.
"9+ Pass": If you can leave after 9am, this Pass entitels you to 10 journeys between any stations in Belgium. Price: 2200 BEF 2nd class, 3390 1st class.

Bikes

Belgian Railways offer various facilities for cyclists, full details of which are given in the leaflets "Train+Vélo" (French) and "Trein+Fiets" (Dutch) available from stations. They include:

Cycle storage at stations: Many stations have cycle racks where you can leave your bike safely under cover until you return from your train ride. This costs 45 BEF/day, 280 BEF/month etc.
Transport of cycles by passenger train: You can take your bicycle on the train with you so long as there is space for it in the luggage compartment or van. Please note that you must first buy a ticket for it (valid 2 months), label it with your name, address and destination, and that Eurostars, TGVs and EuroCities have no luggage compartment. Rates:
Travel within Belgium (and to/from Lille): BEF 150 regardless of distance if you load and unload it yourself.
Destinations outside Belgium: BEF 350 if you load and unload it yourself.
Transport of cycles as "registered baggage": If the international train you wish to travel by has no luggage compartment, you can send your bike (except to the UK) as "registered baggage" a few days in advance, so that it is already available upon your arrival. The fee of BEF 600 includes packaging.
Cycle rental at certain stations: Instead of taking your own bike on the train with you, for only a few francs more you can hire a bike with 7-speed gears for a day at any of 35 Belgian National Railways stations located in some of Belgium's most scenic areas.

This text was written by Alan Reekie (alan.reekie@freebel.net) on the basis of various NMBS/SNCB leaflets.
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