Take a local train across the border!
Did you book your train tickets at SNCB International, either online, through our app or via our contact centre? With MyTrain, you can find all your booking details, such as departure times or seat numbers, very easily.
Page loading
Take a local train across the border!
From Sunday 30 June 2024, SNCB will operate the Liège-Maastricht route in collaboration with Arriva and NS.
SNCB will still operate the train service between Liège-Guillemins and Maastricht, with intermediate stops at Bressoux, Visé, Eijsden and Maastricht Randwijck. However, this will now be done using Arriva's blue and white trains, which already run in Germany and the Dutch province of Limburg. Beyond Maastricht, the train will continue to Valkenburg, Heerlen, Landgraaf, Herzogenrath and Aachen, giving it the nickname "Drielandentrein" (train of the three countries).
Nothing has changed as far as fares are concerned: the SNCB tickets and season tickets between Belgium and Maastricht still apply: in addition to the Standard Ticket, we offer Weekend, Senior and Youth tickets (with a 30% reduction on the Standard fare). Remember that children under the age of 12 travel free of charge (without a ticket) if they are accompanied by a passenger with a valid ticket. At the station, we also offer the Standard Season Ticket, the Student Season Ticket and the Student Multi for frequent journeys to and from Maastricht.
From Kortrijk or Tournai to Lille
From Charleroi to Maubeuge
From Brussels to Namur, Arlon and Luxembourg
From Athus to Luxembourg
From Liège to Gouvy, Troisvierges and Luxembourg
From Antwerp to Roosendaal or Breda
From Liège to Maastricht
From Liège to Verviers andAachen
These fares apply to travel between any station in Belgium and Lille, Maubeuge, Aachen, Maastricht and Roosendaal, as well as on the Belgian part of the journey between any station in Belgium and any station in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.
Good to know: when travelling in 2nd class to Luxembourg, you only pay for the Belgian part of the journey as travel is free in 2nd class in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (the free Luxembourg section of your journey is automatically deduced from the price of your ticket).
Different types of season tickets according to traveller or travel frequency
Buy a new season ticket at a Belgian station counter. Would you like to renew an existing season ticket? This can be done at a ticket machine in a Belgian station or online at www.sncb.be (via My SNCB).
* Not available for routes between Belgium and northern France.
Brussels-Lille season ticket
Do you travel between Brussels and Lille on a daily basis? Discover the Brussels-Lille season ticket for TGV INOUI and Eurostar.
You can take your bike on most trains. But conditions vary from one rail company to another:
On the Paris-London route, normal bicycles can be transported through Eurostar's baggage check-in service if they are unclipped and packed, and if booked in advance via travelservices@eurostar.com. Until further notice, this service is not available in Brussels and Lille.
Folding bikes and bikes in a cover measuring a max. of 130 x 90 cm (front wheel unclipped) can be taken on the train free of charge, provided they are placed in the space reserved for luggage. This space can be found at the end of the carriages. Due to limited space, bikes which are not folded up or have not had their front wheel unclipped are not allowed on board TGV.
All luggage (including bikes) that you place in luggage compartments must carry a label with your name and seat number. Labels are available free of charge at your station of departure.
Folding bikes can be taken free of charge as luggage on all ICE trains.
On ICE trains with a bicycle compartment (including the ICE 3neo trains operating the Brussels-Cologne-Frankfurt route), you can take a normal bike (or tandem, tricycle or bicycle with a trailer) if you purchase a special bike ticket, available at our Contact Centre or at ticket offices of stations with international ticket sales. The price of this ticket depends on the distance, but may also vary from one train to another depending on the expected occupation.
On the InterCity Brussels-Amsterdam train, you can take your bike (or tandem, tricycle or bicycle with a trailer) if you purchase a special bike ticket, available online, at our Contact Centre or at ticket offices of stations with international ticket sales.
As the number of spaces is limited, we recommend you travel at off-peak times. For security reasons, the number of bicycles admitted on the IC Brussels-Amsterdam is limited to 4.
Loading and unloading bikes are the passenger's responsibility.
The price for your bike ticket depends on the distance. A few examples (price each way) :
|
|
Due to increased traffic expected during the summer, a reservation for your bike is mandatory when travelling on the IC Brussels - Amsterdam train from 9 June to 15 September 2024. This reservation supplement will be included automatically in the price of your bike ticket.
Like on our domestic trains in Belgium, you can take your bike (or tandem, tricycle or bicycle with a trailer) on our cross-border regional trains if you purchase a special bike ticket, available online, at our Contact Centre or at ticket offices of stations with international ticket sales.
As the number of spaces is limited, we recommend you travel at off-peak times. Loading and unloading bikes are the passenger's responsibility.
Destination | Fare departing from Belgium |
The Netherlands (via Roosendaal or Maastricht) | €4 |
Aachen | €4 |
Luxembourg | €4 |
Lille, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Maubeuge | €4 |
Taking your bicycle on Nightjet is only allowed on the trains equipped with a dedicated carriage for luggage and bicycles, with a compulsory reservation for a fixed price of €12 per bicycle each way. Such a carriage is available on the following connections:
Taking your bicycle on the direct Brussels-Vienna connection is not allowed.
However, you can take a foldable bike with you as free hand luggage if it's folded and packed in a format that makes it possible to store it above your seat or in the luggage racks of couchette or seater compartments.
For security reasons, it is not allowed to remove the pedals and/or turn the steering rod, nor to leave your bicycle in the corridor or near the entrance doors of the train.
On most trains, you can take your pet with you. But rules vary from one rail carrier to another:
"conventional" daytime trains (e.g. Intercity or regional trains) to/from Belgium
ICE and other trains operated by Deutsche Bahn
Eurostar between Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands
Exception: animals are not allowed on board Eurostar Snow and Eurostar Sun.
Eurostar to/from London
Animals are not allowed on board Eurostar trains to/from the United Kingdom. Only guide dogs accompanying a blind passenger are authorised under strict conditions. They must have:
A special free ticket is issued for the transportation of a guide dog accompanying a blind passenger.
TGV INOUI
Overnight trains
Generally speaking and unlike most high-speed trains, InterCity and regional trains in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands do not require a reservation. For these trains, when choosing a Flex/Standard ticket, you get an open ticket, valid on any train (at any time of the day) on the date and route mentioned on your ticket. Great flexibility!
Exception: if you travel with a cheaper Early Bird ticket on the InterCity Netherlands train (Brussels and Amsterdam via Breda), your ticket is only valid at the time and on the specific train selected at the time of your purchase.
Similarly, on IC and ICE trains run by Deutsche Bahn, seat reservation is optional. Consequently, most tickets for journeys in Germany do not necessarily show the time either. Remember though, that the Supersparpreis, Supersparpreis Europa and Sparpreis Europa economy fares do require you to use the specific train you chose when buying your ticket. In this case, the train number and time of departure are shown on your ticket.
If you're travelling with the InterCity train between Belgium and the Netherlands (via Breda), buy your tickets in advance! Early Bird tickets are available in limited quantities and are only available for journeys outside of peak hours at the time and on the specific train selected at the time of your purchase. Enjoy 25% or 40% off purchases made respectively at least 3 or 5 days prior to departure.
If you're travelling between Belgium and Luxembourg, however, it may be cheaper to travel in the weekend: the Weekend fare offers 30% off your return journey from Friday to Sunday. And if you're younger than 26, the Youth fare will offer 30% off for travelling any day of the week.
If you're travelling between Belgium and Northern France with InterCity and TER Hauts-de-France trains, go for a return trip between Friday morning and Sunday evening: with the Weekend fare, you get 40% off. This Weekend fare applies to journeys to and from: Abbeville, Amiens, Annappes, Arras, Ascq, Aulnoye Aymeries, Baisieux, Béthune, Boulogne Ville, Calais Ville, Chantilly Gouvieux, Compiègne, Croix l'Allumette, Croix Wasquehal, Douai, Dunkerque, Etaples Le Touquet, Hellemmes, Le Cateau, Lens, Lezennes, Lille Flandres, Maubeuge, Noyon, Paris Nord (via Maubeuge/Aulnoye), Pont de Bois, Pont Ste Maxence, Roubaix, St Quentin (Aisne), Tourcoing, Valenciennes.
If you're younger than 26, there's a Youth fare for travelling between Belgium and the same destinations in Northern France. This Youth fare offers 30% off and is valid anytime.
For this type of train, there are no restrictions on the various fares. So you don't need to book ahead to get the best prices.
Belgian national rail cards (Large Families, Preferential Reimbursement, etc.) are not valid on Eurostar, TGV INOUI or ICE trains, which have their own fare structure.
However, if you are travelling on "conventional" international trains (InterCity and cross-border regional trains), you can apply your reduction (usually 50% off the Standard fare) to the Belgian part of your international journey. To get your reduction online, simply select the "50% off in Belgium" rail card for each passenger concerned when submitting your request.
International season tickets are available:
And if you regularly take the same journey between Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands with Eurostar, remember that Eurostar offers a Premium Pass and Frequent Pass, which means you benefit from cheaper flexible fares. Check the Eurostar website for more information about the Premium and Frequent Passes.