Trains in Brussels

Brussels has four main stations: Midi/Zuid (Eurostar, ICE, OUIGO, night trains), Centraal, Noord and Luxembourg (European Quarter). SNCB runs fast IC trains to all Belgian cities.

Most lines run from about 05:00 to midnight, every 15 to 60 minutes, with fewer trains on weekends. A new timetable starts on 14 December 2026.

Tickets and prices

• Standard ticket: price by distance, for example Brussels to Bruges about 18 EUR
• Weekend Ticket: about half price for a return trip from Friday 19:00 to Sunday
• Children under 12 travel free with an adult. Discounts for under 26 and over 65
• Brupass: one ticket for train, metro, tram and bus inside Brussels, about 2.70 EUR
• Eurostar, OUIGO and ICE prices change by date, so book early

Where to buy tickets

• SNCB app or belgiantrain.be (e-ticket on your phone)
• Ticket machines in all main stations
• Ticket counters in larger stations
• Not possible on board domestic trains since 1 July 2026. Without a ticket you get a payment notice that rises to 90 EUR after 14 days, and fines can reach 500 EUR
• If your station had no working machine and no counter, you only pay the normal fare
• Still possible on board EuroCity, EuroCity Direct, OUIGO and TGV trains

Good to know: Since 1 July 2026 you cannot buy a domestic ticket on board. Buy it in the SNCB app before you get on.

SNCB (official site)

Direct trains from Brussels

• Braine-l'Alleud (Waterloo): about 15 min from Brussels-Midi, SNCB IC
• Mechelen: about 20 min from Brussels-Central, SNCB IC
• Leuven: about 20 min from Brussels-Nord, SNCB IC
• Ghent: about 30 min from Brussels-Midi, SNCB IC
• Antwerp: about 40 min from Brussels-Central, SNCB IC
• Mons: about 50 min from Brussels-Midi, SNCB IC
• Charleroi: about 50 min from Brussels-Midi, SNCB IC
• Namur: about 50 min from Brussels-Luxembourg, SNCB IC
• Liege: about 55 min from Brussels-Nord, SNCB IC
• Bruges: about 1 h from Brussels-Midi, SNCB IC
• Hasselt: about 1 h from Brussels-Nord, SNCB IC
• Ostend: about 1 h 10 min from Brussels-Midi, SNCB IC
• Knokke: about 1 h 15 min from Brussels-Midi, SNCB IC
• Dinant: about 1 h 25 min from Brussels-Luxembourg, SNCB IC
• De Panne: about 2 h 15 min from Brussels-Midi, SNCB IC
• Arlon: about 2 h 35 min from Brussels-Luxembourg, SNCB IC
• Rotterdam (Netherlands): about 1 h 10 min from Brussels-Midi, Eurostar, EuroCity Direct
• Paris (France): about 1 h 22 min from Brussels-Midi, Eurostar, OUIGO
• Amsterdam (Netherlands): about 1 h 50 min from Brussels-Midi, Eurostar, EuroCity Direct
• Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (Netherlands): about 1 h 50 min from Brussels-Midi, EuroCity Direct
• Cologne (Germany): about 1 h 50 min from Brussels-Midi, Eurostar, ICE
• London (United Kingdom): about 2 h from Brussels-Midi, Eurostar
• Luxembourg (Luxembourg): about 2 h 55 min from Brussels-Luxembourg, SNCB IC
• Frankfurt (Germany): about 3 h from Brussels-Midi, ICE
• Lyon (France): about 3 h 45 min from Brussels-Midi, TGV INOUI
• Marseille (France): about 5 h 30 min from Brussels-Midi, TGV INOUI
• Bourg-Saint-Maurice (Alps) (France): about 6 h 30 min from Brussels-Midi, Eurostar
• Berlin (Germany): about 12 h from Brussels-Midi, European Sleeper
• Milan (Italy): about 16 h 30 min from Brussels-Midi, European Sleeper
• Prague (Czechia): about 17 h from Brussels-Midi, European Sleeper
• Vienna (Austria): about 14 h 25 min from Brussels-Midi, Nightjet

Trams and metro in Brussels

STIB runs 4 metro lines (1, 2, 5 and 6), premetro tram tunnels and a large tram network.

Metro, trams and buses run from about 06:00 to midnight. Check the times at each stop.

Tickets and prices

• Single ticket: about 2.40 EUR by contactless card or STIB app, about 2.90 EUR on paper
• Contactless is capped at about 8.50 EUR per day
• Day ticket: about 9.00 EUR
• Brupass (STIB, SNCB, De Lijn and TEC in Brussels): about 2.70 EUR single, 9.50 EUR day, 18.90 EUR for 10 trips

Where to buy tickets

• Tap a contactless bank card, phone or watch on the reader in stations and on board
• STIB-MIVB app (digital tickets and Brupass)
• GO ticket machines in metro stations and at some stops
• STIB Bootik and Kiosk sales points
• Not possible from the driver. Tap a contactless card on board instead

Good to know: Tap your bank card on the reader every time you board. The daily cap means you never pay more than a day ticket.

STIB-MIVB (official site)

Brussels network

Four metro lines: 1 and 5 run east to west, 2 and 6 loop around the centre. Trams 3 and 4 run underground as premetro on the north-south axis.

• Line 1: Gare de l'Ouest to Stockel. Stops: Beekkant (West), De Brouckere (Old town), Gare Centrale (Central station), Arts-Loi (Centre), Schuman (EU quarter).
• Line 2: circle line around the centre. Stops: Gare du Midi (Trains, Eurostar), Louise (Shops), Arts-Loi (Centre), Rogier (North).
• Line 5: Erasme to Herrmann-Debroux. Stops: Gare Centrale (Central station), De Brouckere (Old town), Arts-Loi (Centre), Schuman (EU quarter).
• Line 6: Elisabeth to Roi Baudouin. Stops: Gare du Midi (Trains, Eurostar), Rogier (North), Heysel (Atomium).

Where lines meet: Arts-Loi (1 + 2 + 5 + 6); De Brouckere (1 + 5); Gare du Midi (2 + 6 + premetro); Schuman (1 + 5).

Buses in Brussels

STIB runs most city buses. De Lijn (yellow and white) and TEC/Letec buses link Brussels with Flanders and Wallonia.

City buses run from about 06:00 to midnight. Noctis night buses run after the metro closes on Friday and Saturday nights.

Tickets and prices

• STIB bus: same fare as metro and tram, about 2.40 EUR
• De Lijn single ticket: about 3.00 EUR, valid 60 minutes
• TEC (Letec) Classique ticket: about 2.80 EUR, valid 90 minutes
• Noctis night buses: normal daytime fare
• Long distance: FlixBus coaches to Amsterdam, Paris, Lille and more

Where to buy tickets

• STIB buses: tap a contactless card on the reader. Drivers do not sell tickets
• De Lijn buses: tap a contactless card on the white reader on board, about 3.00 EUR
• De Lijn app or SMS (text DL to 4884, plus about 0.25 EUR)
• STIB and De Lijn machines and sales points
• FlixBus: online or in the FlixBus app

Good to know: Inside Brussels a Brupass works on STIB, De Lijn and TEC buses, so you can mix them.

STIB-MIVB (official site)

Airport links in Brussels

Brussels Airport (BRU) is in Zaventem, about 12 km northeast of the centre. Brussels South Charleroi (CRL), used by low-cost airlines, is about 50 km south.

Trains from Brussels Airport run 6 times an hour, from early morning to about midnight: about 11 min to Nord, 18 min to Central, 23 min to Midi. Flibco buses to Charleroi Airport take about 55 minutes.

Tickets and prices

• Train: normal fare plus the Brussels Airport Supplement (old Diabolo fee) of about 6.90 EUR
• STIB bus 12 (Airport Line) to Schuman and Luxembourg: Airport2City ticket about 7.90 EUR
• Taxi to the centre: about 45 EUR or more, by meter
• Charleroi: Flibco bus to Brussels-Midi from about 5 EUR when booked early, often about 15 EUR
• Charleroi: train to Charleroi-Central plus bus A1 (every 15 min, about 20 min). Combined ticket from SNCB

Where to buy tickets

• Train: SNCB machines at level -1 or in the baggage hall, SNCB app or website
• Not possible on board domestic trains. Buy before you pass the gates
• STIB bus 12: tap a contactless card on board, or buy at the machines in the bus station (level 0)
• De Lijn buses: tap a contactless card on board or use the De Lijn app
• Flibco (Charleroi): online in advance, or at Charleroi Airport

Good to know: The airport supplement is added to any train ticket to or from the airport. Direct trains also go to Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Liege and Cologne.

Brussels Airport (official site)

Airport to city centre: full guide

Tips for Brussels

• Station names have two languages: Midi = Zuid, Nord = Noord, Central = Centraal.
• Buy train tickets before boarding. Domestic trains no longer sell tickets on board.
• A contactless bank card works on STIB and De Lijn. Tap in every time you board.
• Strikes happen several times a year. Check STIB and SNCB before you travel.
• On STIB metro, trams and buses the fine without a valid ticket is 107 EUR, or 214 EUR for a second offence within two years.

Apps to download

• SNCB: Belgian train times and tickets
• STIB-MIVB: Brussels metro, tram and bus times and tickets, Brupass
• De Lijn: Flemish buses and trams, tickets
• Eurostar: High-speed trains to London, Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne
• Citymapper: Route planning

Route guides

• Brussels to Amsterdam by Train: Eurostar and Eurocity Direct Guide (2026)
• Brussels to London by Train: The Ultimate Eurostar Travel Guide (2026)