Train rides to France in particular are proving very popular this summer, the NMBS reports. About four out of ten international train passengers who book through the NMBS choose a destination in the southern neighbours. This is followed by the Netherlands (28 percent), the United Kingdom (16 percent) and Germany (13 percent).
France is also at the top of the list per city: Paris is the most popular destination, followed by London and Amsterdam. The top 15 only contains cities from neighboring countries and it is not the case that all those train travelers will avoid the plane this summer: three airports are also among the most popular destinations.
Top 15 destinations, with travel time from Brussels
1. Paris: 1h22
2. London: 2h01
3. Amsterdam: 1h52
4. Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam): 1h33
5. Rotterdam: 1h10
6. Lille: 38 min
7. Cologne: 1h50
8. Luxembourg: 2u53
9. Frankfurt: 3u06
10. Lyon: 3u43
11. Charles De Gaulle Airport (Paris): 1h36
12. Frankfurt Airport: 3h06
13. Aachen: 1h10
14. Avignon: 4u56
15. Utrecht: 2h16
The NMBS does clearly have the ambition to better facilitate international rail travel. The SNCB International website currently offers train tickets for 5,500 international destinations, spread over fourteen European countries.
For the time being, travelers mainly find their way to neighboring countries by rail, but the intention is to further expand the range in the coming years, especially with destinations in Spain, Austria and the United Kingdom.
If you also want to travel abroad by train, the railway company also advises you to book as early as possible. Tickets are cheaper then. The NMBS also points to the existence of the Interrail Pass. With that ticket you can travel in Europe for a certain period at a fixed rate.
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2023-07-06 09:57:39
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