On Monday 7 September, German railway operator Deutsche Bahn launched a new ICE high-speed rail service between Cologne and Antwerp, with stops in Aachen, Liège, Leuven and Brussels Airport. This reconnects the airport to the international high-speed rail network for the first time since 2015.
The new service is a collaboration between Deutsche Bahn, Brussels Airport, Brussels Airlines and NMBS. It gives travellers from western Germany easy access to the 180 destinations served from Brussels Airport. Moreover, travellers flying with Brussels Airlines can combine their flight and train journey in a single booking, allowing them to benefit from a guaranteed connection in the event of delays.
Twice daily to and from Cologne
The ICE runs twice daily between Cologne and Antwerp, in both directions. The service is operated by Deutsche Bahn, in collaboration with NMBS.
- From Cologne: arrival at Brussels Airport at 8.29 am and 4.28 pm
- Towards Cologne: departure from Brussels Airport at 11.29 am and 7.29 pm
Important step in the development of Brussels Airport as an intermodal hub
“The arrival of this high-speed rail service marks an important step in the further development of Brussels Airport as an intermodal hub. We want to offer travellers a range of sustainable options to travel efficiently to and from the airport, across national borders.", says Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport. "This new connection is a great example of how, together with various partners, we are enabling future-oriented mobility.”