ICE train. Photo: Markus Mainka / Shutterstock.com Brussels Airport has regained a direct connection to the international high-speed rail network for the first time since 2015, giving travelers from western Germany a new way to reach the airport and connect with flights around the world.
The first Deutsche Bahn ICE high-speed train from Cologne arrived at Brussels Airport station on September 7, marking the return of direct high-speed rail service to the airport after more than a decade.
The inaugural train left Cologne at 6:11am and stopped at Aachen, Liège and Leuven before reaching Brussels Airport at 8:29am. Around five minutes later, it continued to Antwerpen Centraal. To celebrate the first journey, Brussels Airlines cabin crew handed out Belgian Neuhaus chocolates to passengers.
Brussels Airport. Photo: Claudine Van Massenhove / ShutterstockThe new service also strengthens the partnership between Brussels Airlines and Deutsche Bahn. Travelers from western Germany can now combine their train and flight journeys in a single booking, creating a more convenient alternative to traveling to Brussels Airport entirely by air or road.
Since the partnership was announced in February, more than 1,000 tickets have already been sold. New York, Accra and Alicante are currently the most popular destinations among passengers using the intermodal train and flight product.
Passengers benefit from a guaranteed connection if delays affect their journey and can also earn miles through the Lufthansa Group’s Miles & More program. Tickets can be purchased through Brussels Airlines, travel agencies and other usual sales channels.
Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport, said the new high-speed connection was an important step in developing the airport as an intermodal hub. He highlighted the opportunity to give travelers more sustainable ways to reach the airport while providing access to Brussels Airlines’ network of more than 180 destinations.
Brussels Airlines Chief Financial Officer Nina Öwerdieck said the partnership allows the airline to welcome more passengers without adding additional flights. She also expressed hope that the service could eventually become the starting point for a larger high-speed rail network at Brussels Airport.
The connection operates twice daily in each direction between Cologne and Antwerp. Trains from Cologne arrive at Brussels Airport at 8:29am and 4:28pm, while services traveling from Antwerp toward Cologne stop at the airport at 11:29am and 2:29pm.