High-speed rail has returned directly to Brussels Airport after more than a decade, with the first Deutsche Bahn ICE arriving from Cologne on Monday morning as part of a new air-rail partnership with Brussels Airlines.
The ICE departed Cologne at 06:11 and travelled via Aachen, Liège and Leuven before arriving at Brussels Airport at 08:29. Around five minutes later, the train continued to Antwerpen-Centraal.
The new service reconnects Brussels Airport directly to the international high-speed rail network for the first time since 2015 and gives passengers from western Germany a new way of reaching Brussels Airlines’ extensive European and intercontinental network.
Under the partnership between Deutsche Bahn and Brussels Airlines, passengers can book their train and connecting flight on a single ticket. The combination also provides a guaranteed connection in the event of delays and allows eligible passengers to earn Miles & More miles.
More than 1,000 tickets have already been sold since the partnership was announced in February. According to Brussels Airlines, New York, Accra and Alicante are currently the three most popular destinations among passengers using the intermodal product.
Two daily ICE services
There are currently two return services per day between Cologne and Antwerp, with both services calling at Brussels Airport.
Trains from Cologne arrive at Brussels Airport at 08:29 and 16:28, while services travelling from Antwerp towards Cologne call at the airport at 11:29 and 14:29.
The ICE services operate in cooperation with Belgian national railway operator NMBS, which provides the drivers for the connection.
For Brussels Airlines, the service effectively extends its passenger catchment area into western Germany without requiring additional flights.
“We’re able to welcome more guests on our network, without the need of adding flights,” said Nina Öwerdieck, Chief Financial Officer of Brussels Airlines. “We hope this is the start of a larger high-speed train network at Brussels Airport in the future, with hopefully more seamless intermodal travel options to come.”
Brussels Airport seeks stronger rail connections
The return of a direct high-speed connection is also significant for Brussels Airport as it seeks to strengthen its position as an intermodal transport hub.
Brussels Airport CEO Arnaud Feist described the new service as an important step in developing connections between different modes of transport.
The airport says the connection gives passengers access to Brussels Airlines’ network of more than 180 destinations while also providing travellers arriving at Brussels Airport with a direct rail connection towards western Germany.
The commercial logic behind the partnership is particularly relevant for Brussels Airlines. Rather than operating additional short-haul feeder flights from Germany, the airline can use the ICE network to bring passengers to its Brussels hub and connect them with onward flights.
For passengers, the arrangement provides a single booking covering the rail and air portions of the journey, while the direct rail connection removes the need to travel separately between Germany and Brussels Airport.
The first ICE arrival was marked by Brussels Airlines cabin crew handing out Belgian Neuhaus chocolates to passengers on board.
