The Brussels railway service travels from the north to the south of the city and to a wide variety of other European destinations. This is the perfect way to travel around Belgium, with easy access to other countries such as the UK, Netherlands, France and Germany. Admittedly, Brussels is the main stopping place for many trains which are travelling through Belgium and this is especially true of the busiest station, Brussels Midi train station. Therefore, if a commuter is travelling, let’s say from Liege to Ghent, the train still makes a stop in Brussels.
There are 3 main train stations in Brussels, which travel throughout the region, and indeed all around the country. The stations have a number of alternate names, so as a traveller it is important to know these, as they typically appear on timetables and at the time of booking tickets. The stations all travel along the same line, from the north to the south, although international high speed trains typically leave from the south of the city.
Brussels Nord
This is the most northerly train station in Brussels and is often referred to as Noordstation or Gare du Nord. Many trains tend to travel through the Brussels Nord station, although the starting point of any journey is usually one of the other two main stations. The Brussels Nord does not offer a metro connection to the various other parts of the city, but commuters are able to take trams for a metro line connection.
Brussels Centrale
As the name suggests, the Brussels Centrale is located in the centre of Brussels and is typically used by travellers who are looking to travel around Brussels. The station is often referred to as Brussel Centraal or Gare Centrale. Due to the fact that the train station is right in the centre of Brussels, commuters are very close to various hotels, hostels and a whole host of tourist attractions, plus intercity trains can be used to visit many other cities in Belgium. Therefore, even though international travellers typically arrive at another one of the three main stations they generally make their way to Brussels Centrale at some point.
Brussels Midi
The Brussels Midi train station is without doubt the busiest of all three main train stations in Brussels. The station is often referred to as Zuidstation or Gare du Midi and is the most southern train station in Brussels. The main reasons for this being the busiest train station in Brussels is because it sees a wide variety of intercity trains, metros and trams passing through. However, this is also the gateway for international travel, as many high speed international trains, such as Eurostar and Thalys, make their way through this station.
The international high speed train providers also happen to have their own ticket offices in the Brussels Midi, which makes it easier for international travellers to find the information they seek. Due to the fact that so many people make their way through this station on a daily basis there is access to a food court, as well as a wide variety of other cafes and eateries.
Ana Aleksejeva has travelled extensively throughout Europe for a number of years now and has written about her experiences in her travel articles. She states that Brussels has always been one of her favourite European destinations and she almost feels at home when she arrives at Brussels Midi train station.
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