Not only a nexus of business and diplomacy, Brussels is firmly established as a transport hub – an obvious stop for routes that traverse the western continent.
And although the city itself doesn't yet have the tourist appeal of nearby Amsterdam or Paris, Brussels is fixed firmly on the international map as new links are created. This is especially the case with night trains, which already have unlocked fresh horizons for passengers eager to travel without burning through the atmosphere.
Though flying offers an unbeatable choice of destinations, new rail routes are gradually making more of Europe directly accessible from Belgium. Buoyed by a renewed consumer interest, Berlin, Prague and Vienna are now just one night on the tracks away from Brussels, mostly thanks to two companies – ÖBB Nightjet and European Sleeper.
Much excitement then attended the announcement that European Sleeper will, from February next year, expand its offering to include journeys from Brussels to Venice. The route will pass through the Italian Alps, making it attractive not only to visitors to the City of Mirrors but also to winter sports enthusiasts.
Detractors were quick to point out that the journey time – 21 hours from Brussels to Venice – is long. It would be quicker to drive, speedier still to catch a flight. And the prices haven't yet been published (bookings open in September); airlines enjoy tax breaks that give them a competitive edge that train operators can't match.
But that's not really the point. At least not yet, as both night train operators from Brussels have seen their services booked out months in advance. They're not yet the mass-market plane-beaters Europe will need to clean up its transport sector (responsible for almost a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions) but they do provide an example of how we might move differently.
If the EU were to adopt proposals put forward in the Energy Taxation Directive, the price gap between flying and rail would be significantly reduced. Couple this with infrastructure investments and updated rolling stock (some of the sleeper carriages are over 50 years old) and it wouldn't just be the most eco-conscious rail fans bunking down for a ride over moonlit sleepers.
Have you tried night trains from Brussels? Let @Orlando_tbt know.
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