Railway services to Brussels Airport are set to be reinforced from late 2027 with additional night trains, the Belgian train operator SNCB/NMBS announced last week.
The new night train services to the airport in Zaventem will depart from Brussels, Bruges, and Ghent.
Currently, the earliest trains to Brussels Airport from Brussels arrive at around 04:30 on weekdays, while those departing from Bruges or Ghent arrive at 05:30.
The additional rail services are set to bring passengers to the Brussels Airport station as early as 03:30 every day of the week. The night services are expected to run from December 2027.
The expansion of train services is part of a wider plan to increase the national rail services by 3% between 2026 and 2029.
The Transport Plan 2026-2029 was approved on Friday by the Council of Ministers, in line with the overall goal to increase train services by 10% from 2023 to 2032.
More trains between major cities
In addition to the night trains to Zaventem, the Transport Plan includes the expansion of rail services between major cities on weekdays and weekends starting in December 2026.
Services in and around the Belgian capital, Antwerp, Liège and Charleroi are set to be expanded, including additional late-night trains on Saturday evenings on several routes to and from Brussels.
According to the railway operator, the Transport Plan for the next three years also includes changes to some stations.
In December 2026, the Braine Alliance station in Braine-l'Alleud, Wallonia, is expected to open, while the Moensberg station in Uccle is set to merge with the Linkebeek station by 2028.
Feasibility of the plan
The train operator further warned that while the planned additional services are "feasible”, the implementation of the Transport Plan will depend on several factors, including the progress of infrastructure works, requests from other rail operators, the delivery of new trains and staff recruitment.
SNCB is set to organise information sessions with affected municipalities and cities to raise awareness of the new Transport Plan.
More details regarding the train service expansion are expected to be communicated following the information sessions.
