The SNCB has recorded a 26% increase in the number of international tickets sold for this summer compared with 2019, the railway company boasted in a press release on Thursday.
More than 128,000 passengers have already bought an international train ticket for July or August, an increase of over 25% compared with the pre-pandemic year, which was, in itself, already a record, the SNCB reported.
"Travelling by train is not only safe, it is also comfortable: the seats are spacious and have plenty of legroom," the company said in a press release. "There are no extra charges for luggage, travellers also do not lose time by having to be present at the station hours in advance. And importantly, most international train stations are located near or right in the city centre."
The railway company offers 5,500 international destinations in 14 European countries, more than 1,000 of which are less than six hours from Brussels with a maximum of just one connection, it said.
France is the most popular destination by train for this holiday, which accounts for 40% of travellers who have bought a ticket via the SNCB’s international website. This is followed by the Netherlands with 26%, the UK with 16% and Germany with 13%. By city, Paris is ahead of London, Amsterdam, Schiphol, Rotterdam, Lille and Cologne.
Additionally, SNCB has expanded its offer with new destinations in France and Italy and plans to extend it to Spain, Austria and the UK in the next few years.
Brussels as international hub
The Federal Government wants to make Brussels an international rail hub for night trains. In November 2022, it stated it would provide financial support to night train operators with at least one stop in Belgium.
According to a survey in June 2022 by the Federal Public Mobility Service, over 60% of Belgian residents are willing to travel by high-speed train (or night train) rather than by plane to reduce their ecological footprint.
