A new rail link between Brussels and Paris is being launched on 19 December. Belgian rail says the journey will take about 3 hours, which is more than twice the time high-speed Eurostars need to cover the distance, but the fare is a lot cheaper. The new service is included in Belgian rail's new timetable, which is being introduced on 15 December.
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New Brussels to Paris rail service: cheaper, but slower than Eurostar
Colin Clapson
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The trains operate under the OUIGO livery. That’s the low-cost brand owned by French railways, the SNCF. Services will use the conventional railway line from the Brussels-South station to Paris-Nord, with stops at Mons, Aulnoye-Aymeries and Creil. There are three return journeys daily: morning, afternoon and evening.
The new cheaper rail services to Paris are introduced more than two years after the discontinuation of the Izy low-cost services, which covered the distance between Brussels and Paris in 2 hours and 30 minutes. During the Olympics, daily Eurocity trains did operate between Brussels and Paris with stops in Mons.
Tickets for the new rail link went on sale today. Prices range from between €10 and €59 for a single journey, depending on occupancy levels. Children under 4 can travel for free on an adult's lap, while children under 12 pay €8.