NS and SNCB: double services between Amsterdam and Brussels

Passenger rail operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) and Belgian carrier SNCB are doubling the number of Intercity trains between the Netherlands and Brussels. The partners announced plans to double the number of daily services from 16 to 32 in the 2025 timetable, as well as introducing a new, fast connection.

NS will operate the new Intercity (ICNG), running on high-speed lines at a maximum speed of 200 km per hour for the route. The shorter journey time is also made possible due to fewer stops and a new starting point Amsterdam Zuid which is closer to the high-speed line than Amsterdam Central Station.

NS has ordered new trains especially for the Amsterdam South – Brussels South Midi connection, ensuring the trains can run in both the Netherlands and Belgium. In addition to the 16 trains from Amsterdam South, a train will also depart 16 times a day from Rotterdam Central Station to Brussels South Midi. This connection is now known as the Intercity Brussels from Amsterdam Central Station. This train runs from Rotterdam via Breda and continues to stop at all current intermediate stations. Passengers from The Hague, Utrecht and Amsterdam transfer via Rotterdam Central Station.

“Every passenger who chooses the train as a means of transport to Brussels helps to combat climate change,” Wouter Koolmees, CEO of NS, said. “It is up to us to make the green option the easy option. Thanks to this substantial expansion, we are going to Brussels more often than ever and we offer even more passengers the opportunity for a smooth international train journey.”

NS reports that, Brussels was its most popular international destination for the first six months of the year, with an average of around 39,000 tickets sold per month for this destination. Antwerp was the second most popular destination but demand for Brussels continues to grow faster than all other destinations.