Lille to Brussels train

Train Lille Brussels

Approximately 25trains from Lille to Brussels travel the roughly 94 km (58 miles) route each day including weekends. The majority of trips are via TGV high-speed trains capable of completing the distance in as little as 35 minutes, though some journeys by regional train can take as long as 2h 35min. Three providers operate service departing from 2 locations in Lille which all travel to the central station in Brussels. Most trains on this route run direct, but some require connections en-route.

Lille to Brussels Train Time: Daily Departures

There are at least 22 trips from Lille stations Monday-Saturday and another 17 Sundays and holidays, for an aggregate of approximately 150 journeys each week. The earliest departures occur around 6 a.m. and the last trains leave approximately, 10:15 p.m., with at least 1 train per hour from 9 a.m.-6 p.m.. Multiple departures per hour are available between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and during the 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. hours, with a service interruption from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. To see the full timetable of trains to Brussels from Lille, select your travel date on the Omio website and press 'See all trains' at the bottom of the section.

Boarding your train Lille Brussels

Trains from Lille to Belgium depart from 2 locations in the city: Gare de Lille-Flandres, the secondary station and Gare de Lille-Europe, the primary departure point. Both of these are busy terminals so you should plan to arrive at least 1 hour beforehand during peak travel hours to take care of any errands or grab a bite prior to departure. Consider arriving earlier to your Lille station during the summer months when tourist travel volumes are highest.

Lille: View of the Art Museum. Source: Shutterstock

Where does the train depart in Lille and arrive in Brussels?

Gare de Lille-Europeis the city’s primary train station and is located about 15 minutes by car, roughly 20 minutes by public transport and approximately 25 minutes on foot from Lille City Centre. Roughly 70% of the daily trains from Lille to Brussels depart from this location. Gare de Lille-Flandreshandles the remaining service, with a location about 20 minutes by car, roughly 5 minutes via public transport and about 20 minutes on foot from Central Lille. All trains terminate at Gare de Bruxelles-Midi.

When is the best time to book your train ticket Lille Brussels?

The best time to book tickets on trains Lille - Brussels depends on your travel schedule. For example, you can find cheap train tickets from Lille to Brussels during various time periods, such as from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., but these trips have longer durations. Alternatively, the period from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. has the highest frequency of direct trains with the shortest travel time of about 34 minutes. To take advantage of cheap Lille to Brussels train prices, you should reserve your tickets at least 4 weeks in advance if possible.

What to see between Lille and Brussels

The shortest route via Eurostar runs past Lille University Campus and Golf Lille Metropole, south to Peronne-en Melantois, then swings east past Chievres and heads north to the Flanders/Wallonia border. Passing south of Halle, the route runs parallel to Canal Bruxelles Charleroi northbound as far as Ruisbroek before continuing on to Brussels-South Station. SNCB trains from Lille to Brussels travel through Le Marais and Breuze across the French border into Belgium. After a connection at Tournai, the route runs east through Leuze-en-Hainaut and Ath before turning north towards Flanders and Halle on final approach to Bruxelles-Midi Station.

Information on Brussels Midi Station

Gare de Bruxelles-Midi or Brussels-South Stationis one of the city’s central terminals and situated some 15 minutes by vehicle, around 5 minutes using public transport and about 30 minutes on foot from Central Brussels. Passengers arriving here on Lille trains to Brussels will find a variety of facilities including ticketing office, left luggage facilities, shops and bars/restaurants and an Information Point. Bureaux de change and cash-point machines are also available for onward travel via public transport, taxi and car hire.

Provider Night trains from Lille to Brussels

Unfortunately, there are no night trains servicing the route from Lille to Brussels.

SNCF Train Provider Lille to Brussels

SNCFis the nationally-owned French railway operator and the largest provider of trains from Lille to Brussels with 10 daily or 70 weekly trips. SNCF’s daily train schedule lists the first departure from Gare de Lille-Europe around 7:20 a.m. and the last train Gare de Bruxelles-Midi at approximately, 10:15 p.m. There are 2 departures during the 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. hours, with intermittent service otherwise. Lille to Brussels travel time aboard SNCF trains is around 35 minutes and these are direct journeys via TGV high-speed trains capable of speeds in excess of 170 mph (240 km/h).

SNCB Trains Lille-Brussels

SNCB the national railways company of Belgium, is the secondary provider of service on this route with 7 departures Monday-Saturday and 2 on Sundays and holidays for a total of about 42 trips each week from Gare de Lille-Flandres to the Belgian capital. Passengers can take the earliest train around 6 a.m. or ride the last one from the station at about 6:15 p.m. SNCB trains from Lille to Brussels are regional transport requiring connections/transfers at various locations including Tournai and Mouscron which account for travel times between 1h 40min-2h 15min.

Eurostar Trains Lille to Brussels

Eurostar is one of the most popular rail operators in Western Europe, with service accounting for 5 daily trains or 35 weekly trips from Gare de Lille-Europe to Gare de Bruxelles-Midi. The earliest departure occurs around 11:30 a.m. and the last Eurostar train leaves Lille approximately 8:45 p.m. This provider also uses high-speed locomotives on this corridor capable of speeds exceeding 185 mph (300 km/h). Eurostar operates direct train service from Lille to Brussels with travel times of about 35 minutes.

Trains Lille to Brussels: Sustainability Travel

Our travel partners have introduced bold steps towards enhancing the reputation of train travel as the most sustainable means of mass transport. SNCF has announced an aggressive program to convert its entire fleet to hydrogen and reach carbon neutrality by 2035, while SNCB looks to reduce noise pollution and increase recycling efforts along with fleet upgrades to improve energy efficiency. Eurostar meanwhile, stands committed to a fleet operated solely by renewable energy sources within the decade.

SNCF train Lille to Brussels: Services on Board

Standard, Standard Premiere and Business Premiere Class compartments are available via SNCF trains on this route There is an online portal offering complimentary Wi-Fi and food/drink service from the onboard bar. Workspaces for business travellers are also provided along with a nursery for pregnant/breastfeeding mothers and toilets with accessible features. Additional onboard facilities include:

• Two cases plus one piece of hand luggage should be stored under the seat, at the feet or in one of the storage compartments.
• Access Plus is the free online service which helps passengers with disabilities to complete their travel plans. Wheelchairs can be brought aboard and there is priority seating as well. Assistance animals are welcome.
• Two small pets may travel per customer provided they are kept and transported in appropriate carriers. Pushchairs and buggies count as hand luggage.
• Folding bikes count as hand luggage, but reservations are required for regular ones and these are only accommodated on TGV INOUI trains.
• Specific seats can be requested at the time of purchase otherwise general seating by compartment applies.

SNCB train Lille to Brussels: Services on Board

SNCB customers can travel First or Standard Class on Brussels to Lille trains. This provider does not operate train service with onboard refreshment facilities and be advised that Wi-Fi is not provided on SNCB trains, so enquire beforehand whether you can bring your own food/drink along with some entertainment options. Toilets with accessible features are available onboard. Below are a few other SNCB policies:

• Each customer is allowed 3 pieces of luggage not to exceed a total weight of 30kg.
• Priority seating is available for persons with reduced mobility. Reservations are required to travel with a wheelchair and assistance animals travel for free.
• One small pet in a carrier travels free per customer and small charges apply for dogs on leads.
• One folding bike per customer is permitted, but reservations apply for regular bikes, e-bikes, scooters and tandems.
• Seat reservations are not possible unless you have a Group Booking therefore general seating within compartments apply.

Eurostar train Lille to Brussels: Services on Board

Eurostar offers Business Premiere, Standard Premiere and Standard seating on Lille-Brussels trains, with meal service included for premiere passengers. Cafe Metropole is the onboard refreshments buffet where you can order food and drinks from menus specific to each class. Wi-Fi and toilets with accessible features are also available. For additional onboard policies see below:

• Luggage allowances of 2 cases plus 1 hand bag per customer applies to Standard and Standard Premiere, with 3 bags plus 1 hand luggage in Business Premiere.
• Priority seating is available and assistance animals are welcome. Passengers with disabilities can travel with a companion at discounted rates. You should make enquiries regarding travel with wheelchairs or scooters at the time of booking.
• Unfortunately, pets are not allowed to travel aboard Eurostar trains.
• Folding bikes and children’s bicycles are allowed if carried in appropriate travel bags, but regular bikes are not permitted.
• You can make specific seating requests at the time of booking your tickets.

When to book your train tickets from Lille to Brussels

Customers looking to get the cheapest train tickets from Lille to Brussels should always book their travel plans at least 1 month or more in advance, if possible. You can also save money on overall travel expenses by taking advantage of special fares for young children, seniors and persons with reduced mobility. Also, keep an eye out for discounts on student, family and group travel. If there’s a bit of flexibility with your plans, consider early morning/late evening trains from Lille to Brussels and departures involving connections or transfers which are generally cheaper that peak hour journeys. Some providers also offer discounted plans for business and frequent travellers as an additional way to lower your travel expenses on train tickets from Lille to Brussels.

To Brussels by train—travel tips

Brussels is well-known as the capital of the European Union, but it’s also famous worldwide for culinary delights like waffles, chocolates and for its beer. This international city has also hosted several world fairs and important gatherings like the Solvay Conference and a handful of NATO Summits. The official languages here are French and Dutch, so it helps to know some common phrases before your train arrives.

There are many important landmarks and lavish buildings in Brussels due to its prominence as a political centre and the powerful guildhalls which administered its thriving commercial trade in days past. These include Congress Column, Royal Palace of Brussels and the magnificent Town Hall, some of which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Getting around Brussels to visit these and other attractions is made easier by its public transport network of bus, tram, metro and rail systems. Parc du Cinquantenaire is the largest one downtown and ideal for a walkabout or a spot of lunch. Flip through ourWindow Seat Magazine Brussels Editionwhile you’re there for restaurant and shopping tips before setting off to other attractions such as:

• Brussels-Charleroi Canal
• Royal Library of Belgium
• Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences
• The Planetarium
• Brussels Stock Exchange

Brussels: Parc du Cinquantenaire. Source: Shutterstock

What are some other cities you can go to from Brussels?

You can get fast and efficient train service to other exciting capital cities in Europe after your adventures in Brussels have come to an end. Big Ben, Hyde Park and Westminster Abbey are some main attractions in Londonwhile beaches galore and scenic Parc National des Calanques are top draws in Marseille. Parc Municipal de Luxembourg offers relaxation after visiting Cathedrale Notre-Dame inLuxembourg or you can head toFrankfurtand where there’s fabulous architecture like Frankfurter Romer and Alte Oper.