Trains in Europe is part of the Drive-Alive family of websites dedicated to surface travel in Europe.
Train travel to and in Belgium:
Belgium is easily reached by Eurostar High Speed Passenger Trains from the UK. Eurostar trains offer frequent departures from the smart new St Pancras International Station in London direct to Brussels. It is also possible to join the Eurostar trains at Ebbsfleet, close to the M25/M2 interchange, as well as at Ashford International station in Kent.
Journey times are just under two hours from St Pancras and as little as one hour forty one minutes from Ebbsfleet. So getting to Brussels by train is faster, more comfortable and more reliable than flying, with the added advantage of city centre to city centre travel.
A fantastic additional benefit is that the Eurostar ticket to Brussels includes onward travel to any train station in Belgium. So as well as being able to enjoy the sophistication of Brussels you can visit Bruges with its canals and Christmas Market, or Antwerp, an ancient trading city with a lively nightlife thanks to its University. Then there's Ghent, low key but attractive, or you can travel to Lieges, the gateway to the Ardennes. Indeed all destinations in Belgium are available to you.
To enjoy this amazing free add-on just change platforms at Brussels and show your Eurostar ticket to the attendant. You just need to complete the journey within 24 hours of your arrival by Eurostar in Brussels. Trains within Belgium are operated by the SNCB (NMBS in Flemish, but the same company). The free onward travel scheme is valid on all their trains, but not on International trains in Belgium operated by railway companies from other countries.
Belgium is of course part of the Global Interrail Pass scheme, so don't overlook this friendly country as a starting point for your train travel in Europe.