Deutsche Bahn launches direct ICE rail link between Cologne and Antwerp

Deutsche Bahn has launched a new direct ICE high-speed rail connection linking Cologne and Antwerp. The service, utilizing modern ICE 3neo trains, travels via Aachen, Liege, Leuven, and Brussels Airport.

This new route provides Brussels Airport with its first direct connection to the international ICE network. Two pairs of trains will operate daily in each direction. The service aims to meet the growing demand for rail travel between Germany and Belgium, which saw an 18 percent increase in ICE passengers between 2019 and 2025.

In collaboration with Brussels Airlines, a combined ticket is being offered that bundles the rail journey with connecting flights. This initiative explores whether rail travel can replace short-haul feeder flights for passengers traveling from the Rhineland region.