A new international high-speed route ICE will appear in Europe, connecting Germany and Belgium. By autumn 2026, passengers will be able to travel from Cologne to Antwerp without transfers in less than two and a half hours. This is reported by Visit Ukraine.
The new ICE route in Europe will start in September 2026
The launch of the new direct route is planned for September 7, 2026. It will be organized by the German operator Deutsche Bahn and the Belgian railway SCNB.
Previously, most ICE high-speed trains ended their route in Brussels, but now the line will be extended to Antwerp.
The route will pass through six cities between Germany and Belgium. The total travel time will only be 2 hours and 25 minutes.
Schedule and ticket prices for ICE Cologne – Antwerp
Two additional trains will operate daily in each direction.
The schedule will be as follows:
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the train from Cologne will depart at 06:30 and arrive in Antwerp at 09:00;
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the evening train from Cologne will start at 17:30 and arrive at 19:45;
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trains from Antwerp will depart at 11:00 and 19:00.
Ticket prices will depend on the class of carriage and the time of booking.
Preliminary prices:
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early booking – from 35 to 55 dollars;
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standard ticket – from 75 to 140 dollars;
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first class – from 110 to 220 dollars.
In recent years, Europe has been actively expanding the network of international railway routes. New high-speed and overnight trains are set to become an alternative to short flights between EU countries.
For Ukrainians, this means more options for traveling around Europe with transfers to international buses, planes, and rail routes from Poland, Germany, and Belgium.
Let us remind you, Europe has restored direct rail communication between Prague and Copenhagen, which had not existed for over 10 years.