Travelling in 2nd class

• Spacious, comfortable seats (with adjustable backrest)
• 220v power sockets at each seat
• Each seat has a headphone connection with 6 audio channels
• A carriage where children can play during the trip ("Kleinkind Abteil")

Extras in 1st class

• Leather chairs, more leg room
• ICE 3 coaches offer on screen news and reports
• Range of international newspapers
• Snacks, light meals and beverages served at seat
• Access to Deutsche Bahn lounges

Bar-buffet

The BordBistro is available to all passengers and offers a selection of light meals, sandwiches, salads, hot snacks and beverages.

Panorama Lounge

The ICE 3 carriages (on the high-speed line between Cologne and Frankfurt) offer a Panorama Lounge where passengers can watch the train driver thanks to a glass partition! Panorama Lounges are available in 1st and 2nd class.

For seat reservations in the Panorama Lounges call the SNCB Europe Contact Center on +32 (0)70 79 79 79 (€ 0.30/min.) or reserve at one of the 39 Belgian stations with international sales.

DB Lounges

In Cologne, Frankfurt Airport and Frankfurt, 1st class passengers have access to the DB Lounges where they can get free coffee, tea and other beverages. Passengers can watch television on the large screens or read a variety of magazines and newspapers. Dedicated work areas with Internet connection are also available.

General

In contrast to other railway companies, no different fares for ‘adults’, ‘youth’ or ‘seniors’ are available for ICE services. Instead, you can choose between two fare categories, 'Europa Spezial' / 'Sparpreis' and the standard 'Normalpreis'. These are available in 1st and 2nd class. There are also fares for children (under 15 years old) and passengers with reduced mobility. 

Tip: when booking online, you just indicate the number of passengers per age group and our booking system automatically gives you all the corresponding fares.

Europa Spezial and Sparpreis: for travel on a budget!

• limited availability
• advance sales: at the earliest 3 months and at the latest 3 days before the day of departure
• corresponds to a so-called ‘semi-flex’ fare
• exchange/reimbursement: possible only before the first day of validity; there is a €15 fee
• fare valid for specific trains only (ICE, IC, etc.)
• group travel discount: suitable for 5 passengers travelling together. One passenger pays full fare and up to four companions are eligible for a fare starting from € 20* each.
• the Europa Spezial fare is valid for journeys between Germany and neighbouring countries. The Sparpreis fare is valid for journeys within Germany.

Normalpreis: for flexible travel!

• advance sales: at the earliest 3 months before departure
• corresponds to a so-called ‘fully-flex’ fare
• exchange/reimbursement: free of charge before the first day of validity; from the first day of validity for a €15 fee
• fare valid on any train on the selected date and route
• no group travel reduction

Seat reservations: for the Europa Spezial/Sparpreis fare, as well as for the Normalpreis fare, a seat reservation is optional and costs €4 per journey.

Check available fares online >

Children under 15

Children younger than 15 years old travel free of charge if they are accompanied by at least one parent or grandparent with either a Europa Spezial (Sparpreis) or a Normalpreis ticket.

Please note:

• children aged 6-14 travelling with an adult, must be included on the accompanying adult's ticket
• children under 6 can travel without a ticket (and need not be included on an accompanying adult's ticket)

Children travelling alone :

• receive a 50% discount on the full train fare
• must have their own ticket

Passengers with reduced mobility and their companions

Wheelchair users and their companions

• Passengers with reduced mobility pay full fare and their companions travel free. Please note: wheelchair users must have a ‘free companion card’ from SNCB (the card number must be indicated on the companion's ticket).
• Travel class: available in 2nd class only. Seats 66 and 68 in carriages 25 and 35 are available for wheelchair users.
• Ticket flexibility (companion's ticket): no exchange or reimbursement possible.

Blind and visually-impaired passengers and their companions or guide dogs

• Blind or visually-impaired passengers pay full fare and their companions or guide dogs travel free. Please note: the blind or visually-impaired passenger must have a reduction card for public local transport and a Belgian blind person's card (the number of the blind person's card must be indicated on their companion's ticket).
• Travel class: available in 1st and 2nd classes
• Ticket flexibility (companion's ticket): no exchange or reimbursement possible.

Optional seat reservation

ICE makes a distinction between the ticket for your journey and your seat reservation, which states the date of your journey, departure and arrival times and your carriage and seat numbers.

• On ICE trains, a seat reservation is not compulsory, as you are free to move your departure earlier or later. However, if you would still like to reserve a seat (which is strongly recommended), the reservation usually costs €4 per journey.

Depart from any Belgian station with the "Any Belgian Station" ticket

• Do you have an ICE ticket at the cheap Europe Spezial fare? Then your ICE ticket is valid for departure from any station in Belgium! In other words, your ICE ticket allows you to travel on domestic SNCB trains between any station in Belgium and your ICE departure station (Brussels-Midi or Liège-Guillemins) at no extra cost. So whether you are starting out from Brussels, Ostend, Antwerp or Arlon, you will pay the same price!
• Do you have an ICE ticket at the normal fare (Normalpreis)? Then you can also leave from any Belgian station, but you will have to pay for a Connection-fare of € 6,30 each way in 2nd class or € 9,70 each way in 1st class  

Price example: with the entire family to Cologne from € 76*