Specific measures for your train journey Specific measures for the main carriers
As a result of the Covid-19 epidemic, Thalys is adapting its capacity and reducing its train supply as follows:
from Sunday 12 July to Saturday 29 August
- Brussels-Paris : 7 trains a day in each direction + 1 Izy train from Friday to Monday
- Amsterdam-Brussels-Paris : 4 trains a day in each direction
- Paris-Brussels-Dortmund : 2 trains a day in each direction (1 on Sunday)
Thalys will not be serving Charles de Gaulle Airport and Marne-la-Vallée until the end of 2020.
Seasonal Thalys Sun connections
- The Amsterdam-Brussels-Marseille and Brussels-Bordeaux services are cancelled for the entire Summer season.
Notice: Since Monday 4 May 2020, wearing a mask (or any alternative that covers nose and mouth) is mandatory on Thalys trains.
Besides, the Thalys Welcome Bar carriage will remain closed and no meals will be served in Premium until further notice (currently no sales of Premium tickets).
Notice for Dutch residents
From Wednesday 29 July 2020, the Dutch authorities are urging persons residing in the Netherlands who have visited the city or province of Antwerp to quarantine themselves for 14 days. More specifications about the quarantine (in Dutch).
Commercial measures concerning Thalys tickets
For Thalys tickets purchased before 23 June:
- if the train is running: free exchange or full refund if the request is submitted at the latest 30 days before the original travel date.
- if the train is cancelled: free exchange for a later journey until 1 year after the original travel date or full refund if the request is submitted at the latest 30 days after the travel date.
For Thalys tickets purchased from 23 June, the following fare conditions will apply:
- Mini fare: not exchangeable and non-refundable
- Standard: Exchangeable at no cost (Covid measure) until the train departure time indicated on the ticket. Any difference in price between the old and the new ticket applies. Refundable at 50% in case of cancellation before the departure time indicated on the ticket. Not refundable after departure.
- Comfort: Exchangeable at no cost (Covid measure) until the train departure time indicated on the ticket. Any difference in price between the old and the new ticket applies. Refundable at 50% in case of cancellation before the departure time indicated on the ticket. Non-refundable after departure.
- Premium: 100% refundable in case of cancellation before the departure time indicated on the ticket. Refundable at 50% after departure, within a maximum of 2 months. Exchangeable free of charge until the train departure time indicated on the ticket. Any difference in price between the old and the new ticket applies.
Please note: if you cancel online, our system will automatically apply the normal refund conditions of your ticket, not the special refund conditions mentioned above. If the normal refund conditions of your ticket do not provide a refund, please contact us on +32 2 801 90 10 for a refund (for Standard, Comfort and Premium) due to the corona virus (for tickets purchased from SNCB).
Eurostar has revised their timetables and have been operating only a limited number of trains since 19 March.
Wearing a face mask on Eurostar has been obligatory since 4 May.
Travelling to the UK
From 8th August 2020, the reintroduction of quarantine has commenced for all passengers arriving into the United Kingdom from Belgium. Whilst these measures are in place, when entering the UK, passengers are required to:
- provide their journey and contact details online by filling in the Public Health Passenger Locator form. They will need to show their completed form when they arrive at the UK border, either by printing a copy or showing it on their phone. They will not be able to submit the form until 48 hours before they’re due to arrive in the UK.
- Self-isolate for 14 days at the address they provided on the above form. Please note that these measures are for both UK residents and visitors. Some people are exempt from the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days but will still need to complete the form (list of exemptions).
If customers have booked Eurostar tickets on behalf of other people, they are also responsible for ensuring all members of their party are aware of these requirements and have completed the form.
What you need to know when entering the UK >
Travelling to France
Since 15 June, travellers from the European zone (European Union + Andorra, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican) can enter the French territory without any restrictions related to the struggle against Covid-19, as before 18 March 2020, i.e. without any certificate or any form of quarantine upon arrival - except for airline passengers coming from Spain and travellers coming from the UK (based on reciprocity and regardless of their nationality).
Exchange of Eurostar tickets
Travellers who wish to cancel their journey (for all journeys between Friday 13 March until Saturday 1 August 2020) can change their booking for a later trip (subject to payment of a possible difference in price between the original and the new ticket) or receive a voucher to the value of their current Eurostar reservation. This electronic voucher is valid for a new reservation on the Eurostar website from Monday 16 March until 12 months after the original travel date for travelling within 180 days starting from the date of the new booking.
View all measures of Eurostar and get your voucher for later travel >
Since 11 May, wearing a mask is mandatory on all trains and public transport in France (no alternatives such as scarves or buffs allowed). Pleas read the safety measures applicable in French trains and stations (French).
Travelling to France
Since 15 June, travellers from the European zone (European Union + Andorra, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican) can enter the French territory without any restrictions related to the struggle against Covid-19, as before 18 March 2020, i.e. without any certificate or any form of quarantine upon arrival - except for airline passengers coming from Spain and travellers coming from the UK (based on reciprocity and regardless of their nationality).
Exchange of TGV tickets
If cancelled prior to travel, TGV tickets for journeys until 31 August 2020 (including possible TER connections in France) are fully refundable free of charge through their original point of sale.
Please note: if you cancel online, our system will automatically apply the normal refund conditions of your ticket. If the conditions of your ticket do not provide a full refund, please contact us on +32 2 801 90 10 for a full refund due to the corona virus (for tickets purchased from SNCB).
Since Monday 8 June, the IC Netherlands trains have resumed their normal service between Brussels and Amsterdam / The Hague.
Safety measures in the Netherlands:
- from 1 June, wearing a mask is mandatory on all trains and public transport in the Netherlands (no alternatives such as scarves or buffs allowed).
- from 1 July, travelling with a bicycle and travelling in a group are allowed again.
Please read all safety measures applicable in trains and stations in the Netherlands.
Notice: from Wednesday 29 July 2020, the Dutch authorities are urging persons residing in the Netherlands who have visited the city or province of Antwerp to quarantine themselves for 14 days. More specifications about the quarantine (in Dutch).
Tickets for the IC Netherlands for travel from 31 July to 16 August 2020 included are fully refundable until the initially scheduled travel date at their original point of sale.
Please note: if you cancel online, our system will automatically apply the normal refund conditions of your ticket. If the fare conditions of your ticket do not provide a full refund, please contact us on +32 2 801 90 10 for a full refund following the corona virus (for tickets purchased from SNCB).
ICE trains on the Brussels-Cologne-Frankfurt connection will get back to the normal schedule from 2 August 2020.
Since Monday 11 May, wearing a mask has been compulsory on all ICE trains. Please read the safety measures applicable in trains and stations in Germany (German).
Travelling to Germany
All German Länder are taking measures to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. In order to travel safely during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is recommended to respect the instructions of local authorities, the German Ministry of Health (page in German), the German Ministry of the Interior (page in German), the German police (page in German), and the Robert-Koch Institute (page in German).
Commercial measures
- Tickets purchased before 13/03 for travel until 03/05 can be refunded entirely or can be used flexibly on any DB train on the same route until 31/10/2020 (including Sparpreis and Supersparpreis saver tickets, which are usually limited to the train mentioned on the ticket).
- For tickets purchased before 13/03 for travel after 03/05, the regular refund conditions will apply. However, these tickets can be used flexibly on any DB train on the same route until 31/10/2020 (including Sparpreis and Supersparpreis saver tickets, which are usually limited to the train mentioned on the ticket).
- Tickets purchased as from 13/03 are subject to the fare's normal travel and refund conditions.
Please note: if you cancel online, our system will automatically apply the normal refund conditions of your ticket. If the fare conditions of your ticket do not provide a full refund, please contact us on +32 2 801 90 10 for a full refund following the corona virus (for tickets purchased from SNCB).
Wearing a mask will be mandatory on trains and all trains and public transport in France (no alternatives such as scarves or buffs allowed). Please read the safety measures applicable in regional trains and stations of northern France (French).
Tickets for travel from 31 July until 31 August 2020 are fully refundable at their original point of sale until the mentioned travel date.
Please note: if you cancel online, our system will automatically apply the normal refund conditions of your ticket. If the fare conditions of your ticket do not provide a full refund, please contact us on +32 2 801 90 10 for a full refund following the corona virus (for tickets purchased from SNCB).
Adapted train offer between Belgium and Luxembourg. Please consult the real time timetable via the SNCB app or via the SNCB route planner.
Wearing a mask is compulsory on trains operating in Luxembourg. You can use a homemade mask, bandana or scarf to protect yourself and others, throughout your trip. Please read the safety measures applicable in trains and stations of Luxembourg.
Tickets for journeys to and from Luxembourg from 31 July to 31 August 2020 included can be fully reimbursed until the initially scheduled travel date via their original point of sale.
Please note: if you cancel online, our system will automatically apply the normal refund conditions of your ticket. If the fare conditions of your ticket do not provide a full refund, please contact us on +32 2 801 90 10 for a full refund following the corona virus (for tickets purchased from SNCB).
Assistance for people with reduced mobility on the Luxembourg network has been suspended by CFL for the duration of the pandemia in Luxembourg. It is therefore no longer possible to book assistance for travel to or from Luxembourg.
Nightjet services from and to Belgium are interrupted until Thursday 25 June (arrival Friday 26 June) included.
Nightjet tickets for travel until 26 June are fully refundable at their original point of sale.
Please note: if you cancel online, our system will automatically apply the normal refund conditions of your ticket. If the fare conditions of your ticket do not provide a full refund, please contact us on +32 2 801 90 10 for a full refund following the corona virus (for tickets purchased from SNCB).
Please read the safety measures applicable in trains and stations of Austria.
The S43 trains on the Hasselt-Liège-Maastricht connection will be operating between again between Visé and Maastricht as from Monday 11 May.
Please consult the real time timetable via the SNCB app or via the SNCB route planner.
Safety measures in the Netherlands:
- from 1 June, wearing a mask is mandatory on all trains and public transport in the Netherlands (no alternatives such as scarves or buffs allowed).
- from 1 July, travelling with a bicycle and travelling in a group are allowed again.
Please read all safety measures applicable in trains and stations in the Netherlands.
Notice: from Wednesday 29 July 2020, the Dutch authorities are urging persons residing in the Netherlands who have visited the city or province of Antwerp to quarantine themselves for 14 days. More specifications about the quarantine (in Dutch).
Tickets for cross-border journeys between Belgium and Roosendaal or Maastricht from 31 July to 31 August 2020 can be fully reimbursed via their original point of sale until the initially scheduled travel date.
Please note: if you cancel online, our system will automatically apply the normal refund conditions of your ticket. If the fare conditions of your ticket do not provide a full refund, please contact us on +32 2 801 90 10 for a full refund following the corona virus (for tickets purchased from SNCB).
Please consult the real time timetable via the SNCB app or via the SNCB route planner.
From Monday April 27, wearing a mask is compulsory on regional trains to and from Aachen. You can use a homemade mask, bandana or scarf (covering nose and mouth) to protect yourself and others, throughout your trip. Please read the safety measures applicable in the trains and stations of the Aachen region (German).
Tickets for journeys between Belgium and Aken from 31 July until 31 August 2020 can be fully reimbursed via their original point of sale until the originally scheduled travel date.
Please note: if you cancel online, our system will automatically apply the normal refund conditions of your ticket. If the fare conditions of your ticket do not provide a full refund, please contact us on +32 2 801 90 10 for a full refund following the corona virus (for tickets purchased from SNCB).
