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Getting from Cologne to Lille is easy! On this train journey, you just need to change trains once, at Brussels (Midi/Zuid) station, after your arrival there from Cologne.
This journey of over 300 km from Germany to France takes just over 3 hours on high-speed trains. And as an added bonus, you’ll arrive in the city centre!
The first leg of your journey will take you from the central station in Cologne (Köln Hbf) to Brussels (Midi/Zuid) station. This service runs several times a day with high-speed Eurostar or ICE trains, and takes just 1 hour 47 minutes.
At Brussels (Midi/Zuid) station, board the Eurostar or TGV INOUI trains to Lille. All you have to do is change platforms after your arrival from Cologne. Very easy!
There are around 8 direct trains from Brussels to Lille on weekdays. They’ll take you to Lille Europe train station in around 35 minutes. One of 2 major railway stations in the city, Lille Europe is an international hub for Eurostar and TGV INOUI so if your journey’s taking you further into France, this is the ideal starting point to do so.
Update 19/5, 7h25 am
Due to a strike, the rail service on the Belgian rail network will be limited from Monday 19 May (10 pm) to Tuesday 20 May 2025 included.
An alternative train service will be drawn up based on available train staff. Take this alternative train service into account if you need to take a domestic connection in Belgium before or after your international train journey, or if you need to take our regional trains shortly across the border (Roosendaal, Maastricht, Aachen, Luxembourg, Lille or Maubeuge). More details on this alternative train service are available on www.belgiantrain.be.
All TGV INOUI, OUIGO and ICE trains operate normally. Likewise, most Eurostar trains will operate normally (except for 2 trains in both directions between Brussels and Paris).
However, several EuroCity and Eurocity Direct trains that connect Belgium and The Netherlands are cancelled on Tuesday 20/05.
EuroCity: 12 trains out of 16 will operate in each direction. Cancelled trains:
Eurocity Direct: half of the trains operating. Cancelled trains:
We advise to check this page regularly for further updates.
Due to engineering works in the greater Paris area (Roissy Charles de Gaulle & Solers), several TGV INOUI trains connecting Brussels to France will be diverted from their usual itinerary from 2 May to 15 June 2025.
Besides, some TGV INOUI trains will be cancelled at different days within the period from 2 to 31 May 2025 :
During the weekends of 7, 8 and 9 June and of 14 and 15 June 2025, TGV INOUI trains from/to Brussels will only operate between Brussels-Midi and Lille Europe.
