Eurostar, the high speed train that connects London, Brussels, Paris, Lille and AmsterdamEurostar

On account of specific check-in procedures and stricter customs controls, Eurostar passengers must be present at the Eurostar check-in at least 45 to 60 minutes before departure (exception: 10 minutes fast check-in for Business Premier passengers).

Thalys passengers travelling from Paris Nord (Paris) need to be at the station 20 minutes before departure due to security measures.

Furthermore, non-systematic and non-permanent security checks have been introduced in the train stations of Brussels-Midi, Antwerp-Central and Liège-Guillemins for Thalys, TGV INOUI and ICE passengers as from July 2017. Taking into account that you may be subject to these security checks, we ask you to foresee a safe time margin and make your way to the platform sufficiently on time.

At other stations, allow yourself enough time to find your way around the station (this varies greatly from one station to another) and to catch your train with complete peace of mind. Generally, we recommend being on the platform around 5 minutes before departure of the train.

If you are a resident of a European Union or European Free Trade Association country, you only need your national identity card or passport to be able to travel in Europe. In addition to your train ticket, that is.

We suggest that passengers under the age of 18 travelling without their parents also carry a document stating parental authorisation issued by their local authority.

Brexit transition period:

Until 30 September 2021, citizens of the European Union can still travel to the United Kingdom upon presentation of their identity card (or passport) for a stay of up to 3 months. From 1 October 2021, however, a passport will be required. Please not that a visa will be required from 1 January 2021 to work or study in the United Kingdom for a longer period.

As for British citizens traveling from Brussels to the United Kingdom with Eurostar, they will be required to present their passport at the Eurostar terminal in Brussels-Midi for stamping by the Belgian Federal Police in charge of custom control from 1 January 2021.

For more details regarding travel documents, please visit diplomatie.belgium.be. If you are a resident of another country, you should obtain travel information from your embassy.

For most high-speed trains (notably Thalys, Eurostar, TGV INOUI, TGV Lyria and ICE), the cheapest fares are available in limited quantities. So to benefit from the best prices, we suggest you avoid peak times and book your journey as far ahead as possible.

In some circumstances, it can be more cost-effective to travel as a group, as some rail companies offer fares which are exclusively available to small groups of 3-5 passengers. Examples include the Thalys "Mini Group" fare or the "Pack Tribu" fare on TGV INOUI.

Finally, many railway operators regularly run temporary offers on fares, offering passengers good deals on rail travel. To ensure you don't miss out on these offers, we recommend you visit our website or Facebook page regularly, or sign up for our newsletter.

On board Eurostar, you can carry, as a maximum, 1 item of hand luggage (handbag, briefcase, computer bag, etc.) + 2 bags or cases (not exceeding 85 cm in length) per adult passenger.

Buggies are allowed on board free of charge in addition to the authorised volume of luggage, provided they are folded and stored in the luggage rack above your seat.

If you are travelling in Business Premier, you can carry up to 1 item or hand luggage + 3 bags or cases (max. 85 cm in length).

Children (under 12) can take 1 item of hand luggage + 1 bag or case (max. 85 cm in length). Children under 4 years old travel for free and are not included in the booking and do not need a ticket. They do not need a seat or luggage allocation and must sit on the lap of a parent or guardian.

Eurostar registered luggage service

If you wish to travel with more luggage or heavy or cumbersome items (+ 85 cm in length), you must contact the Eurostar luggage registration service available in London, Paris, Lille and Brussels. Registered luggage and cumbersome items are not allowed on board Eurostar departing from or going to Ashford, Ebbsfleet, Calais, Disneyland^® Paris and on ski itineraries and the south of France.

Registered luggage travels in a reserved space on the next available train so as not to cause congestion in your carriage. It will be available for collection at your Eurostar station of destination within 24 hours of registration.

This service also means you can send your luggage on in advance and collect it on your arrival. You can register your luggage on the day of departure, but please allow enough time to register your luggage and then check in yourself 30 minutes before your train leaves.

Charges for registered luggage (PDF) >

Contact the Eurostar luggage registration service

• at Paris Nord: +33 1 55 31 58 33
• at Brussels (Midi/Zuid): +32 2 224 88 62
• at London St Pancras: +44 344 822 5822

Do you have another connection in Belgium before or after your journey with Thalys, Eurostar or TGV? If so, you will need a specific ticket for this connection.

We advise you to buy our 'Connection' ticket in addition to your international ticket at a fixed price of €7.60 in second class or €11.60 in first class (free for accompanying children aged under 12 years).

This 'Connection' ticket will enable you to take any train on the national SNCB network on the specified date between the Belgian station of your choice and the Belgian departure or arrival station of your international high speed train (Brussels-Midi, Antwerp-Central or Liège-Guillemins). However, you will need to specify your departure or arrival station in Belgium when you buy your 'Connection' ticket.

To buy your 'Connection' ticket online, simply select your actual station of departure or arrival (e.g. Bruges, Namur or Antwerp instead of Brussels-Midi) when you book your international journey.

Please note: the 'Connection' ticket is only valid with an international train ticket and must be booked within the same booking file. If necessary, your 'Connection' ticket can still be added to your booking file at a later moment by our Contact Center or at our international ticket desks.

Online booking >

When reserving your seat online, your seat will generally be assigned automatically by your rail carrier's inventory system. However, the main trains we sell tickets for offer several options for choosing a seat. These options can vary from one rail company to another.

If you book your Thalys or TGV journey online, go to our site for some basic options for choosing your seat (window/aisle), Solo/Duo/Carré and so on), depending on the number of passengers and travel class.

If you booked a Eurostar journey, you can manage your booking and select your seat after your purchase by entering your Eurostar booking reference in the Eurostar app or www.eurostar.com website.

More options will be available if you book your journey by telephone or at our stations (for a wider range of trains, including ICE and overnight trains): thanks to more advanced features on their sales system, our sales staff are able (subject to availability) to select a specific seat, seat several groups of passengers together or book a specific seat for wheelchair users.

N.B.: Most rail companies do not offer any choice as to which way your seat will face. This criterion produces too many operational constraints (composition of train, configuration of stations, occupancy of maintenance workshops and sidings, etc.) to be guaranteed.