How to Get From Brussels to Berlin by Train

Yes, it is easy taking the Thalys or Eurostar to Paris or London. But did you know that it is also very simple to visit some other cities in nearby countries by train? It may take a little more time, but rewards are big, for yourself and the environment! Traveling overland gives you the possibility to soak up more of the local culture. It is a nice slow way of traveling and you can do some daydreaming while watching the landscapes passing by. You definitely also get more legroom than on a low-cost airline! On the other hand, the impact on the environment is a lot less damaging than taking an airplane. For those who are not familiar with the environmental impact of flying: airplanes produce greenhouse gases from burning fuel. The most well-known is carbon dioxide, better known as CO2. These gases are released into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. Trains also produce greenhouse gases but emissions are much lower. If you are curious about how big the difference actually is, you can visit the website Ecopassenger. On this website you can fill out your starting point, destination and date and the website will tell you how much emission each transport option causes. You will find that taking the train is always a greener alternative than taking an airplane, car or bus. This article provides a Brussels to Berlin by train guide.

Where to buy tickets

The best way to buy tickets for your trip from Brussels to Berlin by train is on the website of NMBS International. You can also book tickets by phone or at a ticket booth in a train station but this will require you to pay an extra fee. Bookings are possible six months prior to departure.

Same as for airline bookings it is a good idea to book ahead as far as possible and not to travel at peak times because prices will rise. You can ask to send the tickets to your home or to collect them at a train station after booking online but this will also require you to pay a little extra. The best option is to just have them stored in your email on your phone or, in case you don’t own a smartphone, print them out at home.

The booking process is easy: simply put in the station you want to depart from and your destination, the dates and preferred times of departure. The site generates a list of all the options available. All the options include a stop in Cologne. There is no direct train. Scroll through them and find the best-sooted tickets.

If you want you can make a seat reservation but in my opinion, it is not really necessary. You can also take insurance in case you would need to cancel the trip. Fill out your personal details and choose a payment method and boom! That’s done.

Departure in Brussels

Leaving your house you have to make your way to Brussel-Zuid (Bruxelles-Midi in French). Upon your arrival in Brussel-Zuid, you will need to find your way to the right platform. The day before departure you receive an email with some information about your trip. If you click on the email on the button “manage my booking” (+ booking number) a webpage appears with all your booking information.

Scroll down and click on the arrow on the left side of “connections”. Then click on the info button on the right of your screen next to your departure train. A pop-up appears with all the platforms you depart from and arrive on in Brussels, Cologne, and Berlin.

When you enter the train station make sure to check the main departures board just to confirm there haven’t been any changes made regarding the platform. Trains to Germany always leave from platform 3 to 6. There is no check-in needed so you don’t need to arrive much earlier. Go to the right platform and board the train.

If you do not have a seat reservation, you have to look for seats that have no sign on the side that says something like “48 Brussel-Koln” or “56 Brussels-Aachen”. These are reserved seats. If there is no sign but it’s black, it means that the seat is available and you can sit down.

This part of the trip takes approximately 1h45min. The train makes 3 stops before arriving in Cologne.

Cologne train station

Stopover at Cologne and switching trains to Berlin

Arriving in Cologne you need to look for your next connection. Just check your email or the departure board. If you have to wait for a little while it is a fun option to leave the train station and spend some time on Bahnhofsvorplatz. The famous Cologne Cathedrale is right in front of you and you can have a drink on one of the many terraces.

If you have more time on your hands you can even visit the Ludwig Museum which is right behind the cathedral or check out some other things to do in Cologne. The Ludwig museum exhibits an extensive collection of artwork including Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock and Marcel Broothaers.

Cologne Cathedrale

If you didn’t pack any food from home, there are some good vegetarian food options available inside the train station! If you arrive in the morning go to Haferkater. Haferkater is a small German chain who serve porridge with seasonal toppings like fruit and granola and coffee.

For lunch you can find veggie sushi or tofu wok at other stalls. There is also a supermarket at the station where you can buy stuff you might need. After indulging on your first food on German soil hit the right platform and board the train for the second leg of the trip. This part takes about 4h15min. The train makes 6 stops on the way before arriving at Berlin Hauptbahnhof.

Arrival in Berlin Hauptbahnhof

Yes, Hello Berlin! You have finally arrived. When you first arrive at Berlin Hauptbahnhof the size of it can be a bit overwhelming. It consists of five floors and it may not be clear where you need to go next. It depends now on what you want to do to get to your accommodation.

Berlin Hauptbahnhof is in Mitte. That is the city center, which is cool! By plane, you arrive outside of the city center. Check the address of your accommodation. Maybe you can walk! If not, I would suggest taking the S-Bahn or U-Bahn. The U-Bahn is fast public transport like the subway. The S-Bahn is an abbreviation for Stadtschnellbahn. It looks similar to the subway but it operates mainly above ground.

If you’re tired of commuting, you can also grab a taxi, they are waiting outside each station exit on Europa Platz and Washington Platz.

Berlin Hauptbahnhof

How to take the U-Bahn and S-Bahn

The easiest thing to do if you want to take public transportation to your accommodation is to open this route map of all the U-Bahn and S-Bahn routes. Look up the address of your accommodation in google maps and check which U-Bahn or S-Bahn station is closest to your accommodation. Figure out the one(s) you have to take to get to your accommodation. If it’s not clear you can always ask someone.

At Hauptbahnhof station, you have to look for a green dot with an S in the middle for S-Bahn or a blue sign with a U for U-Bahn. When you find and follow these signs you will come across some ticket booths. Depending on how long you stay you can buy a ticket for 1 ride which costs € 2,90. A day pass costs € 8,60.

You can also buy the Berlin Welcome card for 2 up to 6 days (23 to 49€). This ticket gives you access to public transport and, on top of that, you get all sorts of discounts at museums and other tourist attractions. I always take a normal 7-day pass which costs 34€ because I do not need the tourist discounts included in the berlin welcome card.

Another point of attention: Berlin is divided into different areas. AB is the city center and AB+C is Berlin + Potsdam. If you stay inside the main berlin area’s AB is ok for you. This ticket is valid on all public transport (S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams and busses).

Travel time

The trip from Brussels to Berlin by train takes six to eight hours depending on your connecting train in Cologne.

Travel costs

Prices for traveling from Brussels to Berlin by train can vary greatly ranging between € 56 to up to € 300 for a round trip. If you can be flexible with dates and book ahead you shouldn’t come across any problems finding cheap tickets.

Brussels to Berlin by train: Info + tips

There you go! I hope you enjoyed this Brussels to Berlin by train guide. As of May 2023, there will also be a night train serving Berlin from Brussels via Amsterdam.

If you decide to travel to Berlin, here’s a great guide on sustainable accommodation options in Berlin!

Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page!

ENJOY!

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March 7, 2022

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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!

On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!