NMBS/SNCB, SNCF Voyageurs, and SBB form partnership to extend Brussels-Strasbourg high-speed rail service to Basel in 2027

Type: Partnership · Technology: Transport · Country: Belgium, France, Switzerland · Announced: 2026-06-15

NMBS/SNCB, SNCF Voyageurs, and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) formed a partnership to extend the existing Brussels-Strasbourg high-speed rail service to Basel starting in July 2027. The pilot project will operate one train per day in each direction on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with departures from Brussels at 7 a.m. and Basel at 2 p.m., arriving at their destinations around 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. respectively. The route will include intermediate stops at Lille-Europe, Roissy Aéroport CDG TGV, Champagne-Ardenne TGV, Meuse TGV, Lorraine TGV, and Strasbourg, enabling Swiss travelers to connect to London via Lille or the Netherlands via Brussels. This expansion marks the first direct high-speed rail link between Belgium and Switzerland, addressing a long-standing gap in cross-border connectivity. The collaboration leverages the existing TGV Inoui infrastructure jointly operated by NMBS/SNCB and SNCF Voyageurs, which has served 28 destinations in France from Brussels with 9 daily trips in each direction since its launch 30 years ago.

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