Brussels to Cologne

Hi,

We%26#39;re planning to go to Cologne from Brussels. I am staying in a flat near the Central Station. I need advise on how to go by train. How much is the fare for a round trip ticket? do i need to make an early reservation??

thanks in advance for the help

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You have a couple of options to go from Cologne to Brussels by train.

One is the Thalys which is a train which requires reservations in advance and tickets cost from 14 (for a rare Smilys fare) to 40 euros one way (for a normal 2nd class fare). This train stops at Gare du Midi (Brussels South Station) and you would have to catch a train or metro from there one station up to Gare du Central (Brussels Central Station.) Travel time is around 2 hours 20 minutes.

You can also take the ICE line which is the Intercity international train. These tickets can be purchased directly at the Cologne station and you can buy a ticket which stops at Brussels Central Station. The cost will be around the same as a Smilys fare or around 14-16 euros one way. These trains run about every hour and the travel time can vary depending on the number of stops. I saw times from 2hrs. 22 minutes up to 2 hrs 48 minutes.

To check the schedules you can go to www.b-rail.be. Enter the departure city as Koln and the arrival city as Brussels Central with the date and hours you wish to go. The Thalys option you will be on the schedule listed as a Thalys train THA. Otherwise it will be the non-reservation Intercity trains.

The Thalys website is www.thalys.com

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