Fly or take the train? This is a question we are constantly faced with when traveling within Europe. On the one hand, the train is the more sustainable option, but on the other hand, it is also the more time-consuming option. The ÖBB Nightjet offers a good solution to this problem by taking you to your destination overnight so you don’t have to waste your waking hours traveling. These more distant destinations include not only Paris, Rome, and Berlin, but also Belgium. Head to the heart of the EU to sample fries and waffles, admire Brussels City Hall, and stroll through the old town of Liège.
A night train journey for €29.90
Photo: Simon Tartarotti/Unsplash
The Nightjet takes you from Vienna to Brussels in 15 hours and 48 minutes, stopping in several major cities along the way. You’ll stop in Linz, Salzburg, Munich, Mainz, Koblenz, Bonn, Aachen, and Liège, among others. The train runs three times a week, always on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 6:08 p.m. from Vienna Central Station and at 6:15 p.m. from Vienna Meidling. You will then arrive at Bruxelles-Nord at 9:49 a.m. and at Bruxelles Midi at 9:56 a.m. This gives you the whole day to explore the city.
Ticket prices start at €29.90 for a seat in 2nd class. There are also couchette and sleeper compartments, the latter with and without private bathrooms. A place in a 6-bed compartment in a couchette car starts at €49.90. If you are traveling as a group, you can also book entire compartments for maximum privacy.
Additional amenities on the Nightjet to Brussels
Photo: Simon Tartarotti/Unsplash
The Nightjet also offers you the opportunity to travel with your pets and take your bike with you on the journey. A space in the bike compartment costs €12. If you want to take your dog with you, you have to book your own compartment and pay €29 for your four-legged friend. If you are currently traveling with an Interrail or Eurail pass, you can also use it to travel on the Nightjet to Brussels, but you will have to pay a booking fee for your seat. This varies depending on the type of seat you choose.
If you travel to Brussels on the Nightjet, you have a direct connection to the Eurostar to London from there. This means you can travel from Austria to the UK with just one change. Or you can get off in Liège and visit this less touristy city, which will charm you with its medieval charm and Liège waffles.