Brussels Airport - General, Airlines

New high-speed train between Cologne and Brussels Airport by Deutsche Bahn in codeshare with Brussels Airlines

 

As of September 2026, Deutsche Bahn will connect Brussels Airport with Cologne with a high-speed train, linking German passengers in only 2 hours to the more than 180 direct destinations of Brussels Airport. ​ ​ Brussels Airlines launches a codeshare agreement with German rail operator Deutsche Bahn, which means that the train connection will also have a Brussels Airlines flight number, so passengers can expect smooth connections at Brussels Airport. Tickets for this new route are on sale as of today.

Deutsche Bahn is adding Brussels Airport to its network of high-speed train stops as of September 2026. The first train of this new connection will depart in Cologne on September 7th at 06.11h. The train will stop in Cologne, Aachen, Liege, Leuven and Brussels Airport. Afterwards, the train will continue to Antwerp. The ride between Cologne and Brussels Airport would take about 2 hours.

The train will be operated as a codeshare with Brussels Airlines. That means tickets for the route are also on sale via brusselsairlines.com, via travel agents and all other sales channels of Brussels Airlines. With Brussels Airlines Express Rail, passengers can connect smoothly in Brussels Airport on Brussels Airlines’ entire network. Passengers have one booking for their entire journey, a guaranteed connection in case of delays and can accumulate miles via the Miles and More program.

“We are very pleased that Brussels Airport is again connected to the high-speed rail network, an important step for Belgium’s international connectivity. Intermodality is indeed one of our strategic objectives and we are strongly committed to developing a robust, future-oriented network that strengthens our role as major intermodal hub. This new high-speed connection with Deutsche Bahn, and in codeshare with Brussels Airlines, will give passengers fast, seamless access from the Western regions of Germany to our more than 180 worldwide destinations, offering an even more efficient and sustainable way to travel to and from the airport.” , says Arnaud Feist, CEO, Brussels Airport.
“We are very happy to announce the first international high speed rail connection to Brussels Airport. The Western part of Germany has an important African diaspora, which we can now connect to our sub-Saharan African network. Our codeshare with Deutsche Bahn offers smooth connections in the most sustainable way. We work on more connections to come.”, says Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO, Brussels Airlines.
“More and more people are choosing climate-friendly ways to get to their flights. Connecting rail and air travel is very much in trend. The new direct connection from Cologne to Antwerp via Brussels Airport as a hub has two positive aspects: we are once again meeting the high demand from our passengers for international rail travel – and at the same time, we are expanding our intermodal offering through our cooperation with Brussels Airlines.” , says Michael Peterson, Member of the Management Board for Long Distance Passenger Transport, Deutsche Bahn.

All advantages of the codeshare at a glance:

  • One ticket, one check-in for train & plane
  • A guaranteed connection
  • Seat reservation in fixed carriage
  • Status customers have access to the Deutsche Bahn lounges
  • Miles accrual at Miles and More
  • Ticket includes local transport in Germany
“The continued expansion of our cooperation with Deutsche Bahn is a key pillar of the Lufthansa Group’s intermodal strategy, bringing air and rail even closer together for our customers. By improving rail access to our hubs and better connecting surrounding regions and cities, we are making travel more seamless, efficient and sustainable for our customers.”, says Dieter Vranckx, Chief Commercial Officer, Lufthansa Group.

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About Brussels Airport

Brussels Airport is one of the most important airports in Europe. In 2025, Brussels Airport welcomed 24.4 million passengers and transported 795,000 tonnes of cargo through the airport. Brussels Airport caters for the specific needs of business travellers and holidaymakers alike, on both intra-European and long haul flights. In 2026, the airport offers direct connections between Belgium and 205 destinations worldwide, with flights operated by 83 airlines.   

The airport also offers a leading cargo platform, specialised in the transport of pharmaceutical products, perishable goods, e-commerce and live animals. Brussels Airport is the most important pharmaceutical hub in Europe.

With its SHIFT 2027 strategy Brussels Airport Company intends to strengthen its position as a major European hub, accelerate its ambitious sustainability goals, e.g. through the European Green Deal project Stargate, and continue to diversify its activities by focusing on innovation and cooperation.

Brussels Airport is the second most important economic engine in Belgium, good for 64,000 direct and indirect jobs and is owned and operated by Brussels Airport Company. The shareholders are a consortium between PMV and private investors (75%) and FPIM/SFPI (25%). 

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Contact

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