Belgium'shigh-speed rail network provides mostly international connections fromBrussels toFrance,Germany andThe Netherlands. The high-speed network began with the opening of theHSL 1 to France in 1997, and since then high-speed lines have been extended towards Germany withHSL 2 in 2002,HSL 3 fromLiège to the German border in 2009, andHSL 4 fromAntwerp to the Dutch border in 2009.
Three international high-speed train services currently operate in Belgium:Eurostar,InterCityExpress (ICE) andTGV. All operators stop atBrussels-South station, Belgium's largesttrain station. Some services also stop atLiège andAntwerp stations. However, these international operators are not allowed to sell tickets between two Belgian cities. Instead, passengers must take a Belgian IC train which uses the same high-speed lines[citation needed].Eurostar connects Brussels toAmsterdam,Cologne (Köln),Düsseldorf,London,Paris andRotterdam. The German ICE operates between Brussels andFrankfurt via Cologne (Köln). The French TGV operates direct services from Brussels to Nantes, Marseilles, Perpignan, Rennes and Strasbourg, serving over 25 stations along the routes.[1]
There are four high-speed lines in Belgium which support 260–300 km/h (160–190 mph) operation. All are electrified at25 kV 50 Hz AC, unlike most of the rest of the Belgian rail network which uses3,000 V DC.
HSL 1 connectsBrussels with the French border. 88 km (55 mi) long (71 km (44 mi) dedicated high-speed tracks, 17 km (11 mi) modernised lines), it began service on 14 December 1997. The line has appreciably shortened rail journeys, the journey fromParis toBrussels now taking 1:22. In combination with theLGV Nord, it has also impacted international journeys toFrance andLondon, ensuring high-speed through-running byEurostar andTGV trainsets. The total construction cost was €1.42 billion.
HSL 2 runs betweenLeuven andAns. 95 km (59 mi) long (61 km (38 mi) dedicated high-speed tracks, 34 km (21 mi) modernised lines, it began service on 15 December 2002. Combined with HSL 3 to the German border, the combined eastward high speed lines have greatly accelerated journeys betweenBrussels,Paris andGermany. HSL 2 is used by international Eurostar and ICE trains as well as domesticInterCity services.
HSL 3 connectsLiège to theGerman border. It is 56 km (35 mi) long and is made up of 42 km (26 mi) of dedicated high-speed tracks and 14 km (8.7 mi) of modernised lines. It was completed on 15 December 2007, but trains did not start to use it until June 14, 2009. HSL 3 is used by international Eurostar and ICE trains only.
HSL 4 connectsAntwerp north to theDutch border where it meets theHSL-Zuid. It is 87 km (54 mi) long, comprising 40 km (25 mi) dedicated high speed tracks and 47 km (29 mi) modernised lines. Mostly completed in 2007, the opening of the line was delayed till December 2009 due to problems with signalling. HSL 4 is used by international Eurostar and ICE trains as well as domestic InterCity services. Initially,NS Hispeed (nowNS International) planned using the newly orderedV250 for the fastFyra train service between Brussels, Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Due to technical problems with the model, this plan was scrapped. TheNS has ordered 20 newICNG trains for service on this route.[2] Between Brussels and Antwerp (47 km (29 mi)), trains travel at 160 km/h (99 mph) on the upgraded existing line (with the exception of a few segments where a speed limit of 120 km/h (75 mph) is imposed). At the E19/A12 motorway junction, trains leave the regular line to run on new dedicated high-speed tracks to the Dutch border (40 km (25 mi)) at 300 km/h (190 mph).
Railway line 25N [nl], part of theDiabolo project, is under construction betweenSchaerbeek, just north of Brussels andMechelen, just south of Antwerp. It is not a true high-speed rail corridor, but is being built to accommodate speeds up to 220 kilometres per hour (140 mph).[3] A related project to renovateMechelen railway station includes construction of tracks at the station's edge reserved for passing high-speed trains.[4]
When completed, this line will complete a near-continuous high-speed connection between Amsterdam, Brussels, and London or Paris, with exceptions where trains run on conventional tracks in densely populated areas—namely between Mechelen and Antwerp, and between Schiphol and Amsterdam. Trains are also unable to reach full high speed near urban stations; for example, on the short sections north of Brussels to Schaerbeek and north of Antwerp to Luchtbal. Additionally, aroundRotterdam station, tight track curves restrict full-speed operation.
EuroCap-Rail is a proposed high-speed rail axis connecting Brussels,Luxembourg (city), andStrasbourg—three cities which, combined, are the homes of six of the seveninstitutions of the European Union and unofficially calledthe capitals of Europe. The axis would run along existing lines that would be upgraded for high-speed rail service.[5][6]
There are 4 stations in Belgium where high-speed trains stop: