Wien to Bruxelles by train
Bruxelles in Belgium is a good hub for international train routes. I ended up there on my way back to the UK after a fantastic Interrail trip through Central Europe. The distance between Wien (Vienna) and Bruxelles (Brussels) can be covered within a day with as little as 1 change. And travelling overnight is even easier. Below, you will find the most important information to travel between Wien and Bruxelles by train.
Option 1 (overnight) – 15.19 hours, 0 changes
Wien > Bruxelles
You can take the รBB Nightjet between these cities 3 times a week in each direction. Leaving from Wien, your departure options are currently Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Even for a night train, it takes quite long, which means there is plenty of time for both dinner and breakfast on the train. You can use an Interrail pass on this route, but you will need to reserve a seat or bed at an additional cost. When booking in advance, buying your ticket directly with รBB can be more cost-effective. Either way, overnight trains are certainly time-efficient!
Option 2 – 11.22 hours, 1 change
Wien > Frankfurt > Bruxelles
The train route I took from Wien to Bruxelles in May 2025 included 1 change in Frankfurt. I had an hour to transfer in Frankfurt, which is useful in case of delays. If you’re travelling with an Interrail pass, make sure to reserve your seats, as both trains will fill up. In Wien, you can board the train at the main station or at Meidling. Arriving into Bruxelles, the train stops at both Nord (north) and Midi (south) stations. This route generally runs twice a day, but it will be an early start to catch the first one. Instead of changing at Frankfurt, you can stay on the same train until Kรถln. However, this option is more expensive, takes a less direct route and adds extra transfer time, making the whole trip take 1 or 2 hours longer.
Travelling to elsewhere in Belgium
The second train from Frankfurt also stops in Liรจge on its way to Bruxelles. For any other destinations in Belgium, you will need to add an extra change. From the capital, it is only about 15 minutes to Mechelen and 30 minutes to Antwerp. More to the west, you can reach Gent in roughly 30 minutes and Brugge in just under 1 hour.
