Fancy a quick trip to the Braderie de Lille?
By train, of course.
Fancy a quick trip to the Braderie de Lille?
By train, of course.
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Once a year, for one weekend only, Lille turns into one giant open-air market. The Grande Braderie de Lille is the largest flea market in Europe: over two million visitors flock along kilometres of pavement, mixing professional bargain-hunters, families on the lookout for a good deal, and moules-frites lovers. From Belgium, it's one of the easiest weekend trips to plan: Lille is just a short train ride from Brussels. Here's everything you need to know to plan your visit – dates, how to get there, best neighbourhoods and insider tips.
Update 9 October, 2 pm
Due to announced strike, fewer trains will be operating on the Belgian rail network from Sunday 11 October (10 pm - CET) to Monday 11 October 2026 included.
An alternative train service will be drawn up based on available train staff. All details on this alternative train service will be available 24h in advance on www.belgiantrain.be.
Please take this alternative train service into account if you need to take a domestic connection in Belgium before or after an international train journey, or if you need to take our regional trains just across the border (Roosendaal, Maastricht, Aachen, Luxembourg, Lille or Maubeuge).
More details about international trains:
Eurostar:
Most Eurostar trains operate normally. Please check Eurostar's timetables.
ICE, TGV INOUI and OUIGO
All ICE, TGV INOUI and OUIGO trains to and from Belgium operate normally.
EuroCity (Brussels-Rotterdam)
On Monday 12 October, 12 trains out of 16 will operate in each direction.
The following trains are cancelled:
Eurocity Direct (Brussels-Amsterdam)
On Monday 12 October, 8 trains out of 16 circulent will operate from Belgium to the Netherlands and 9 trains out of 16 will operate from the Netherlands to Belgium.
However, please note that most of them will only operate between Brussels and Rotterdam.
The following trains are cancelled:
Besides, Eurocity Direct 9512 (departing from Amsterdam Zuid 06:03) will terminate in Antwerpen-Centraal instead of Brussels.
Validity of tickets for EuroCity & Eurocity Direct:
Nightjet
The Vienna-Brussels train departing on Sunday night (11 October) will terminate in Cologne. The Brussels-Vienna train departing on Monday night (12 October) will depart from Cologne. Between Brussels/Liège and Cologne, Nightjet passengers can use the ICE trains.
Please check this page regularly for further updates.
The 2026 edition of the Grande Braderie de Lille takes place on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 September, keeping with tradition: the event always falls on the first weekend of September. It usually kicks off on Saturday morning at 8am and runs through to late Sunday afternoon (around 6pm), with the atmosphere in full swing non-stop – including through the night, for the most determined bargain-hunters. Exact opening hours can vary slightly by neighbourhood and by stallholder from one edition to the next, so we recommend checking the official information from the City of Lille closer to the event.
Good to know: unlike many major events, the Braderie de Lille is completely free and open to all, out in the open air, right in the streets of the city centre.
In this guide:
The Braderie takes place right in the heart of Lille, at the foot of the Citadelle de Vauban, just steps from Lille-Flandres and Lille-Europe stations. The train is by far the simplest way to get there: no hunting for parking, no traffic jams, and you'll arrive right in the city centre, just a few minutes' walk from the first stalls. From Belgium, you have several options depending on your budget, your priority (speed or price), and your departure point.
At Brussels-Midi, hop aboard the TGV INOUI and reach the capital of northern France in the blink of an eye.
You'll arrive relaxed and ready at Lille-Europe, the city's international station. Located right in the centre, at the heart of the Euralille shopping district, this station is served by numerous international trains. It's also the ideal departure point for other French destinations, as well as for travellers heading on to Great Britain.
Belgium is excellently connected to its neighbouring countries. Several SNCB trains continue their journey just past the border, offering simple, convenient and frequent cross-border regional connections. Whether you're commuting to work or school, going shopping, visiting family, or just taking a quick getaway, the train carries you effortlessly across the border.
With kilometres of stalls spread across the whole city, it's hard to see everything in just one weekend. Here are the neighbourhoods not to miss:
Practical tip: the most central streets are also the busiest. If you'd rather avoid the crowds, aim for an early arrival on Saturday morning, before the afternoon rush.
