On account of specific check-in procedures and stricter customs controls, Eurostar passengers to/from London must be present at the Eurostar check-in at least 45 to 60 minutes before departure (exception: 10 minutes fast check-in for Business Premier passengers).

Eurostar passengers between Belgium, France, Germany and The Netherlands are usually advised to be at the station about 20 minutes before departure. For security measures, boarding is possible until 5 minutes before departure.

However, from 14 June to 8 September 2024, passengers of international trains may be subject to non-systematic and non-permanent security checks (which may include identity checks and luggage searches) in the train stations of Brussels-Midi, Antwerp-Central and Liège-Guillemins. Taking into account that you may be subject to these security checks, we ask you to foresee a safe time margin and make your way to the platform about 30 minutes in advance.

At other stations, allow yourself enough time to find your way around the station (this varies greatly from one station to another) and to catch your train with complete peace of mind. Generally, we recommend being on the platform around 5 minutes before departure of the train.

If you are a resident of a European Union or European Free Trade Association country, you only need your national identity card or passport to be able to travel in Europe. In addition to your train ticket, that is.

Since 1 October 2021, a passport is required for travelling to the United Kingdom, and a visa is required to work or study in the United Kingdom for a longer period.

We suggest that passengers under the age of 18 travelling without their parents also carry a document stating parental authorisation issued by their local authority.

For more details regarding travel documents, please visit diplomatie.belgium.be. If you are a resident of another country, you should obtain travel information from your embassy.

For most high-speed trains (notably Eurostar, TGV INOUI, TGV Lyria and ICE), the cheapest fares are available in limited quantities. So to benefit from the best prices, we suggest you avoid peak times and book your journey as far ahead as possible.

In some circumstances, it can be more cost-effective to travel as a group, as some rail companies offer fares which are exclusively available to small groups of 3-5 passengers, like the "Pack Tribu" fare on TGV INOUI, for example.

Finally, many railway operators regularly run temporary offers on fares, offering passengers good deals on rail travel. To ensure you don't miss out on these offers, we recommend you visit our website or Facebook page regularly, or sign up for our newsletter.

For travel between Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands

You can take 1 item of hand luggage + max. 2 items of luggage (max. dimensions 75 x 53 x 30 cm) per passenger.

Weight may not exceed 32 kg per item of luggage and overall dimensions (length + width + height) may not be more than 158 cm per item of luggage. If you are travelling with a child, you can also take a buggy in addition to the amount of luggage specified above.

For safety reasons, any luggage on board Eurostar must carry a label showing the passenger's name.

Some cumbersome items of luggage are allowed on board under certain conditions:

• Buggies must be folded and placed in the storage areas situated in the carriage in which you are seated.
• Bikes must be folded. If your bike is not a folding bike, it must be placed in a cover measuring max. 135 x 85 x 30cm (both wheels unclipped).
• Musical instruments ans sports equipment (skis, surf boards, golf clubs etc.) must be carried in their cases (preferably rigid) and should not exceed 2 m in length.

If you are carrying cumbersome luggage, you can carry 1 item of hand luggage and 1 item of luggage (max. 75 x 53 x 30 cm) in addition to the cumbersome item.

Items forbidden on board Thalys:

• Unusual products such as perishable foods giving off an unpleasant odour.
• Hazardous products and items, such as (open list): knives, firearms, explosives, inflammable liquids or other hazardous products (chemical, biological, etc.).
• Products intended for trade, the quantity and/or packaging of which show that the "passengers" ticket is being misappropriated for the transportation of goods which should have formed the subject of the services of an operator specialising in this area.
• Products prohibited by customs or any other administrative authority (e.g.: drugs).

For travel to/from London

You can carry, as a maximum, 1 item of hand luggage (handbag, briefcase, computer bag, etc.) + 2 bags or cases (not exceeding 85 cm in length) per adult passenger.

Buggies are allowed on board free of charge in addition to the authorised volume of luggage, provided they are folded and stored in the luggage rack above your seat.

If you are travelling in Business Premier, you can carry up to 1 item or hand luggage + 3 bags or cases (max. 85 cm in length).

Children (under 12) can take 1 item of hand luggage + 1 bag or case (max. 85 cm in length). Children under 4 years old travel for free and are not included in the booking and do not need a ticket. They do not need a seat or luggage allocation and must sit on the lap of a parent or guardian.

Registered luggage service

If you want to travel to/from London with more luggage or heavy or cumbersome items (+ 85 cm in length), you must contact the Eurostar luggage registration service available in London, Paris, Lille and Brussels.

Registered luggage travels in a reserved space on the next available train so as not to cause congestion in your carriage. It will be available for collection at your Eurostar station of destination within 24 hours of registration.

This service also means you can send your luggage on in advance and collect it on your arrival. You can register your luggage on the day of departure, but please allow enough time to register your luggage and then check in yourself 60 minutes before your train leaves.

Charges for registered luggage (PDF) >

Contact the Eurostar luggage registration service

• at Paris Nord: +33 1 55 31 58 33
• at Brussels (Midi/Zuid): +32 2 224 88 62
• at London St Pancras: +44 344 822 5822

Do you have another connection in Belgium before or after your international journey with Eurostar, TGV INOUI or Nightjet? If so, you will need a specific ticket for this connection.

We advise you to buy our Connection ticket in addition to your international ticket, which will enable you to take any train on the national SNCB network on the specified date between the Belgian station of your choice and the Belgian departure or arrival station of your international high speed train (Brussels-Midi, Antwerp-Central or Liège-Guillemins). However, you will need to specify your departure or arrival station in Belgium when you buy your 'Connection' ticket.

The price of the Connection ticket will depend on your travel class and on the flexibility level of your international ticket.

Price of the Connection ticket per single leg:

• Low Flex : €9,10 (2nd class) or €14,10 (1st class) - no refund possible
• Mid Flex : €11,40 (2nd class) or €17,60 (1st class) - unused tickets are 50% refundable up to the travel date.
• High Flex : €13,70 (2nd class) or €21,10 (1st class) - full refund for unused tickets until 1 day after the scheduled travel date. 

The Connection ticket is free for children under 12 accompanied by an adult (max. 4 free children per adult). There is a reduced child fare for unaccompanied children under 12.

To buy your 'Connection' ticket online, simply select your actual station of departure or arrival (e.g. Bruges, Namur or Antwerp instead of Brussels-Midi) when you book your international journey.

Please note: the 'Connection' ticket must be booked together with your international tickets within the same booking file.

Online booking >

When reserving your seat online, your seat will generally be assigned automatically by your rail carrier's inventory system. However, the main trains we sell tickets for offer several options for choosing a seat. These options can vary from one rail company to another.

If you book your TGV INOUI journey online, go to our site for some basic options for choosing your seat (window/aisle), Solo/Duo/Carré and so on), depending on the number of passengers and travel class.

If you booked a Eurostar journey, you can manage your booking and select your seat after your purchase by entering your Eurostar booking reference in the Eurostar app or www.eurostar.com website.

More options will be available if you book your journey by telephone or at our stations (for a wider range of trains, including ICE and overnight trains): thanks to more advanced features on their sales system, our sales staff are able (subject to availability) to select a specific seat, seat several groups of passengers together or book a specific seat for wheelchair users.

N.B.: Most rail companies do not offer any choice as to which way your seat will face. This criterion produces too many operational constraints (composition of train, configuration of stations, occupancy of maintenance workshops and sidings, etc.) to be guaranteed.

Absolutely!

Since 2 April 2024, the UK Government requires us to collect and submit Advance Passenger Information (API) for you and anyone else on your booking before you travel to/from the UK.

When you have booked a journey from/to London, you will receive your actual Eurostar tickets only after providing the following information for all passengers:

• full name
• date of birth
• gender
• nationality
• passport details (number, issuing country and expiry date).

These details must be entered in the “Manage your Booking” section on the Eurostar website (after entering your PNR booking reference).

More information about Advance Passenger Information >

Eurostar has launched the new Club Eurostar loyalty scheme for rewarding frequent travel.

For every journey made with Eurostar, Club Eurostar members collect points, which means they will enjoy a range of benefits: free tickets, gifts, exclusive offers, tailor-made services, etc.

The Club Eurostar scheme has 4 membership levels (Classique, Avantage, Carte Blanche and Étoile), depending on the number of journeys made.

Find out more and sign up on the Club Eurostar web page.