Two recent analyses, one by independent rail commentator Jon Worth, the other by Nico Callens on the website Duurzaam Mobiel (Sustainably Mobile) have debated the future of rail connections between Belgium and the Netherlands, and in particular the feasibility of a new passenger train between Brussels and Eindhoven in North Brabant.
While both authors welcome renewed political attention for cross-border rail, they differ sharply on which routes are realistic, desirable and economically sound.
A renewed political mood
According to Jon Worth, the political climate surrounding Belgian–Dutch rail cooperation is the most positive it has been in years. Following a meeting between the transport ministers of Belgium and the Netherlands in Antwerp, both sides agreed to investigate improving passenger rail links between the two countries.
Worth sees this as part of a broader shift in rail policy thinking in The Hague, where the incoming D66-led coalition appears more willing to invest in both domestic and international rail services. With Brussels also open to discussions, Worth describes the atmosphere as cautiously optimistic.
A short-term option: Eindhoven via Antwerp
One proposal discussed by the ministers involves a direct Eindhoven – Antwerp – Brussels service using existing infrastructure. The train would run from Eindhoven via Antwerp-Central Railway Station to Brussels-South (Midi, Zuid).
Worth argues this would be relatively easy to implement. The infrastructure already exists, and Dutch NS ICNG trains, currently used on the Amsterdam–Rotterdam–Antwerp–Brussels route, could potentially operate the service. The main operational challenge would be securing suitable train paths between Antwerp and Mechelen (Malines, Mechlin).
At present, travelling from Eindhoven to Brussels requires changing in Breda and using a slower NMBS / SNCB service between Breda and Brussels. A limited number of direct services via Antwerp, even just a few times per day, would represent a clear improvement and could realistically be launched within one or two years.
The medium-term discussion: Hamont-Weert
More complex is the question of reopening the 7 km cross-border railway between Hamont and Weert, part of the historic Iron Rhine freight corridor between Antwerp and Germany’s Ruhr region.
Worth explains that although electrification ends at Hamont on the Belgian side (3 kV DC) and resumes at Weert on the Dutch side (1.5 kV DC), the missing section remains legally intact. Electrifying this short stretch and constructing an additional platform at Weert station would make a direct Eindhoven–Brussels service via Weert possible. While slower than the Antwerp route, it could significantly benefit cross-border commuters, especially those living in North-East Belgium and working in Eindhoven.
The bulk of required works would be on Dutch territory.
However, Nico Callens of Duurzaam Mobiel takes a more critical stance.
Confusion caused by outgoing Dutch state secretary
In an opinion piece dated 23 February 2026, Callens argues that then outgoing Dutch State Secretary Thierry Aartsen created unnecessary confusion by publicly promoting the Weert route for a Brussels–Eindhoven connection.
The day the new Dutch government under Prime Minister Rob Jetten (D66) was sworn in by King Willem-Alexander, Aartsen, formerly responsible for Public Transport and Environment, defended a cooperation agreement with his Belgian counterpart, Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés).
Callens notes that much of the agreement concerns longstanding freight issues, such as the Ghent–Terneuzen connection, for which funding had already been reserved. The reactivation of Hamont–Weert has likewise been discussed for years, with The Hague acknowledging its usefulness but hesitating due to what Callens describes as artificially inflated cost estimates.
The real controversy, according to Callens, lies in the suggestion that a Brussels–Eindhoven passenger train should run via Weert.
Breda and the high-speed line: 30 minutes faster
Callens strongly disputes the logic of routing a Brussels–Eindhoven train via Weert. The route via the high-speed line (HSL) and Breda, he argues, is at least half an hour faster and requires no additional infrastructure.
In principle, such a service could be introduced almost immediately.
By contrast, routing via Weert presents operational disadvantages. Trains arriving from Belgium would need to reverse direction at Weert in order to continue to Eindhoven.
Whereas older locomotives could perform such manoeuvres quickly, modern rolling stock with complex onboard systems can require 15 to 20 minutes to restart and complete safety procedures. This would significantly increase total travel time.
Furthermore, the Hamont–Weert section in its current state is unsuitable for robust passenger operations. Freight services towards Germany would in any case require electrification.
Cost inflation and ‘linked projects’
Callens also accuses Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail of artificially inflating project costs by attaching unrelated infrastructure upgrades to the Hamont–Weert reopening.
One example is a bottleneck beneath the railway bridge over the Zuid-Willemsvaart canal. According to Callens, removing this constraint is necessary for general upgrades on the Weert–Eindhoven line and should not be charged to the Hamont–Weert project.
Similarly, desired improvements at Weert station — including a long-planned pedestrian underpass extension — are presented as necessary preconditions for reopening the line to Belgium, even though they are not directly required for a limited passenger service.
The construction of an additional platform at Weert is often described as a major obstacle, yet Callens argues that a side platform or extension of an existing platform could be realised at relatively modest cost.
He further notes that battery trains could operate the cross-border section, making electrification less urgent and reducing financial barriers.
Another missing discussion: Maastricht–Hasselt
Callens also criticises what he sees as a glaring omission in the Dutch–Belgian agreement: the future of the rail link between Maastricht and Hasselt.
He highlights controversy surrounding the planned demolition of the railway bridge over the River Meuse at Maastricht, arguing that an outgoing state secretary should have shown more restraint instead of presenting the next government with a fait accompli.
Longer-term possibilities
Beyond Hamont–Weert, Worth identifies additional medium- and long-term cross-border opportunities.
The Bilzen–Lanaken–Maastricht line, largely unused since the 1980s but still physically preserved, could be revived as a regional railway rather than a tramway, as once proposed. This would allow Brussels–Hasselt InterCity trains to be extended to Maastricht, offering an alternative to the existing route via Liège.
Other historic routes, such as Eindhoven–Neerpelt and Tilburg–Turnhout, face more serious spatial and urban development obstacles, making reopening complex and expensive.
A completely new high-speed line between Eindhoven and Amsterdam is theoretically possible, but Worth considers this politically unrealistic given ongoing debates about other Dutch rail megaprojects such as the Lelylijn.
Optimism versus scepticism
In conclusion, Jon Worth sees real grounds for optimism. A Brussels–Eindhoven train, especially via Antwerp and Breda, appears technically feasible and politically attainable in the near term.
Nico Callens, while supportive of improved cross-border rail, warns against what he considers political grandstanding and misdirection. In his view, promoting the slower Weert route for a Brussels–Eindhoven service risks undermining a project that could otherwise be implemented quickly via existing high-speed infrastructure.
Both analyses underscore one key point: the political will for better Belgian–Dutch rail connections is stronger than it has been in years. The remaining question is not whether a Brussels–Eindhoven link is desirable, but which route, and which political narrative, will ultimately prevail.
More on night trains and transcontinental train travel
- Travelski Night Express to connect the Netherlands and Belgium to the French Alps for 2026-2027 ski season.
- UNITED KINGDOM | London St Pancras aims to cut boarding windows by up to 30 minutes.
- REVIEW | Travelling Eurostar Premier class (Paris) – Brussels – Cologne.
- Arriva hasn’t abandoned Groningen – Antwerp – Paris train service.
- GoVolta to launch Amsterdam – Antwerp – Ghent – Paris service from mid-December with ‘favourable timetable’.
- European Sleeper sets out vision for 40-route night train network across Europe, including London.
- RAIL BALTICA | Elron, Vivi, and LTG Link launch joint tender for regional trains.
- Trenitalia / FS Group advances Paris hub to power European high-speed expansion, looking at Belgium and the Netherlands in the long term.
- Train Charter Services replaces Keolis as operator for GoVolta trains.
- European Sleeper adds Aulnoye-Aymeries, Mons, and Liège-Guillemins to Paris-Brussels-Berlin night train service.
- DEUTSCHE BAHN | First ICE service to the Belgian North Sea coast, at Ostend, this summer.
- Deutsche Bahn ICE 1110 and 1111 to connect Cologne and Ostend on weekends from 6 June to end of summer 2026.
- European Sleeper postpones Brussels–Cologne–Zurich–Milan night train to 9 September 2026.
- Brussels Airlines and Deutsche Bahn team up for Antwerp – Brussels Airport – Liège – Cologne ICE codeshare.
- Deutsche Bahn confirms Cologne – Brussels Airport – Antwerp ICE connection from September 2026.
- Trenitalia unveils €2 billion investment plan and orders 74 new Frecciarossa high-speed trains.
- Belgian Mobility Minister wants to revive direct train service to Switzerland.
- NETHERLANDS | Arriva will not launch the Groningen to Paris service in 2026.
- Snälltåget to run Stockholm – Malmö – Copenhagen – Hamburg day trains from May 2026.
- Nox night trains: a smart new cabin concept or just an unachievable dream?.
- How firm are Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn’s “2030s” Germany to London train link plans?.
- Leo Express files plans for extraordinary 2026 Bratislava–Ostend and Venice–Northern Germany services.
- Rail should be functional, not fine art: EU leaders call for standardisation and lower costs.
- Subsidies for night trains? “You cannot fix this until someone builds more sleeper and couchette carriages”.
- Leo Express and Arenaways plan direct train between Prague and Venice.
- Italo targets the German high-speed rail market.
- Trenitalia eyes expansion into Germany’s high-speed trains market.
- European Commission wants to link all EU capitals by high-speed train by 2040… and that’s not going to happen.
- Travellers in Europe increasingly open to choosing trains over planes for short-haul journeys.
- REVIEW | European Sleeper night train.
- Paris Nightjet axed: France’s withdrawal threatens Europe’s night train revival.
- 2026 | Deutsche Bahn plans 4 ICE’s per day between Cologne and Antwerp and 16 per day between Frankfurt and Brussels.
- Iron Rhine gets renewed political attention in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
- ÖBB prioritises Railjet over Nightjet: Is the night train revival a False Dawn?.
- EUROPEAN SLEEPER | Brussels to Barcelona night train to stop in Avignon, Montpellier, Narbonne, and Girona.
- Trenitalia, Deutsche Bahn and ÖBB launch Frecciarossa EuroCity trains linking Berlin, Munich, Milan, Rome and Naples.
- European Commission commits to single-ticket train travel, Back-on-Track unconvinced it will happen.
- EU train travel report sees increase in cross-border passenger trains and easier bookings.
- Brussels to Luxembourg by train under 2 hours by 2030?.
- Eurostar and five more train operators joined the European Agreement on Journey Continuation.
- ÖBB’s new Nightjet sleeper cars accommodate solo travellers with Mini Cabins.
- EUROCITY EC-8 | Basel to Cologne in SBB’s Panoramic Car.
- REVIEW | Trenitalia Frecciarossa 1000 Paris – Milan in Business Executive.
- RAIL TOUR OF EUROPE | How easy is touring Europe by train?.
- Eight train connections between the Netherlands and Belgium by 2030?.
- REVIEW | ÖBB Nightjet Amsterdam – Zurich night train.
- Nightjet Vienna/Innsbruck to Brussels, or how we got thrown off the train in Aachen.
- Why the expensive ÖBB Nightjet is really not that expensive.
- Ticket Distribution: the failure of railways to sell themselves.
- To use night trains in Portugal and Spain or not?.
- Night trains in Europe.
- Low-cost, long-haul trains to conquer Europe?.
- Fly now before it’s taxed and consider using the train instead.
Channel Tunnel updates
- A London-bound Eurostar terminal at Antwerp-Central? Highly unlikely!.
- Trenitalia (FS Group) and Certares agree strategic partnership to expand international high-speed rail operations.
- #CROSSCHANNELRAIL | Expanding UK-Europe train links most realistically leading to Switzerland.
- CHANNEL TUNNEL | Virgin Trains gains access to Temple Mills, ORR snubs links to Germany and Switzerland.
- Eurostar unveils €2 billion Alstom ‘Celestia’ fleet of double-decker sustainable trains.
- Gemini Trains partners with Uber for Stratford to France Channel Tunnel route.
- Eurostar and St. Pancras Highspeed back major station expansion to double capacity amid growing international demand.
- EUROSTAR | London – Frankfurt, London – Geneva and Amsterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Geneva from 2030?.
- Alstom wants its double-decker trains to ride through Channel Tunnel.
- London St. Pancras Highspeed pledges financial support for cross-Channel rail services.
- London St Pancras Highspeed and Getlink aspire to to triple train services to France, Belgium and the Netherlands and add services to Germany and Switzerland.
- Heuro wants to operate high speeds trains between Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Paris and London from 2028.
