German tourists are Belgium’s largest foreign visitor group at the coast, and a new direct high-speed rail ICE service between Cologne and Ostend aims to make travel to the North Sea even easier. Deutsche Bahn launched the seasonal weekend connection on Saturday 6 June, marking the return of a direct rail link between the two cities after a gap of around 25 years.
The new service reflects growing demand from German travellers for short seaside breaks on the Belgian Coast. According to Tourism Flanders, German visitors account for approximately 700,000 overnight stays annually at the Belgian Coast, making them the largest foreign tourism market for the region. During the 2026 Easter holiday period, 16% of all visitors to the coast came from Germany, illustrating the increasing popularity of the destination.
New weekend high-speed connection
Every Saturday and Sunday, an ICE high-speed train now runs directly between Cologne and Ostend, calling at Aachen, Liège-Guillemins, Leuven (Louvain), Brussels-North, Brussels-South, Ghent St Peter’s, and Bruges. The journey takes approximately three hours and 40 minutes, allowing travellers to leave Cologne in the morning and arrive at the Belgian seaside shortly after lunchtime.
Advance fares start at around €29 to €30. The service is currently scheduled to operate during the summer season and is aimed primarily at leisure travellers seeking a convenient rail alternative to driving.
Growing demand for cross-border rail travel
According to Deutsche Bahn, the service was introduced in response to strong and steadily growing demand for international rail travel between Germany and Belgium. Passenger numbers on cross-border ICE services between the two countries increased by approximately 18% between 2019 and 2025.
The railway operator said the new route forms part of a broader expansion of cooperation with NMBS / SNCB and reflects the growing importance of international rail travel within north-western Europe.
The new Ostend connection is the ninth daily ICE train pair operating between Germany and Belgium.
Why Germans are choosing the Belgian Coast
The attraction of the Belgian coast for German visitors is particularly evident in the neighbouring state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where Cologne is located.
Residents can now reach Ostend, Knokke and other coastal destinations without changing trains in Brussels. The direct service is designed to facilitate both day trips and weekend breaks.
Tourism officials point to several factors behind the popularity of the Belgian coast among German visitors. Proximity plays an important role, especially for travellers from western Germany, while the coast offers a combination of seaside resorts, cultural attractions and easy onward travel via the coastal tram network.
Ostend Mayor John Crombez (Vooruit) noted that Germans already represent the largest group of non-Belgian visitors to the city. He said the new rail link could encourage more visitors to leave their cars at home, reducing congestion and parking pressure during busy periods.
According to Crombez, the success of the route is likely to depend on a combination of price, quality and journey time. He also observed that easy access to the sea remains an important attraction for many German travellers, particularly those living further inland.
Germans account for 700,000 overnight stays
Tourism Flanders described the launch as an important milestone for coastal tourism.
Liesbet Vandebroek of Tourism Flanders said German tourists are the largest foreign visitor group at the Belgian coast and that their numbers have been increasing in recent years. She noted that they are responsible for approximately 700,000 overnight stays annually and highlighted data from Westtoer showing that 16% of visitors during the Easter Holiday period came from Germany.
The figures underline the significance of the German market for coastal destinations and explain why tourism organisations have welcomed improved rail connectivity with Germany.
A connection with historic roots
The reopening of the route also revives a historic link between the Rhineland and the Belgian Coast.
Tourism representatives noted that Ostend and Cologne were connected by one of the earliest international railway services in Europe. The return of a direct train between the two cities therefore carries symbolic significance in addition to its practical value.
To mark the launch, Deutsche Bahn officially named one of its newest ICE 3neo trainsets, ‘Köln‘ (Cologne). The train was ceremonially christened at Cologne Central Station before operating its inaugural journey to Ostend.
Positive reaction from passengers
Around 170 passengers travelled on the inaugural service from Cologne to Ostend.
Among them was Belgian honorary consul Andreas Schaeben in Cologne, who said the route significantly improves connections between the Rhineland and the Belgian coast. He pointed out that passengers arriving in Ostend can easily continue their journey along the coast using the coastal tram network.
Part of a wider expansion
The Ostend service forms part of Deutsche Bahn’s broader expansion of international rail services.
The company has already announced a new direct connection between Cologne and Antwerp via Aachen, Liège, Leuven and Brussels Airport. That service is scheduled to begin on 7 September 2026 and will operate with two daily return services.
The expansion demonstrates Deutsche Bahn’s confidence in growing demand for rail travel between Germany and Belgium and reflects wider efforts to strengthen sustainable transport links between neighbouring countries.
Future depends on passenger demand
For now, the Ostend train operates as a seasonal weekend service. Deutsche Bahn and its Belgian partners plan to evaluate passenger demand after the summer season before deciding on its future.
Local tourism officials are optimistic that strong passenger numbers could support a longer-term continuation of the service.
For the Belgian Coast, the route represents more than just a new transport link. It provides a direct connection to its most important foreign tourism market, offering German visitors a fast and convenient way to reach the North Sea while encouraging more sustainable travel between Belgium and Germany.
Some tourism statistics
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- NORWAY | Tourism breaks record with 40.6 million guest nights in 2025.
- NETHERLANDS | Rising international visitor numbers, domestic travel showed signs of stagnation in 2025.
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- CURAÇAO | Tourism records for 2025, with 11,500 travellers from Belgium.
- International tourism to the United States continues to slide in 2026.
- Morocco records historic tourism year with 19.8 million visitors in 2025.
- Flanders continues to grow as a tourist destination with over 15 million visitors in 2025.
- Greece sets new tourism records in 2025 with nearly 38 million visitors.
- Thailand happy with Belgian visitor numbers and welcomes Tomorrowland festival.
- Belgian travel stats to the United States continued to decline throughout 2025.
- Is Greece too popular? 2024 tourism statistics raise overtourism concerns.
- TRAIN TRAVEL | European Union records 429 billion passenger-kilometres in 2023 but domestic travel still dominates.
- 5 million passengers flew from and to Brussels Airport in summer 2025.
- BELGIUM | Flemish museums attracted more than 4.8 million visitors in 2023.
- Belgium sees modest tourism growth in 2024, led by Flanders and Brussels.
- Travel in 2024: Spain, France, USA, China, Mexico lose ground and Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, UAE to grow market share.
- France, Spain, USA, China and Italy most visited countries in the world, Belgium 41st.
- France welcomed 100 million international visitors in 2024.
- Turkey welcomed 62 million international tourists who together spent $61 billion in 2024.
- SPAIN | 94 million international visitors and €108.7 billion tourism income in 2024.
- UN WORLD TOURISM BAROMETER | International tourism recovers pre-pandemic levels in 2024.
- Outside the EU, Europeans mostly travel to Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
- Intra-European travel mostly for fun and / or family.
- Europeans visit other European countries over 7 nights on average.
