Paris-Brussels: a new train for only 10 euros

Written by Sophie Renassia

Published on December 18, 2024

Paris-Brussels by train for just €10? It's now possible, thanks to the new OUIGO Train Classique line! Not only will you be able to pay considerably less than with Eurostar for a journey time that's only slightly longer, but you'll also be able to depart more easily from an intermediate city (among the three other cities served). Schedules, cost, duration... We tell you everything.

Schedules, frequencies and cities served

Since this December 19, 2024, three daily trips are offered in each direction in the early morning, midday and early evening:

• From Paris Gare du Nord: three departures a day at 8:18 a.m., 12:28 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
• From Brussels-Midi: three returns a day at 7.38am, 1.38pm and 6.38pm (with a final departure on Sunday at 7.38pm, a handy way to extend your weekend!)

And the good news is that the line also serves Creil (Oise, France), Aulnoye-Aymeries (Hauts-de-France, France), and Mons (Wallonia, Belgium)!

How much do tickets cost?

This new pink-and-blue Paris-Brussels line offers unbeatable fares. In practice, prices start at €10 and are capped at €59 for an adult one-way ticket (with a fixed fare of €8 for children under 12), but 70% of trains open to booking offer €10 tickets!

The idea? To offer low prices in exchange for a slightly longer journey time than with Eurostar.

Photo : ©Alexis Calvignac

How long is the journey?

This new low-cost line offers a very reasonable journey time: just 3 hours to Brussels by OUIGO Train Classique (compared with 1h20 by Eurostar).

Where to book tickets?

• On the OUIGO website: here.
• On the SNCF Connect application or website: here.

When to book to get the best prices?

To get the best prices, you probably know the golden rule: anticipate! Reservations have been open since December 5, 2024. Otherwise, as a general rule, sales will be open up to 6 months before the circulation date.

Brussels by night

Paris-Brussels: train vs. plane

Why not take the plane, when the journey only takes 1h30?

• Cost and time saved: the train departs and arrives in the city center, avoiding the time and expense of getting to and from the airport! Not to mention the time saved on the train (no need to go through security or arrive an hour or two early). The train journey may take longer (3 hours), but once you're in your seat, you can easily work, watch a film, read a book or take in the scenery (the principle of “useful time”). And if you're really in a hurry, you can get there even faster than by plane via Eurostar (1h22 vs. 1h30): no excuses!
• Budget: on this point, there's no debate, as train fares start at €10 (compared with an average of €205 for a plane ticket)!
• Carbon footprint: and of course, one of the big advantages of the train over the plane (and the car!) is that it emits far fewer greenhouse gases.

Other options to go to Brussels

Apart from this OUIGO Train Classique line, you can take the Eurostar high-speed train (book via SNCF Connect) - a little faster (1h22) but a lot more expensive - which offers 26 journeys a day in both directions (first departure from Paris at 6h22, last departure at 21h25).

What to do in Brussels for a budget weekend?

If you want to explore the Belgian capital for a weekend or more, we recommend our Brussels guide.

And to extend your trip, we recommend these two 100% night train loops to explore Europe in 1 week from Brussels!

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