The Netherlands arm of the British public transport company Arriva is planning on connecting the northern Dutch city of Groningen with Paris via Brussels from summer 2026.
The plans were announced by the company in June 2023 and now the rail operator has taken another step into turning the connection into reality. Since the trains would pass through Belgium, with one of the planned stops being Brussels Airport, the Belgian Regulatory Body for Railway Transport and Brussels Aiport Operations has been notified.
The request still has to be approved, but, if all goes well, Arriva will star operating one return trip per day from 1 June 2026. The proposed service aims to meet the growing demand for sustainable transportation options and the European Commission’s objective of creating more train connections across countries, as well as encourage plane-to-train connections, Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport also being a stop along the route.
If the operator receives all the necessary approvals, the plan is for the train to depart Groningen at 6:24 am every day and stop in Amsterdam, at Schiphol Airport and Rotterdam before passing into Belgium. Then, stops will be made in Antwerp, at Brussels Airport Zaventem, at two stations in Brussels city – Central and South – and in Mons before continuing to Paris.
It is not yet clear whether other stations will be included along the way, but the French capital should be reached at 1:30 pm, putting the total travel time at 7 hours. The trains planned for the route will reach maximum speeds of 160 km/h, with the return trip taking even longer, at a little over 7 hours and a half, departing Paris at 3 pm and arriving back in Groningen at 10:36 pm.
Recently, the Netherlands branch of the Arriva group has also won a tender for operate passenger transport services in the Province of Gelderland, providing bus transport in the Achterhoek and Rivierenland regions and train transport in the Achterhoek region. The contract is expected to be worth around €2 billion over the maximum term of 17 years. The concession runs from December 2025 for ten years, with an option to extend for up to 7 years.
The passenger transport authority in the region noted that the company’s success was down to its commitment to grow the number of bus services, especially in rural areas and on important high traffic routes. In addition, a programme of refurbishment for the 24-strong train fleet is set to increase comfort levels on board as well as improving efficiency with new cleaner engines installed and a number of technical and cosmetic innovations. From 2025 another nine trains will be added to Arriva’s fleet to serve the region, bringing the total to 33, with an additional 4 train sets expected in 2028 when Arriva starts operating the RegioExpress service from Arnhem to Doetinchem.
