{"id":29888,"date":"2026-07-22T15:35:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T15:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/be\/29888\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T15:35:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T15:35:10","slug":"luxembourg-tgv-exclusion-raises-questions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/be\/29888\/","title":{"rendered":"Luxembourg TGV Exclusion Raises Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luxembourg is seeking answers after the planned Brussels\u2013Basel TGV service excluded the country from a new cross-border route scheduled to begin operating in July 2027.<\/p>\n

\"CFL<\/a>CFL and SNCF regional trains at Luxembourg railway station. Illustrative image; it does not depict the proposed Brussels\u2013Basel TGV. Photo: Florian P\u00e9pellin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
\nBrussels\u2013Basel TGV will run three days a week<\/p>\n

The pilot service will extend the existing Brussels\u2013Strasbourg TGV INOUI connection to Basel, linking Belgium, France and Switzerland without requiring passengers to change trains.<\/p>\n

According to the official announcement by SBB<\/a>\u2060, Swiss Federal Railways will operate the service jointly with SNCF Voyageurs and Belgium\u2019s SNCB.<\/p>\n

One return journey is planned on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from early July 2027. The train will leave Brussels at around 7:00 a.m. and call at Lille-Europe, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Champagne-Ardenne TGV, Meuse TGV, Lorraine TGV and Strasbourg-Ville.<\/p>\n

Arrival at Basel SBB is expected at approximately 12:30 p.m., producing a journey time of about five and a half hours. The return service will depart Basel at around 2:00 p.m. and reach Brussels at approximately 7:00 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are expected to become available in spring 2027.<\/p>\n

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Luxembourg was not involved in route preparations<\/p>\n

The decision to route the train through eastern France rather than Luxembourg has prompted questions about the Grand Duchy\u2019s access to major international rail services.<\/p>\n

Luxembourg MP Meris \u0160ehovi\u0107 asked the government to explain the exclusion, noting that a direct Brussels\u2013Basel train previously operated through the country.<\/p>\n

Transport Minister Yuriko Backes said her ministry had not participated in the discussions or preparations conducted by the Belgian, French and Swiss operators.<\/p>\n

She also indicated that adding a direct Luxembourg connection appears unlikely because the pilot will operate commercially and will not receive dedicated public subsidies.<\/p>\n

The government nevertheless intends to monitor the service after its launch and discuss its results with the Belgian and French authorities.<\/p>\n

Route follows the existing French TGV corridor<\/p>\n

The chosen timetable largely follows the current Brussels\u2013Strasbourg service before continuing to Basel. It therefore uses established French high-speed infrastructure and avoids the additional routing through Luxembourg.<\/p>\n

The Grand Duchy says it will continue examining options for new international rail connections, including direct trains and services involving transfers at stations in neighbouring countries.<\/p>\n

Luxembourg had also been absent from a European Commission high-speed rail map presented in November 2025 for proposed connections between major European cities by 2040.<\/p>\n

National authorities have previously cited the country\u2019s limited size, technical constraints and environmental considerations as obstacles to developing a dedicated high-speed line. Their strategy instead relies on stronger links to the railway networks of Belgium, France and Germany.<\/p>\n

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