Recommendations for Belgium trainspotting

[Tobytrain10]

Hello, as a present for my 18th birthday (today) i am going to belgium from next monday to thursday, could i get recommendations of where i can go to trainspot please? I preferably want places with either High speed trains, or loads of freight, preferably at speed but i dont mind. Many thanks, please feel free to give me any other suggestions aswell!

 

[StephenHunter]

Happy Birthday!

I'd recommend Train World in Brussels; plenty of HS trains in that city as well.

 

[Tobytrain10]

Happy Birthday!

I'd recommend Train World in Brussels; plenty of HS trains in that city as well.

Thanks!
Hmmm maybe, im more it to trainspotting at stations and such, but i will do some research, somehow i have never heard of this

 

[AdamWW]

Thanks!
Hmmm maybe, im more it to trainspotting at stations and such, but i will do some research, somehow i have never heard of this

Plenty to see in Brussels-Midi/Zuid - double decker push-pull and top and tailed loco hauled trains, top and tailed non double decker services to the Netherlands plus Eurostars (London services and ex Thalys), TGVs and ICEs. Some of the double decker trains also have one single level coach.

And the occasional Ouigo Classique loco hauled train to/from Paris and European Sleeper trains.

Plus various types of multiple units.

And double decker trains with the rather unusual M7 power cars which are essentially a locomotive with some passenger seating.

It's certainly somewhere I'm happy to spend some time just watching what's going on.

 

[Tobytrain10]

Plenty to see in Brussels-Midi/Zuid - double decker push-pull and top and tailed loco hauled trains, top and tailed non double decker services to the Netherlands plus Eurostars (London services and ex Thalys), TGVs and ICEs. Some of the double decker trains also have one single level coach.

And the occasional Ouigo Classique loco hauled train to/from Paris and European Sleeper trains.

Plus various types of multiple units.

And double decker trains with the rather unusual M7 power cars which are essentially a locomotive with some passenger seating.

It's certainly somewhere I'm happy to spend some time just watching what's going on.

Thanks will be interesting to see some of these trains, unsure whether i will go to the main stations in brussels that much but i will be on the look for some of those trains you have mentioned

 

[AdamWW]

Thanks will be interesting to see some of these trains, unsure whether i will go to the main stations in brussels that much but i will be on the look for some of those trains you have mentioned

The SNCB/NMBS on-line journey planner (web site or app) is quite useful as it shows train compositions.

Some of them are a bit imaginative though.

This web site seems to be quite accurate.

 

[Tobytrain10]

The SNCB/NMBS on-line journey planner (web site or app) is quite useful as it shows train compositions.

Some of them are a bit imaginative though.

This web site seems to be quite accurate.

Thanks

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Yesterday at 22:23 ==

Does anyone have any station for loads of freight? More specifically where they go relatively fast?

 

[milooo]

Personally I would agree on avoiding the main stations in Brussels, last time I went there were some rather 'unsavoury' people around including on the platforms.

main stations in brussels

 

[AdamWW]

Personally I would agree on avoiding the main stations in Brussels, last time I went there were some rather 'unsavoury' people around including on the platforms.

I have seen this too but not personally been aware of anything unpleasant in the stations.

The people actually using the services seem to cope.

 

[StephenHunter]

Also, expect a lot of graffiti.

 

[AdamWW]

Also, expect a lot of graffiti.

While it's certainly worse than, say, the Netherlands, the vast majority of Belgian rolling stock I saw last weekend was graffiti free.

 

[Tobytrain10]

Also, expect a lot of graffiti.

I am expecting quite a bit, been looking at youtube videos and i see a few of the trains have graffiti on, while certain stations seem to have quite alot of graffiti

 

[gysev]

Thanks

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Yesterday at 22:23 ==

Does anyone have any station for loads of freight? More specifically where they go relatively fast?

The busiest line for freight is between Aarschot and Hasselt (line 35), although gaps of 2 hours between freights are possible. Diest has a direct hourly service to Brussels and coming from Brussels you have a perfect connection with the local service in Aarschot. If you don't mind walking a few miles, leave the train at Diest and return to the small station of Zichem on foot. There is an excellent trail next to the railway without barriers, so spotting and photography are easy. The local stations at Langdorp and Testelt also offer easy access to well known photo spots.

Other lines with an important freight flow are Antwerpen - Gent, Gent - Mechelen - Leuven and Antwerpen - Roosendaal (NL). On that line, I recommend the station of Antwerpen-Luchtbal where you have freight trains to and from the port, trains from the Netherlands but also high speed trains (Eurostar and NS Eurocity Direct) as well as the SNCB Eurocity service to Rotterdam (with class 28) and European Sleeper from Prague on monday, wednesday and friday.

 

[Tobytrain10]

The busiest line for freight is between Aarschot and Hasselt (line 35), although gaps of 2 hours between freights are possible. Diest has a direct hourly service to Brussels and coming from Brussels you have a perfect connection with the local service in Aarschot. If you don't mind walking a few miles, leave the train at Diest and return to the small station of Zichem on foot. There is an excellent trail next to the railway without barriers, so spotting and photography are easy. The local stations at Langdorp and Testelt also offer easy access to well known photo spots.

Other lines with an important freight flow are Antwerpen - Gent, Gent - Mechelen - Leuven and Antwerpen - Roosendaal (NL). On that line, I recommend the station of Antwerpen-Luchtbal where you have freight trains to and from the port, trains from the Netherlands but also high speed trains (Eurostar and NS Eurocity Direct) as well as the SNCB Eurocity service to Rotterdam (with class 28) and European Sleeper from Prague on monday, wednesday and friday.

Thanks alot, this will help alot

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: Today at 13:21 ==

Also planning to go into holland, does anyone know where best spot is there aswell?

 

[gysev]

A good place to start would be Lage Zwaluwe: plenty of freight and close enough to the high speed line to see the trains. There is also some switching in the freight yard with trains for the freight-only branch to Moerdijk. Breda and Tilburg see much freight action as well.

 

[Tobytrain10]

A good place to start would be Lage Zwaluwe: plenty of freight and close enough to the high speed line to see the trains. There is also some switching in the freight yard with trains for the freight-only branch to Moerdijk. Breda and Tilburg see much freight action as well.

Thanks alot again

 

[MarcVD]

Go to Brussels North Station at evening rush hour, say between 4 and 5 PM. Go to the platform serving tracks 8 and 9. On that platform, head to the southern end, where the tracks curve. You will be right at the mouth of the 6 tracks tunnel crossing Brussels city. Each of those tracks support more than 20 trains per hour in that period. More trains than what you will be able to photograph.