Three-country train from Liège to Aachen via Limburg, without changing trains

The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium have signed a letter of intent to run the three-country train this year. National governments, regional administrators and transport companies in the three EU countries have been debating for years about a borderless train service between Liège, Maastricht and Aachen.

Currently, a train runs from Belgium between Liège and Maastricht once an hour. As of this year, a train will run twice an hour from the Netherlands between Maastricht and Germany: one to Aachen and one to Herzogenrath. The Three-Country Train links both connections so that a transfer at Maastricht is no longer necessary

This makes it easier for residents to take the train for work, school, family visits or recreation. There are many daily traffic movements within the Euregio area of Liège-Maastricht-Aachen. Better connections will allow the region's economy to grow even further.

The carriers NMBS, NS and Arriva have indicated that it is possible to run the train, now that there is agreement on a financial, technical and capacity level.

State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Belgian Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet and the Limburg deputy Maarten van Gaans-Gijbels of Mobility and Infrastructure signed a letter of intent on this on Monday. 

Deputy Maarten van Gaans-Gijbels is pleased that after many years of talks, signatures have finally been signed: “The province of Limburg already laid the foundations in 2016 to break through the borders by prescribing in the concession that trains can also run in neighboring countries “ 

Thanks to the three-country train you can travel from the Netherlands to Liège and Aachen without a transfer. At both stations you can board a high-speed train, bringing cities such as Cologne, Frankfurt, Berlin, Brussels, London and Paris a lot closer. The Three-Country Train thus also contributes to making the train more attractive as an alternative to short flights.