Eurostar will operate only half of its high-speed trains between Brussels Midi and Paris Nord from 24 to 26 November, after Belgian rail infrastructure staff confirmed their participation in the nationwide strike. Services to Amsterdam and London will fare slightly better, with roughly 75 % of schedules maintained, but just 20 % of trains will run on the Brussels–Liège–Germany axis.
Corporate travellers on the crucial Brussels-Paris corridor—widely used for same-day EU-institution meetings—face longer journey times or last-minute airfare surcharges. Eurostar says affected passengers have been rebooked or offered free exchanges, yet seat availability on alternative trains is already scarce.
![Eurostar Cuts 50 % of Brussels–Paris Services During Strike Week]()
The reduced timetable also jeopardises freight-on-seat services that move urgent pharmaceuticals and legal documents between the two capitals. Law firms and consulting houses are advising staff to convert in-person sessions to video calls or travel the day before the strike starts.
Longer-term, repeated industrial action could undermine Belgium’s attractiveness as a hub for EU lobbying and cross-border business, executives warn. Stakeholders are urging the government and unions to establish an essential-services framework that keeps at least a baseline of international trains running during labour disputes.
Corporate travellers on the crucial Brussels-Paris corridor—widely used for same-day EU-institution meetings—face longer journey times or last-minute airfare surcharges. Eurostar says affected passengers have been rebooked or offered free exchanges, yet seat availability on alternative trains is already scarce.
The reduced timetable also jeopardises freight-on-seat services that move urgent pharmaceuticals and legal documents between the two capitals. Law firms and consulting houses are advising staff to convert in-person sessions to video calls or travel the day before the strike starts.
Longer-term, repeated industrial action could undermine Belgium’s attractiveness as a hub for EU lobbying and cross-border business, executives warn. Stakeholders are urging the government and unions to establish an essential-services framework that keeps at least a baseline of international trains running during labour disputes.
