- Train
- Cologne to ghent
Cologne to Ghent train tickets
Take the train from Cologne to Ghent via Brussels. Book your ticket with Eurostar now.
One single booking
for your entire journey
City centre
to city centre
Two-bag
generous luggage allowances
Cheap train tickets from Cologne to Ghent
Planning a trip to Belgium? Travel from Cologne to Ghent by high-speed train with Eurostar and SNCB. And you can book the entire journey with us.
Just take a Eurostar train from Cologne to Brussels and change to a SNCB train to Ghent. The total journey will take about 2 hours 40 minutes.
Departing from Cologne Central Station/Köln Hbf
Cologne Central Station/Köln Hbf is located right next to the iconic cathedral and is well connected by metro, train, and tram lines.
When to arrive
Please arrive 20 minutes before departure. Check our recommended arrival times when planning your journey.
Travel documents
Please check our travel documents page to make sure you have all the mandatory documents for your journey.
Station facilities
Before you jump on your train, you can stroll around the shops or grab a traditional German dish from a food stand.
Changing trains in Brussels to take a SNCB train
When you arrive at Brussels-Midi/Zuid, follow these steps:
1. Go to the end of the platform.
2. Take the exit into the main hall.
3. Check the departure boards for your connecting train's platform.
4. Follow the signs to your platform.
5. Board your train at least 5 minutes before departure.
Our booking system will have planned your journey to give you enough time to catch your connecting train. But SNCB tickets allow you to take any train on your route on the same day anyway, so there's no stress if you miss your connection. And you won't need your passport checked again. If you need a hand, staff will be available to help.
To learn more about connections in Brussels, read our station guide page.
Arriving at Ghent train station
Your train will arrive at Ghent’s main station, Gent-Sint-Pieters, located about 2.5 km from the city centre or a 30-minute walk or a short tram ride away. As there are no border checks on arrival, you can simply hop off the train and leave the station. Using public transport is easy - De Lijn trams (especially line 1) leave regularly from just outside the station and head straight into the historic centre.
Finding a hotel in Ghent
Need a place to stay in Ghent? Find the best options here.
FAQs
Typically, the train journey from Cologne to Ghent takes 2 hours 40 minutes. When you view the available tickets, you'll be able to see the length of the journey for each departure time, along the time allowed for you to catch your connecting train.
Please contact us at least 24 hours before departure if you need assistance on your journey. Our colleagues will ensure assistance is arranged for both legs of your connecting journey. Please be aware this may require your trip to be amended so that you have more time to make your connecting train.
To book free assistance on your connecting journey, please go to our Accessibility Connections page.
ABS tickets are no longer available, but booking your journey is still easy. Simply head to the Eurostar website or app to book your Eurostar and SNCB tickets together, tailored to your chosen departure and arrival stations.
If your Eurostar train is delayed:
Please take the next SNCB train that suits your plans. Your SNCB ticket is valid for any train on your travel date. If you think you may miss the last SNCB train of the day, please talk to the Eurostar train manager. They'll give you a proof of delay, so you can catch an SNCB train the next day at no extra cost.
If your SNCB train is delayed:
If you miss your connecting Eurostar train, we’ll help you get to your final destination free of charge. Just speak to a member of staff on your delayed SNCB train. They'll provide a form to prove you missed your Eurostar train due to the delay.
To learn more about HOTNAT and AJC, go to our Connections page.
Please note that Eurostar and SNCB tickets are separate contracts of transport. If there's a delay, each part of your journey is treated separately.
This means any compensation will be based only on the leg that was delayed, according to that train operator’s policy - not on the total delay at your final destination. Eurostar is responsible for delays on the Eurostar leg, and SNCB is responsible for delays on the SNCB leg. If you experience a delay, you’ll need to contact the relevant train operator directly to make a claim.
- Claim your compensation from Eurostar here. Eurostar compensation policy is available here
- Claim your compensation from SNCB here (opens in a new tab). SNCB compensation policy is available here (opens in a new tab)
Please contact our customer service team via the Contact Us form if you require support with a compensation.
You can exchange or cancel your connecting journey according to the exchange and refund policy applicable to each leg of your journey. If you wish to exchange or cancel the entire journey, please use Manage Your Booking. If you wish to exchange or cancel part of your connecting journey only, please contact our customer service team. The exchange and refund policy applicable to Eurostar trains is available here.
SNCB tickets are exchangeable and refundable free of charge up to and including the day before departure.
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