Train stations in Ghent

Gent-Sint-Pieters is Ghent's main station, and nearly every long-distance train stops there. It lies south of the historic centre, so expect a tram ride or a walk of 20 to 30 minutes into town.

Arriving at Gent-Sint-Pieters

SNCB Intercity (IC) trains from Brussels, Bruges, Ostend, Antwerp, Kortrijk, Lille and Brussels Airport call at Gent-Sint-Pieters, along with L, P and S trains. S51 serves Eeklo, Oudenaarde and Ronse, S52 Zottegem and Geraardsbergen, and S53 Lokeren, Oudenaarde and Ronse. About 86 trains a day run between Brussels and Ghent. The trip takes about 28 minutes from Brussels-Midi and 36 minutes from Brussels-Central. The main hall is open from 04:00 to 01:30, and the ticket office from 06:15 to 20:00 on weekdays and 07:15 to 20:00 at weekends and on public holidays. The station has lifts and escalators to the platforms, and luggage lockers are available at both Ghent stations. The station and its surroundings are being rebuilt until the end of 2028, so some tram and bus stops sit in temporary positions.

Trains to and from Ghent

From Gent-Sint-Pieters, IC trains reach Bruges in 22 to 28 minutes, Ostend in about 40 minutes, Kortrijk in 25 to 35 minutes and Antwerp-Central in about an hour. On weekdays there are four trains an hour to Bruges, three to Antwerp and two each to Ostend and Kortrijk; at weekends, three to Bruges and two to each of the others. A direct IC train runs from Ghent to Lille Flandres once an hour, every day, in about 1 hour 15 minutes. It calls at Gent-Dampoort, then Gent-Sint-Pieters and Kortrijk.

A direct train to Brussels Airport leaves once an hour and takes 1 hour 24 minutes; taking a faster Brussels train and changing at Brussels-Midi cuts that to about 1 hour 5 minutes.

From 31 October to 6 November 2026, track works at Bruges change the route and times of most trains between Ghent and Bruges. From 31 October to 8 November 2026, buses replace the S51 and S53 trains between Ghent and Ronse or Oudenaarde.

Eurostar does not call in Ghent. Change at Brussels-Midi for an SNCB train to Gent-Sint-Pieters; Eurostar sells London to Ghent as one booking with a journey time of about 2 hours 50 minutes.

From Gent-Sint-Pieters into the centre

Trams for the centre leave from platform 2 of the tram stop beside the station, next to the De Lijn shop. Tram T1 runs every 5 minutes on weekdays and every 5 to 8 minutes on Saturdays towards Gent Zuid. Get off at Koophandelsplein (Zonnestraat) or Vogelmarkt, at either end of the Kouter square, 13 to 14 minutes from the station. The Korenmarkt is about 500 metres further on foot. Because of the Petercelle road works, T1 cannot run to the Korenmarkt until 2029. To arrive there by tram, stay on T1 to Gent Zuid, 17 minutes from the station, and change to tram T2.

Tram T4 runs from Sint-Pietersstation via Rabot and Muide to Lange Steenstraat, six times an hour. Tram T3 is suspended from 14 September 2026 until May 2027; a shuttle bus replaces it between Sint-Pietersstation and Zwijnaarde.

A single ticket costs €3 and is valid for 60 minutes on all De Lijn buses and trams, and you can transfer to another bus or tram for free within that time. Hold a contactless bank card, phone or watch to the white terminal when you board; you cannot pay the driver. A day ticket costs €9 for travellers aged 12 and over.

Gent-Dampoort

Gent-Dampoort is the second station, about 1.3 km east of the Korenmarkt. IC trains to Antwerp (three an hour on weekdays, two at weekends), Bruges and Ostend, Kortrijk, De Panne and Lille call there, along with S51 and S53 trains. Apart from one weekday morning peak train, Brussels trains do not: change at Gent-Sint-Pieters, 8 minutes away by train. The historic centre is a 15-minute walk from Gent-Dampoort, or take De Lijn bus 11, 12a or 12b to the Korenmarkt in 8 to 12 minutes, so it suits travellers staying on the east side of the centre or arriving from Antwerp.

Tickets

Since 1 July 2026 you can no longer buy an SNCB ticket on board, apart from a few international routes such as trains between Kortrijk or Tournai and Lille. Buy it before you board, in the SNCB app, at a ticket machine, at the ticket office or on belgiantrain.be. The minimum price for a second-class single ticket is €2.60. Adults aged 26 to 64 get 30% off on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Travellers under 26 and those aged 65 or over pay 40% less than the standard fare every day. Up to four children under 12 travel free with an adult.

Rail passes and reservations

As of October 2026, an Interrail pass covers SNCB trains in Belgium, and IC, S, L and P trains need no reservation, including the IC to Lille. A Benelux Pass covers only rail travel in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, so the French section needs a Global Pass or a ticket. Pass holders pay a Brussels Airport Supplement of €7.10 when a journey starts or ends at Brussels Airport; buy it at a ticket machine in Belgium or on the SNCB website. Eurostar from Brussels-Midi needs a paid pass-holder reservation: €35 in Standard to London, €27 to Paris or Cologne and €22 to Amsterdam. Booking it at a Belgian station adds a €12 booking cost. De Lijn trams and buses are paid separately.