Trains to Lille-Europe

Lille Europe Train Station

Located in the heart of the historic city centre and yet strikingly modern, shoe-shaped Lille Europe train station is part of Euralille, one of the largest business districts in France, boasting a shopping mall, concert hall and multiple hotels. The station opened in 1994 in conjunction with the Channel Tunnel and its high-speed Eurostar routes, connecting London to Paris and Brussels. This station also serves TGV high-speed trains. Visitors can arrive in Lille from London in 2 hours and from Paris in 1 hour. Heading in from the east, Brussels to Lille is just a 35-minute journey, and the popular Amsterdam-Lille route takes 2 hours 40 minutes, with Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport 2 hours 25 minutes away. Visitors can hop onto the city’s metro (line 2) from the station, and there are public buses, tram lines R and T, coaches, taxis, and self-service bicycles. Lille is also served by Lille Flandres station, one metro stop, or a few minutes walk, from Lille Europe station.

Need to catch a taxi from Lille Europe?

Lille Europe station is a major station with taxis usually available on a rank. Advance booking is not normally necessary or even possible unless arriving early in the morning or late at night. Operators who may accept bookings include: Taxis Gares (tel: 03 2006 6400) or Taxi Union (tel: 03 2006 0606).

Main attractions near Lille Europe train station

Visitors can easily walk from Lille Europe train station to the city’s historic charms and cultural highlights. A 15-minute stroll will reveal the cobbled streets of the Flemish Old Town and its gabled brick buildings all around. From here, there’s a wealth of parks, museums, galleries and monuments to explore, all within walking distance. Lille’s charming main square, named after General de Gaulle, is the heart of the Old Town. Tourists might choose to stare up at Rubens’s masterpieces and other world-class paintings in the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille or climb the tallest belfry in Europe at the Hôtel de Ville, which is 104 metres high and claims the best views of the city. A little further west, just under a 30-minute walk from the station, is the Citadelle de Lille. Visitors will marvel at the 17th-century brick fortress designed in the shape of a star and enjoy its peaceful green surroundings, which form the city’s largest public park.

Lille is a university town and home to a vibrant student population, giving it a distinctly youthful feel. There are plenty of fantastic places to eat in the Old Town, from gourmet bistros to quirky cafes. Travellers can sample traditional Flemish cuisine, such as mussels with fries, or choose from the multi-cultural options that now infuse the city and its food. If staying overnight, there’s a strong pulse of nightlife in Lille that can be tapped into at the bars and clubs around Rue Masséna and Rue Solférino. The area can be reached after a 25-minute walk from the station, or visitors can hop off at the nearby République Beaux-Arts metro stop.