NOTE: All IC Bus routes of Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) were canceled at the end of 2020 with Flixbus often offering the best alternatives. Otherwise, regular trains also cover the routes but railway journeys are often slower and with multiple transfers.
This routing has change! IC Buses are now available from Düsseldorf on the following routings:
- By IC Bus from Düsseldorf to Antwerp, Eindhoven, Roermond and London
- By IC Bus from Düsseldorf to Lille via Ghent and Antwerp
- IC Bus from Düsseldorf to Liege / Luik / Lüttich
Flixbus offers alternative buses from Düsseldorf to Brussels or see train timetables on Deutsche Bahn.
The IC Bus operated by German Railways / Deutsche Bahn provides fast and cheap transportation between Düsseldorf and Brussels (via Roermond). The IC Bus, the so-called little brother of German Railways trains, is both price and time competitive with the regular Deutsche Bahn and TGV Thalys trains on the Düsseldorf to Brussels route. The IC Bus is significantly faster than the trains on the Düsseldorf to Roermond and Roermond to Brüssels routes.
The IC Bus may be booked via the normal Deutsche Bahn websites, ticket machines and (more expensive) ticket windows.
The IC Bus from Düsseldorf to Brussels via Roermond
The luxury IC Bus – an intercity bus service operated by German Railways – connects Düsseldorf and Central Brussels four times per day in each direction. En route, the buses stop in Roermond in The Netherlands – a town mostly associated by tourists with its large factory outlet mall.
The IC Bus is usually a modern double-decker bus with comfortable seats, very good legroom and free wifi. The buses also have a snack bar service and WC.
All regular savings offers and deals of Deutsche Bahn are also valid on the IC Bus. This is especially useful for families – children under 15 travel for free with parents but the names must be entered at time of booking. The IC Bus is a long-distance service so regional transportation tickets such as the Ländertickets are not valid but BahnCard savings are possible.
Seat reservations are obligatory but included in the quoted fares. Rail pass holders (Eurail, German Rail Pass, etc.) must make separate reservations.
Düsseldorf to Brussels by IC Bus or Train
Düsseldorf to Brussels is at first glance not the most obvious route for German Railways to send their new luxury intercity IC Bus in competition with regular Deutsche Bahn trains. Train connections are frequent and convenient although using the direct Thalys TGV trains, or an ICE train via Cologne, can be very expensive.
The fastest link between Düsseldorf and Brussels is the direct Thalys TGV trains (usually with stops in Cologne / Köln, Aachen, and Lieges) that take between 2h20 and 2h40. Journeys requiring a train change (usually in Cologne) are hardly slower – around 2h30-2h40.
The IC Bus takes just less than three hours from Düsseldorf to Brussels. However, the savings can be significant. The full-fare train ticket is around €60, the full fare IC Bus fare around €43.
Special savings fares and deals on the IC bus can be as low as €14. Bahn Card saving may be applied to both IC Bus or train fares.
The IC Bus departs from the bus station (ZOB) directly to the north of Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof train station in Worringer Straße. In Brüssel, the IC Bus stops in Rue du Progres at the Gare du Nord (Noordstation / North Station).
IC Bus and train timetables on Deutsche Bahn: Düsseldorf to Brussels / Brussels to Düsseldorf .
Düsseldorf or Brussels to Roermond by IC Bus or Train
On the journey from Düsseldorf to Roermond in The Netherlands it is no contest – the IC Bus wins clearly on time and convenience over the train. The direct IC Bus takes only 50 minutes – the train requires 1h40 with a change in Venlo.
The full-fare bus ticket is at €18.50 two euro more expensive than the train but the bus ticket is often as cheap as €9.
The train is available almost hourly but it may be more sensible to plan journeys around the bus times.
Similarly, on the Brussels to Roermond route the IC Bus is far more convenient than the trains. Trains require at least 2h30 with changes in Liege and Maastricht while the direct IC bus takes two hours.
In Roermond, the IC Bus stops to the north of Roermond train station.
If the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Roermond shopping mall is the destination, follow the signs from the station – it is around a 15-minute walk. (A shuttle bus is also available on Fridays and weekends from the Roermond factory shops to Düsseldorf for €15 return.)
IC Bus and train timetables on Deutsche Bahn: Düsseldorf to Roermond / Roermond to Düsseldorf.
Other Buses from Düsseldorf to Brussels
The IC Bus is easily the most comfortable bus service between Düsseldorf and Brussels but other services are also available. Eurolines have a few buses per day but traveling times are often much longer (due to more stops en route). Flixbus also now competes on this route, which should ensure that ticket prices remain low. It is worth comparing prices and families will usually gain from the more family-friendly prices offered by the IC Bus.
IC Buses also run from Düsseldorf to Antwerpen in Belgium via Eindhoven in The Netherlands. From Düsseldorf, intercity buses (and German Railways trains) are available to almost any city in Germany.