While planning our journey from Brussels to Malta by bus, boat, and train, we realised we could make a stop in Trier, Germany’s oldest city. Even better, there was a direct FlixBus from Brussels to Trier, and from there, we could catch a train to Heidelberg, where we planned to spend a few days.
Booking our Flixbus from Brussels to Trier.
As always, we booked through the FlixBus app, which is our usual bus company for overland travel across Europe.
This time, we decided to pay a bit extra for table seats downstairs, which turned out to be a brilliant idea , so much more space! I ended up in the disabled seating area, which meant even more legroom, since no one else was using it. Our 4.5 hour bus journey cost just £8.80 each, plus an extra £2.49 for reserved seats, an absolute bargain. I can’t even get from Bangor to Belfast for that price.
** FlixBus fares vary depending on demand and how close to departure you book, the busier the route and the later you leave it, the higher the price is likely to be.
Flixbus from Brussels to Trier stop location.
FlixBus operates from several stops around Brussels-North train station. Luckily, we spotted the departure point listed on our ticket. The stops are spread out and can be a bit confusing if you’re not familiar with the area. I’d recommend giving yourself a little extra time to find the right location, especially if you’re carrying luggage. We saw a few last minute runners, reminded me of headless chickens.
As of July 2025, all buses were departing from this area of Brussels-Nord, and ours left from Zone A.
Snacks and drinks
We travelled on a Saturday morning, and the closest supermarket at Brussels-North didn’t open until 11 am, exactly when our bus was scheduled to leave. That meant our only option for snacks and drinks was the magazine shop, where we paid a lot for a bottle of water and a couple of snacks. Lesson learnt: bring your own supplies or buy them the night before if you’re leaving early. If you are looking for some hot food, the train station also has a McDonald’s and a few other places.
Boarding
We used the FlixBus app to track our bus, watching its route from Amsterdam and seeing it appear right on time as it came around the corner. The bus stopped at the correct stop, exactly as scheduled, and boarding was quick and easy. The driver did a brief passport check , since we have British passports, it was just a quick glance to ensure there wouldn’t be any visa issues if we were stopped at a border. (Which is very unlikely, but has happened to us a few times.)
We departed on time, the driver went through his safety announcements, and we were soon on our way out of Brussels.
Onboard facilities
FlixBus offers free Wi-Fi, but it comes with a data limit.
Megan managed to burn through her entire allowance before we’d even left Brussels, the actual look on her face. Lesson learnt: no more YouTube that early in the journey!
The bus had one toilet downstairs, which was spotlessly clean and fully stocked with toilet roll, we may or may not have taken one for the train later on.
(FlixBus, we talk about you a lot, so please don’t ban us!)
The Journey on Flixbus from Brussels to Trier
The total journey took 4 hours 25 minutes, and to be honest, nothing too exciting happened, apart from me getting an aura migraine and trying to sleep it off after first trying to re-hydrate with a beer lol.
We made a brief stop in Luxembourg at a Park & Ride (P&R). There’s a small shop there, but of course, it was closed when we arrived. I’ve lost count of the number of hours I’ve spent at this P&R over the years. In November 2024, we spent three hours waiting here for a bus in the freezing snow at 1 am after a Northern Ireland game.
After Luxembourg, it was just a short 55-minute drive to Trier. While we did pass through a border checkpoint, since both Germany and Luxembourg are in the Schengen Area, we didn’t get stopped.
The scenery on the way into Trier was beautiful, and we got a great view of Trier as we descended toward the river. Sorry I didn’t take any photos.
Crossing three countries in just 4 hours and 25 minutes without showing a passport at any point (apart from boarding) is one of my favourite things about Europe.
Arrival into Trier
We pulled into Trier right on time, the bus stop is located directly beside the main train station, which was handy as it saved us having to look for it later. It’s about a 15-minute walk to the city centre, Megan didn’t complain once on the walk even with a backpack in the summer sun.
Trier is a beautiful city and well worth at least half a day of your time if you’re nearby.
Final Thoughts
This was an easy journey . The seats were comfortable, we arrived on time, and the route was scenic. Just don’t be like Megan and go easy on the Wi-Fi or you’ll burn through it before you’ve even left the station.
If you’re looking to get from Brussels to Trier without the hassles of changing trains/buses (and see a bit of Luxembourg along the way), FlixBus is a great option, and we fully recommend.
If you have any questions, please ask in the comments below. Also, check out our other border crossings.
The Lewis family.