Liège-Guillemins station is not just where you arrive in Liège. It is a work of art in its own right, designed by Santiago Calatrava, and you walk through it looking up. Here is what you need to know to see it, photograph it and enjoy it, whether or not you have a train to catch.
A glass cathedral by Calatrava
The Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava designed the new Liège-Guillemins station, which opened on 18 September 2009. Building work lasted more than ten years, because the station had to stay open throughout. The site itself is not new: the first station here opened in 1842.
The result is a huge white vault of steel, glass and concrete, with no closed façade. Light pours in from everywhere and you can see the city through the structure. It is often called “the cathedral of modern times”, and you soon see why.
Key figures
- Opening: 18 September 2009.
- Main vault: about 160 metres long and more than 30 metres high (up to 40 metres according to the tourist office).
- Glass roof: about 33,000 m² of glass.
- Platforms: 5 platforms and 9 tracks.
- Cost: about 312 million euros, the figure most often quoted.
Which trains stop at Guillemins in 2026?
The station is a hub of the European high-speed network. In 2026, high-speed travel from Liège means two operators:
- Eurostar (formerly Thalys, the red trains): direct to Paris-Nord in just over 2 hours, and to Germany: Aachen, Cologne (about 1 hour), Düsseldorf, Essen and Dortmund.
- ICE by Deutsche Bahn: Brussels, Liège, Aachen, Cologne and Frankfurt.
Brussels is around 40 minutes away by fast train. SNCB InterCity trains also link Namur, Maastricht (about 30 minutes) and the rest of Belgium. For London or Amsterdam you need to change, usually in Brussels. Timetables change often: check the SNCB or operator website just before you travel.
From the esplanade to Boverie
The esplanade and the Finance Tower
In front of the station, a wide pedestrian esplanade runs down towards the Meuse. It was designed to open the station up to the river. At the far end stands the Tour Paradis, known to everyone as the Finance Tower: 136 metres including its spire, completed at the end of 2014 and used by the federal Finance department.
The contrast works well: Calatrava’s white curve on one side, the glass tower with its straight lines on the other. Walk across the esplanade slowly. It is the best way to understand how the whole district was redesigned around the station.
La Belle Liégeoise and Boverie Park
At the end of the esplanade, the La Belle Liégeoise footbridge crosses the Meuse. Opened on 2 May 2016, it is 294 metres long in total, with a main span of 163 metres. It is reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.
On the other side you reach Boverie Park, at the tip of the island between the Meuse and the Dérivation. You will find the La Boverie museum, lawns and benches by the water. It is a short walk from the station and perfect for a break between two trains.
A small aside: it is under this vault that Victor and Oscar first meet in “Oscar’s Notebook”, the Liège crime series by Mr Schaka (see also the crime locations in Liège).
Photo tips
- From the esplanade, step back towards the Finance Tower to fit the whole vault in the frame. A wide-angle lens helps a lot.
- Inside, go up to the walkways above the platforms: the white ribs make strong leading lines.
- Early morning or late afternoon, low light draws the shadows of the roof ribs.
- In the evening, the lit-up station looks completely different. Night shots are worth it.
- From La Belle Liégeoise, you get the Meuse, the tower and the district in one picture.
- Respect travellers: no tripod in the middle of the walkway, and stay behind the safety line on the platforms.
How to get there
By train, of course: you arrive right inside it. From the city centre and Place Saint-Lambert, allow about 15 to 20 minutes on foot. The address: Place des Guillemins, 4000 Liège.
The Liège tram, running since 28 April 2025, stops at the station. The line links Sclessin and Coronmeuse via Place Saint-Lambert, with a tram every 5 minutes at peak times and every 7 to 15 minutes the rest of the day. Many TEC buses also serve the station.
Mr Schaka’s practical tips
- Come even if you have no train to catch: the station is free to enter and is often the highlight of a visit to Liège.
- Allow about 1 hour for the station and the esplanade, and 1 hour 30 with a detour to Boverie Park.
- If you arrive by Eurostar or ICE, keep half an hour before heading into town: the view from the esplanade is worth the stop.
- The station is very open: in cold or windy weather, a jacket is welcome on the platforms.
- Strikes and engineering works can affect international trains: check your train on the day.
Frequently asked questions
Who designed Liège-Guillemins station?
The Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava. The station opened on 18 September 2009.
Can you travel from Liège to Paris without changing?
Yes. Eurostar runs direct from Liège-Guillemins to Paris-Nord in just over 2 hours.
How long does it take to reach the city centre?
About 15 to 20 minutes on foot, or a few minutes by tram to Place Saint-Lambert.
The book
It is on a platform at Guillemins that Victor Lenoir unmasks Oscar, in The Man with a Face of Water, the first book of Oscar’s Notebook: a Liège mystery full of fog and humour.
