Located in western Europe, Belgium boasts an extensive rail network. The history of the Belgium railway started in 1835 when the first railroad on the continental part of Europe between Brussels and Groendreef was opened. Eventually, the Belgium train network has grown and developed a lot in order to meet the high demand of thousands of travelers. Today, the rail network in Belgium is run by the National Society of Belgium Railways (SNCB), connecting the main cities in the country. Apart from the national operator, other high-speed trains run in Belgium including such popular ones as Eurostar, Thalys, TGV, InterCity, among others, mainly engaged in international connections.