Since some time there is a co-operation between Google and the Belgian Railways:

1/ Go to http://www.google.be (note: it doesn't work with www.google.com, but you can get the .be version in English as well) 2/ Type any 2 Belgian cities with a railway station and push enter
3/ The first link that pops up will be the Belgian Railways time table between those 2 cities, with present date and time.

If behind 'CityA CityB' you type a number, say '17', it will give the timetables around that hour (in the 24hour-system, so '17' means '5 p.m.')

With google.fr, you can get schedules for the French trains by typing in your departure and arrival cities. It won't link you directly to the SNCF, but to Die Bahn.

Hi TransitBuddie

>With google.fr, you can get schedules for the French trains ...It won't link you directly to the SNCF, but to Die Bahn.<

But, if you go to www.sncf.com you can get the schedules and buy the tickets.

Why bother with google?

For www.google.it it also sends you to Bahn.de

Whether you look on SNCF, Deutsche Bahn, Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Railways), NMBS (Belgian Railways), ... it's all one and the same databse: International Train Planner on Hafas in 4 languages.
http://plannerint.b-rail.be

Hey Myriam,

That's easier to use than Bahn.de, Thanks.

Ira, sometimes people just want the schedule and not the ticket, and then Google is just faster, especially if it's set up as your homepage, as is the case on my computer

MyriamC, interesting, didn't know that, but with google.be it does give the layout of the Belgian railways site, that's why I never noticed this.
Good to know though.