The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rail_transport_in_Belgium" id="mwZg" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="History of rail transport in Belgium">first railway in continental Europe</a> opens between <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brussels" id="mwZw" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Brussels">Brussels</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechelen" id="mwaA" rel="mw:WikiLink" title="Mechelen">Mechelen</a>.