BRUSSELS: All high-speed Thalys rail services between Belgium and Germany will be cancelled on Wednesday due to Europe-wide anti-austerity protests, with other connections to France and the Netherlands also disrupted.

Thalys said in a statement on Tuesday that travellers booked on trains running between Belgium and Germany could exchange their tickets or ask for full reimbursement.

Ticket-holders planning to travel to other destinations on Wednesday should check thalys.com for possible disruptions due to the protests.

Trade unions across Europe have made Wednesday a day of action against austerity.

In Belgium, rail traffic is expected to be hardest hit after trade unions called for protests in different sectors throughout the day.

In Spain and bailed-out neighbor Portugal, the main unions have called general strikes which threaten to bring both countries to a standstill after massive protests earlier in the year.

Greece, the epicenter of the debt crisis, will see another day of demonstrations while French unions plan action too on a day of solidarity “with the countries in greatest difficulty”.

Smaller protests are expected in Italy.