SNCB, the national rail operator in Belgium, will begin the first phase of its ambitious expansion plans this December, which will include a new service connecting to Brussels South Charleroi Airport.
The transport plan, first announced in July, will see an additional 2,000 trains per week, including more than 720 at the weekend, enter service over the next three years.
The rail operator aims to increase annual services to 89.5 million train-kilometres by 2026, a 7.4 per cent increase on current service levels.
SNCB said the plan, described as its “most ambitious” ever, also aims to increase passengers numbers by 30 per cent by 2032.
The rail overhaul will be rolled out in four phases: December 2023, December 2024, June 2025 and December 2025, with deployment “inextricably linked to investments in railway infrastructure, large-scale recruitment and delivery in new rolling stock in due time,” the operator said in a statement.
The first phase, beginning 10 December, will see increased frequencies on a number of suburban lines as well as more frequent connections to Luxemburg and Antwerp-Central stations.
A new intercity link between Louvain, Fleurus and Charleroi-Central will also be put into service from 10 December, with trains running hourly in both directions seven days per week. This train will also stop at Heverlee, Wavre, Ottignies and Court-Saint-Etienne.
In addition, the frequency of the S61 Wavre – Ottignies – Fleurus – Charleroi-Central – Namur – Jambes train will be doubled on weekends to become an hourly service.
From Charleroi-Central station travellers can then reach Charleroi airport via the TEC aerobus. Bus services depart every 30 minutes and operate daily. The journey takes approximately 17 minutes. Travellers can buy combined train and bus tickets via the SNBC website.