The Belgian rail company NMBS has launched its new timetable. The new timetable took effect on Sunday (14 December). The number of intercity (IC) services running at weekends has been increased as has the number of rail services in and around Brussels, Ghent (East Flanders), Charleroi (Hainaut) and Antwerp. The passengers’ association TreinTramBus has reacted with relief to the news but has identified one matter that gives it cause for concern: “There are too few trains between Antwerp and Brussel”.
Belgian Railways launches new timetable: more suburban services, additional late-night services on Friday and Saturday evening’s
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NMBS says that there are now 2% more services running than was the case before the new timetable was launched. The new services are part of NMBS’ 2023-2026 Transport Plan that provides for a 5% increase in the number of rail services in Belgium between 2023 and 2026. By 2033 they will be 10% more rail services than was the case at the beginning of 2023. NMBS says that this is in line with the agreement it signed with the Federal Government for the provision of rail services between 2023 and 2033.
Additional late night services at weekends
On Friday and Saturday evenings there are now additional late night stopping services between Brussels and Antwerp and between Braine-le-Comte (Hainaut) and Leuven (Flemish Brabant) via Brussels.
More intercity (IC) at weekends
Most of the additional intercity services are between the country’s largest cities.
There are now 2 trains per hour between Brussels and Charleroi rather than the 1 there was previously.
The number of IC services between Brussels and Liège that run at the weekend has also been increased from 1 to 2. The additional service will also call at Brussels Airport.
There is now a third service each hour between Leuven and Brussels on Saturdays and Sundays. Previously there were 2.
The IC service between Antwerp en Leuven via Aarschot now also runs at the weekend, while this previously was not the case.
Elsewhere, on Sundays the S51 service now runs once an hour rather than once every 2 hours previously.
Additional weekday services
Half of the S4 services between Aalst (East Flanders) and Brussels-Luxembourg, via Jette now continues on to Ottignies and Louvain-la-Neuve (Walloon Brabant)
The S7 service between Halle–Merode–Vilvoorde–Mechelen now runs every half an hour between Halle and Vilvoorde (both Flemish Brabant).
The S3 service between Denderleeuw and Dendermonde (both East Flanders) via Enghien (Hainaut) and Brussels now runs every half an hour between Denderleeuw and Geraardsbergen (East Flanders).
During termtime the S5 service between Geraardsbergen and Mechelen (Antwerp Province) via Brussels Schuman runs every half an hour.