By enforcing such rules, the authorities want to ensure that they are being compliant with the measures applicable regarding Covid and can guarantee the health security of visitors and inhabitants.

Regarding the upcoming weekend, the number of visitors allowed per municipality is as follows:  10,000 visitors for Ostend, 6,000 for Blankenberge, 2,000 for Knokke-Heist, 4,000 for Zeebrugge and 2,000 for De Panne.

Therefore, SNCB has announced that it has cut down the number of train traveling to the coast of Belgium.

They noted on their website that  » For health security reasons, the authorities strongly advise against travelling to the coast of Belgium. At their request, the number of trains and occupancy rate will be limited on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August. »

If you want to go to the coast, they recommend traveling during the week.

If you’re planning to visit the coast, you may as well check the Crowd Barometer and you will have to register online.

Pour des raisons de sécurité sanitaire, les autorités déconseillent de se rendre à la Côte. A leur demande, le nombre de trains et leur taux d’occupation seront limités ce week-end. Les horaires de cette offre adaptée seront disponibles dès ce vendredi via le site et l’app #SNCB pic.twitter.com/6l0chWET8q

— SNCB (@SNCB) August 12, 2020

Do not forget that it is mandatory to wear a mask in all crowded places.

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This weekend (1st, 2nd, and 3rd of November), the North-South junction will be inaccessible from the South due to the works of modernization of the signaling of Brussels-Midi, operated by Infrabel. The works will have an impact on the rail traffic, warns a release of SNCB Wednesday. The same scenario will happen again on the weekend of 9, 10 and 11 November. SNCB warns that the train offer will already be impacted on Thursday 31 October and Friday 8 November in the evening.

Most trains will not run to and from Brussels-Midi, so an alternative transport plan has been developed to limit the impact on travelers. The majority of the trains that cross Hal, Bruxelles-Midi, Brussels-Central or Brussels-North will be adapted: most of them will be diverted via other Brussels stations. Connections by train to Brussels-Midi will be planned from Schaerbeek, Brussels-Luxembourg and Brussels-North. It will still be possible to travel within the junction between Brussels-North and Brussels-Midi, with 6 trains per hour in each direction.

Trains from the provinces of Liège, Luxembourg and Namur will bypass the Brussels junction via Schaerbeek and some trains will run to Brussels North. Trains from Charleroi, Mons, Tournai, Braine-le-Comte, Binche and La Louvière will not stop at the stations of the Brussels junction. Some trains will stop in Halle where an alternative SNCB bus service is planned between Halle and Bruxelles-Midi, other trains will stop in other Brussels stations (among others Brussels-Luxembourg) where travelers can make a connection by train to the stations of the junction.

Travelers heading to the coast from Brussels will be invited to take a train to Schaerbeek where it will be possible to make a connection to the coast. The travel planner will be available on the SNCB website and app.

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The average tariff adjustment (+ 1.53%) of the standard ticket and the weekend ticket remains below the health index (+ 1.87% in the reference period June 2018 June 2019).

The price adjustment for home-work subscriptions and school subscriptions is 2.87%.

Subscription products, such as the Campus card, experience the same rate adjustment. The average tariff adjustment for all other products, excluding subscriptions, amounts to 1.87%, linked to the health index.

The price of leisure products for young people (Go Pass 1, Go Pass 10 and Go Unlimited: free trips for young people up to 26 years), as well as the price of the Rail Pass (free trips), remains unchanged.

The prices of the Key Card (for short distances in a given area) and the Senior Note increase respectively by EUR 0.30 and EUR 0.20 per way. Seniors will now be able to use their senior ticket every weekend in July and August (including August 15): the current restriction is lifted.

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The airport is also a major destination for the staff employed by the 300 businesses on site and close to 24,000 staff, around 10% of whom commute by train.  SNCB and Brussels Airport set out to shorten the commute for these employees by creating a direct access from the Brussels Airport station to the Business District. This new access separates the airport passenger flow from the commuter flow. This alternative exit, efficient and secure, and reserved for the exclusive use of staff, will shorten their journey time by 10–20 minutes.

Says Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport Company: “The Brussels Airport Business District has undergone continual growth in recent years, which has led to a significant increase in the number of employees working at the airport site. This new access will considerably improve staff commutes, in particular by reducing their journey time, making the train one of the commuters’ preferred means of transport, chosen by 10% of the employees who work at Brussels Airport.”

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The Union denounces a recurrent lack of staff among train attendants.

For its part, the SNCB recognizes that the summer period « is not an easy period for its employees » and that it is « not always easy » for its train attendants and ticket controllers to take leave during the summer holidays.

SNCB, however, says it conducts « constructive discussions with the social partners » and is working « on concrete solutions. »

« Despite a series of concrete commitments that had already been announced, the Union nevertheless chose to use the weapon of the strike, » regretted the railway company in a statement.

The strike on August 17th, which will take place during the weekend of the Pukkelpop festival in Hasselt, is the second after a similar move by the Union during the last weekend of July.

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More specifically, the Belgian infrastructure managerial organisation has requested that the SNCB not run any trains at peak times (‘P-trains’) to and from Brussels. Infrabel is due to modernise the train infrastructure south of Brussels-Midi station this autumn. According to Infrabel, this “essential” work will require the complete closure of the North-South Brussels junction during the long weekends of 1 and 11 November.

But, to the SNCB’s great surprise, major disruptions are also expected from 14 October to 8 November, with Infrabel intending to close no less than 30% of train traffic at the Brussels South station – a significant reduction.

“We regret once again to learn from the press that Infrabel is making a decision which goes against common sense and without taking into account the impact on travellers,” said Gianni Tabbone, spokesman for the travel association Navetteurs.be. “After the threats of line closures, Infrabel now requires the SNCB to cancel numerous trains for one month to carry out its work without taking into account the impact on 68,000 passengers who already suffer many inconveniences on a daily basis.”

“This measure once again demonstrates the problems of collaboration between SNCB and Infrabel. We cannot accept these train cancellations and ask Infrabel to review its intended policy as a matter of urgency,” added Mr Tabbone.

This opinion is shared by the Flemish commuter association TreinTramBus. “The traveller is once again the victim of communication problems between SNCB and Infrabel,” the association said in a statement.

A final decision on whether the planned cancellations will go ahead will take place in the middle of next month.

The post Infrabel requests cancellation of a hundred Brussels-rush-hour trains from mid-October to mid-November appeared first on Brussels Express.

The single ticket idea, which would allow purchasers to travel freely in the capital and the surrounding area, was announced in January by Jean-Pierre Hansen, Chairman of the RER Steering Committee. The aim is to encourage commuters to leave their vehicles at home and commute via public transport to Brussels without having to pay several subscriptions. Jean-Pierre Hansen had previously specified that the project was to be endorsed by the Executive Committee of Ministers for Mobility (CEMM) a few days later.

However, no CEMM could be organised before the elections. The project is therefore postponed indefinitely.

The four operators have also had previous difficulties agreeing on issues such as pricing and revenue allocation.

The post The “single ticket” for all public transport in Brussels will not be available by September appeared first on Brussels Express.

Tour de France 2019 will be held in Brussels during the weekend of 6 and 7 July. As such SNCB will strengthen its train network to Brussels by adding 40 additional trains.

Moreover, it will offer entertainment for the travelers to match the spirit of the Tour.

Competitions will also be taking place as for example travelers will be invited to take pictures of themselves at the Brussels Central or South station and post them on social networks.

Supporters of the Tour riders are also invited to express their encouragement on the SNCB social networks. The most original and engaging encouragements will be hanging at the Brussels-Central station.

Travelers will also have the chance to win train tickets!

SNCB takes the opportunity to invite its’ travelers to take advantage of the weekend ticket, which offers a 50% discount on round trips during the weekend compared to the standard ticket.

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Precisely eight more trains were added in order to offer 7,000 additional places per day.  To Ostend, two trains  have been added from Liège-Guillemins and one from Leuven. To Blankenberge, an additional train leaves from Hasselt.

The SNCB Weekend ticket offers a 50% discount on all round-trips.

Similarly, the capacity of the trains between Antwerp-Central and Ostend will also be strengthened.

You may always check the schedules or consult their website.

The post Sunny weather ahead: Additional scheduled trains bound for the coast of Belgium appeared first on Brussels Express.

The company is in good financial shape, having achieved an operating income of €94.7 million and an overall profit of €24 million last year. The healthy balance sheet means that the company is likely to invest heavily in new technologies and infrastructure in the near future.

Overall, train ticket purchases of ordinary tickets was up 6% compared to last year, while ‘Railpass 10 trip’ purchases increased by 11% and ‘Go Unlimited’ ticket sales grew by 9.5%. Purchases of the suburban ‘S’ train ticket also increased, by 5%.

Interestingly, despite the increase in the overall number of passengers using the trains, the average distance travelled by a given passenger slightly decreased (43.1km in 2018 against 43.3km in 2016), according to figures detailed in Le Soir.

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