Major works on the oldest high-speed line on the Belgian rail network start today (Monday 12 August). As a result, Eurostar journey times between Paris and Brussels will be extended and domestic travel will be disrupted.
Railway network manager Infrabel will carry out work on the 27-year-old high-speed line, the oldest of its kind in Belgium, every day between Monday 12 to Thursday 29 August. It is investing €310 million to guarantee the performance of the ageing line, on which about 100 trains run every day at a speed of 300 km/h.
As a result of this work, high-speed trains are being diverted via conventional lines. Eurostar warned passengers that journey times to Paris and London from Brussels will be around half an hour longer than usual (two hours to Paris and 2.5 hours to London). TGV INOUI trains will also be diverted via an alternative route, adding around 30 minutes to the journey.
There are also adjustments to regular train traffic, specifically on connections between Mons and Brussels, between Ath and Mons and between Mouscron and Brussels. People regularly travelling between these cities have been advised to consult SNCB's website for alternative travel plans.
Overall, the renovation will take ten years, but work will largely be carried out at night to limit disruption to passengers. However, a two-week interruption of train traffic on the line will take place every summer.
The work will include over 35 kilometres of new rails, around 30,000 new sleepers (the horizontal supports which lie underneath the rails, helping hold them in place) and 5,500 tonnes of ballast (the layer of stones under the rails that acts as shock absorbers). Storm drains will also be cleaned and signal cables replaced.
