Today, 30 September, is the last day that Belgian residents can request their free rail pass from railway company SCNB.
The free pass, which holds 12 free train rides for every Belgian resident over 12 years old, was part of a government decision to revive the tourism sector after the coronavirus crisis by promoting travel within the country.
The scheme was launched on the last day of the summer holidays, and enabled Belgian residents to request their free 12-journey passes throughout the month of September.
The pass can still be requested until midnight today on the website hello-belgium.be, and will be valid from 5 October until 31 March 2021.
How will they work?
Anyone who has applied for a pass, will receive the paper rail pass by post after 8 to 10 days, according to the company. The pass will be registered to your name, and travellers will be able to use it for a maximum of two journeys per month, for a six-month period.
The twelve-journey pass will be valid on all SNCB trains, across the entire Belgian railway network. Passengers must fill in their pass before boarding the train, and show it to the train conductor together with their identity card.
“The aim of the measure is to encourage Belgians to take the train to discover or rediscover our beautiful country and all its facets or to make a journey of their choice,” said François Bellot, Federal Mobility Minister in a press release.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
