The metro station in Brussels Central Station will be getting a complete facelift in several phases over the coming years making it more spacious, more accessible, and with better lighting.
The works will start on 1 March and will be carried out in several phases to limit the inconvenience as much as possible, and so the metro traffic does not need to be interrupted.
"The station of tomorrow will look nothing like the station we know today. Bigger, brighter, more accessible, more user-friendly and practical thanks to the presence of shops," said Brieuc de Meeûs, CEO of STIB, in a press release. "All this should make life easier for travellers and turn the station into a real, lively space."
He called the renovation "essential to meet the needs of today's passengers," and added that the authorities would do everything to inform passengers and Brussels residents throughout the works.
Credit: STIB
The station – opened in 1969 – is one of the oldest in the network of Brussels public transport company STIB. It has never been thoroughly renovated although the number of daily users has increased greatly.
"The STIB Brussels Central station is used by 53,000 people every day. This much-needed complete overhaul will improve the experience of thousands of passengers, especially those with reduced mobility," said Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt.
New stairs will be built from Rue Ravenstein and Rue du Cardinal Mercier, the two existing lifts will be replaced and an additional lift will be installed, bringing the number of lifts in the station to three.
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People with reduced mobility will be able to access the station platforms directly from the street, without having to go through the station. The same applies to the escalators: those in the station will be renovated and two additional escalators will be installed, bringing the number of escalators in the station to five.
"This way, the station will be more comfortable and more accessible," Van den Brandt said. "All the stations in the network will be gradually renovated to make our entire network accessible and make public transport an attractive alternative for everyone."
The KIOSK sales point will be completely redesigned and the information and signalling system will be renewed, and lastly, access gates will be installed.
Works in four phases
The extension and renovation works will be carried out in four major phases to minimise inconvenience in the station and above ground, and to guarantee access to the metro. The station will remain operational and metro traffic will not be interrupted.
- Phase 1: refurbishment of the existing station on the site of the current entrance at the intersection of Rue des Colonies and Montagne du Parc,
- Phase 2: extension of the station on the Rue Ravenstein,
- Phase 3: extension of the station on the train station side,
- Phase 4: renovation of the entire interior of the station and the platforms.
Special attention will be paid to the impact of the works on traffic in the area, as the station is located under an intersection with seven branches, making it a very complex project to carry out.
The works that affect road traffic must be completed in the course of 2025, followed by about two more years of underground works in the station itself. After the works on the station, the City of Brussels is also taking care of the public space above ground: aiming to provide more connections between the lower and upper parts of the city and to create more green spaces.
