SNCB will launch the first phase of its plan to expand its rail offering on 10 December, with the goal of increasing the number of train passengers by 30% by 2032.
In the first phase, the expansion will be limited with the train company even having to reduce its offering in some places due to staff shortages.
The transport plan covers the period from December 2023 to December 2026 and is expected to increase the number of kilometres travelled by trains by 7.4% during this period. According to the railway company, this is its most ambitious plan ever. At the end of the period, an additional 2,000 trains are expected to run each week.
The first changes will happen from 10 December, SNCB indicated in a press release. Passengers can already find the new services in the route calculator on the SNCB website and application.
Among the new offers, Brecht's Noorderkempen station in Flanders will have a second train per hour to and from Antwerp-Central, all day during the week. Currently, this second train only runs during morning and evening rush hours.
In the south of the country, Charleroi Airport will become more accessible by train. Around Liège, the suburban network will be also extended during the week.
Despite the increase in connectivity in some parts of the country, SNCB will reduce its offering in other locations due to lack of staff. Full details of the reduction have yet to be communicated. According to spokesperson Dimitri Temmerman, SNCB was able to recruit enough train drivers this year, but not all of them have yet been trained.
