After several grey and miserable weeks, the weather in Belgium will take a turn for the better in Belgium, with temperatures soaring up to 24°C. National railway operator SNCB is preparing for a rush to the country's coast with extra trains.
Sunny, warm weather is on the cards for Saturday, a long-awaited event in Belgium where grey skies and rain have been regular occurrences all winter and the start of the spring. Temperatures are expected to rise by 10°C compared to the average temperature recorded throughout this week, meaning most people will likely want to spend their entire day outdoors to make the most of this rare occasion.
Many are also expected to flock to the Belgian coast to make the most of the first warm weekend, meaning it could be very crowded there. SNCB has therefore confirmed it will deploy 22 additional trains to the Belgian coast on Saturday.
A child plays on the beach at Belgian coast in De Panne. Credit: Belga / Aude Vanlathem
The company regularly does this during the hottest weekends in the spring and summer to meet the expected rise in demand from passengers. By doing so, the rail operator wants to prevent trains from becoming overcrowded and surpassing their capacity, which has happened in the past.
These extra services, split equally between morning departures and evening returns, will target Ostend and Blankenberge stations, the busiest on the Belgian coast as there are direct connections between the centre of the country (Leuven and Brussels) and these stations.
SNCB's spokesperson said the sunny forecasts, coupled with route planner consultations, necessitated increased service capacity. This marks the first time this year that the company is implementing additional seaside train services.
