Disruptions from the nine-day rail strike in Belgium are nearly over. On Thursday 27 February, the alternative service will be similar to Wednesday's, with half the usual amount of IC (Inter-City) trains running.
Belgium's ongoing nine-day rail strike started at 22:00 on Friday 21 February and will run until 22:00 on Sunday 2 March. After a hectic start to the working week – marked by overcrowded trains and traffic jams – the situation improved slightly on Wednesday, with more trains running.
A reduced alternative train service is being offered for every day based on the staff available. The impact differs every day, which can be explained by the alternation in staff who are called to strike: on Thursday, mainly train attendants are striking.
On Thursday, the alternative train service is (approximately) as follows:
- One in two IC (Inter-City) trains will run. They directly connect major cities and only stop at the biggest stations. This is more than the two in five on Monday and Tuesday.
- Two in five S (suburban) trains and L (local) trains will run (around 40%). S trains run at fixed times in and around major cities, stopping at most stations. L trains run between the major cities but stop at every station along the route. This is more than the one in three running on Tuesday.
- Again, almost no P (peak) trains will run. They normally only run during the morning and evening rush hours. This was also the case on Monday and Tuesday.
National railway operator SNCB still calls on passengers to check the daily travel planner on its website or app the day before.
Schedule for Friday
On Friday, signalling staff, Infrabel and train drivers will strike. The same number of trains will be running as on Wednesday: half of the IC trains, approximately 40% of the L and S trains and no P-trains.
SNCB did stress that, due to the partial operation of the Infrabel signal box in Namur on Friday (it will be closed from 14:00 to 22:00), train traffic in the province of Luxembourg, in most of the province of Namur and the east of Walloon Brabant, particularly between Ottignies and Brussels, will be "severely disrupted, if not virtually impossible".
"We have therefore adjusted the route of certain trains because they cannot travel in certain regions," the company noted.
On Saturday, signalling and Infrabel staff will be joined by train attendants. On Sunday, 2 March, it is up to individual staff to choose whether they will strike. During the first weekend, this resulted in slightly less disruption. The strike will end at 22:00 on Sunday.
Freezing future actions?
The action is being organised by two smaller railway unions and is directed at several Federal Government measures, including the increased retirement age for train drivers and conductors, the scrapping of small train stations and the possible abolition or reduction of bonuses for night and Sunday work.
Federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) met with the two major rail unions, the Christian ACV-Transcom/ CSC and the socialist ACOD Spoor (part of ABVV/FGTB).
He said that the process, bringing together the unions and the rail authorities, is expected to last several months, with meetings expected to be held every two weeks, Belga News Agency reported.
This could lead to a freeze on previously announced actions, which will otherwise take place several times a month from March to July.
