Brussels transport company STIB has issued a fresh warning to passengers after a worrying rise in people entering metro tracks, calling the behaviour both dangerous and illegal.
In 2024, 421 intrusions were recorded across the network, up from 381 in 2023, an increase of more than 10 per cent. Since 2021, the number of incidents has risen by 43 per cent.
These incidents caused almost 95 hours of service disruption, equivalent to more than 10,000 kilometres of cancelled metro journeys. "There are more intrusions, but they are being handled more efficiently," said Anthony Bonneval, STIB’s Risk & Safety Manager, to BX1.
To mark Halloween, STIB shared a light-hearted reminder about the deadly risks involved. With metro trains reaching speeds of 72 km/h and a third rail carrying 900 volts of electricity, the company warned that "the danger is very real."
If an item falls onto the tracks, passengers are urged to use SOS call points or seek help from metro staff rather than trying to retrieve it themselves.
