The Belgian National Railway Service, SNCB, announced 12 additional trains to the coast this weekend in anticipation of a surge of beach-goers during a forecasted hot weekend, Belga News Agency reports.
Additional trains will run on Friday and Saturday. There will be two extra journeys from Leuven to Ostend and back and an extra connection from Leuven to Blankenberge on Friday. On Saturday, three extra trains will run from Leuven to Ostend. Two more will be scheduled for the Welkenraedt-Ostend and Antwerp-Blankenberge lines and another train will be added to the Hasselt-Blankenberge and Charleroi-Blankenberge lines.
Translation of tweet: "A strong influx of travellers is possible to the Coast on Friday and Saturday. Waiting times in stations are therefore possible. Plan your trip on sncb.be or the #SNCB app and avoid rush hour travel whenever possible."
"Trains and stations are likely to be much busier than usual, which would mean a longer wait in the station for passengers looking for a seat on the train," Bart Crols, SNCB spokesperson, said.
The railroad company also advises commuters to bring enough to drink because of the hot weather.
Return of Côte-Express
Additionally, SNCB announced it is continuing, and improving, its pilot Côte-Express service this summer. From 2 July to 28 August, travellers will have more, faster and easier transportation to the coast, according to an SNCB press release.
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The service was first started last summer to provide fast and direct access to the coast This year, it will get rid of the previous reservation requirement and add two more connections. During the week, the additional fast-speed trains will make 50 stops, and 62 stops on the weekends.
The two new connections will run twice a day on weekends and holidays, between Antwerp-Central and Blankenberge and between Liège-Guillemins, Leuven, Brussels and De Panne. Two trains will run in the morning to the sea and two in the evening on the return. These trains will stop in a limited number of stations, to make the trip as direct and fast as possible.
