Work on the first phase of the tram connection between Brussels Airport and the capital will start at the end of this year. Once completed, it will allow passengers to travel from Brussels North to the airport in Zaventem in 30 minutes.
This 12-km tram line will run along the Boulevard Leopold III and connect to the existing tram line within the Ring. Tram stops will supplement the two local train stops (Diegem and Zaventem) to make the industrial estates in the region more accessible.
The Werkvennootschap, which is coordinating the project, announced on Thursday that the first phase of the works will start at the end of 2025.
"The new airport tram will further facilitate the connection between Brussels and the airport for both travellers and employees and offers a smooth and environmentally friendly alternative to the individual car," said Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport, adding that the project fits within Brussels' Airport's strategy to expand public transport to and from the airport.
Credit: De Werkvennootschap
The Werkvennootschap added that the tram line aims to curb the "endless traffic jams" in the area around Brussels Airport. "These traffic jams, in turn, cause a lot of through traffic in the residential areas of Diegem, Evere, Haren and Schaarbeek."
Four kilometres of tram line will be built, with six additional stops, including three additional stops between NATO and the Brussels Ring Road (Hermeslaan near ExxonMobil, Grensstraat near Hewlett Packard and Culliganlaan near the Van der Valk hotel), and three stops between the Brussels Ring Road and Brussels Airport (Da Vinci on Leonardo Da Vincilaan near Samsung, Technics near X-air services and Brussels Airport terminus near the airport terminal).
At the same time, 13 kilometres of additional bicycle infrastructure will be built and the green areas alongside the tracks will be upgraded. The project also involves the construction of a bicycle viaduct over the Brussels Ring Road in Machelen.
While the capital is already connected to the airport by direct train, the Werkvennootschap argued the Airport Tram also makes the residential and employment areas between the two accessible. "We are thinking here of the many residents of Schaerbeek and Evere and the employees who work in the many companies in Evere, Haren and Diegem."
Credit: De Werkvennootschap
The work should be completed in 2031, with an overall price tag of €240 million.
The project is part of the Flemish government's ‘Working on the Ring’ programme, to improve sustainable mobility and quality of life on and along the Brussels Ring Road (R0). This also includes the introduction of the Ring Tram Bus and the Express Tram.
"High-quality public transport is a strong alternative to cars and daily traffic jams: clear departure and arrival times, smooth connections and high-quality vehicles with a high level of comfort for the traveller," the Werkvennootschap said.
