The night bus service run by Brussels transit company STIB is celebrating 15 years in operation, during which time it received 2.5 million passengers.
The Noctis network, as it is called, has 11 bus routes that run on Friday and Saturday evenings between midnight and 03:00, targeting those who partake in the nightlife scene to ensure they can get home safely.
“Before the health crisis, we had an average of 5,500 passengers per weekend. We're up to 3,000 since the recovery and it's still going up,” said STIB CEO Brieuc de Meeûs in a statement.
“Noctis is present at all the capital's festive events, contributes to the city's life and meets the needs of a predominantly young clientele that is increasingly familiar with public transport for getting around in the city.”
Public transport for leisure
STIB points out that public transport is not only a means for commuting to work or school: “It is also there for leisure travel, to go to a restaurant or a nightclub, to attend a concert, and so on.”
“It is there so that anyone who goes out late at night at the weekend in the capital can return home on public transport without worry. That is why, 15 years ago, STIB launched the Noctis night bus network.”
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Cheaper than taking a taxi, the Noctis network was conceived and designed on the basis of a detailed analysis of the places where people go out and where activities take place at night in the capital, resulting in somewhat of a star-shape that connects the city centre with the suburbs when demand is highest.
The majority of passengers are young people who often travel in groups and use the night buses mainly for leisure purposes, with around 75% reporting that they’re satisfied or very satisfied with the service provided.
Buses on Noctis network’s 11 lines depart from the Central Station every Friday and Saturday evening at an interval of one bus every half-hour, with the last departure from the city centre between 02:30 and 02:45.
