Wallonia, 21 August (Brussles Morning Newspaper) – Bus and tram passengers across Wallonia are being warned to prepare for disruption just days into the new school term, with strike action planned for Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August. The LETEC strike follows a notice filed by the joint trade union front and could affect services across the operator’s network at one of the busiest points of the late-summer travel calendar.
Bus and tram disruption expected across Wallonia
LETEC has confirmed that disruption should be expected on both days because of the union action. The operator has not, however, announced that its entire network will stop running.
The actual impact will depend on staff participation, meaning some buses and trams could continue to operate while other journeys are cancelled or altered.
For passengers, the timing is likely to be particularly difficult. Families will be settling back into school routines while many employees will also be returning to their usual commuting patterns after the summer holidays.
The network is extensive. LETEC says it employs more than 5,800 people and operates 832 routes, with more than 2,700 vehicles in circulation.
Strike comes after months of service pressure
The latest dispute arrives after a challenging first half of the year for the Walloon transport operator.
LETEC acknowledged in June that industrial action had already weighed heavily on passengers. Its 2026 customer survey found that 76% of customers questioned had encountered a disrupted journey during the previous six months.
Overall satisfaction with the customer journey stood at 67%, compared with 69% in 2025, while the company’s broader perception rating slipped from 62% to 59%. LETEC said strikes during the first half of the year had directly influenced those results.
That background makes the prospect of another two days of disruption particularly significant for passengers who depend on public transport for work, education and everyday journeys.
LETEC working to make scheduled services more reliable
The LETEC strike also comes while management is reshaping timetables in an attempt to provide a more dependable service.
In March, the operator announced that it would adjust roughly 2% of its planned services to bring schedules closer to the resources actually available. LETEC cited structural constraints including staff absence and occasional vehicle unavailability.
Administrator-general Jean-Michel Soors said the approach was about prioritising “the reliability and quality of the service actually provided”, with the company targeting delivery of 99.8% of scheduled services outside strike periods.
Further changes are due in Luxembourg province from 24 August, only three days before the planned industrial action begins.
Why the timing matters for passengers
A two-day disruption during the first week of the school term could have consequences well beyond regular commuters.
Students relying on buses to reach schools and colleges may need alternative arrangements, while parents could face last-minute changes to work and childcare plans.
The effects will not necessarily be uniform across Wallonia. Until LETEC establishes how many employees are taking part, passengers will not know precisely which routes or individual journeys will operate.
What passengers should watch next
Attention will now turn to developments between the unions and LETEC ahead of 27 August.
Unless the strike notice is withdrawn or the action changes, disruption remains expected on both Thursday and Friday.
Passengers should check official LETEC travel information before leaving home rather than relying on normal timetables. The operator has been expanding real-time passenger information, including QR codes at stops that provide access to updated departure information where available.
For families in particular, checking services shortly before the morning school journey could prove essential if cancellations are confirmed.
