Brussels, 26 September, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Passengers travelling to and from Brussels Airport face reduced rail services from 3 to 18 October as Belgian infrastructure manager Infrabel carries out renovation work in the tunnel serving Brussels Airport-Zaventem station. Fewer Brussels Airport trains will stop at the station, while several routes and departure times will change.
Fewer trains will stop at Brussels Airport
Infrabel will work on the southern section of the railway tunnel connecting the airport station with surrounding lines. SNCB says the project is required to maintain the safety and smooth operation of rail traffic.
During the works, trains will only be able to access Brussels Airport-Zaventem through the northern side of the tunnel, reducing capacity. Services between Brussels, the European Quarter, Zaventem and Leuven will also be affected.
SNCB said: “We are adapting our services accordingly while trying to limit the impact of these works on your journey as much as possible.”
Normal journey times to and from the airport are expected to be longer during the works.
Several airport rail routes will change
On weekdays, the IC Brussels Airport-Namur-Dinant, IC Knokke-Brussels-Liège-Guillemins and EuroCity Brussels-Midi-Antwerp-Rotterdam services will not stop at the airport. Other services will operate with revised departure times.
Additional changes will apply during the weekends of 3-4, 10-11 and 17-18 October. SNCB warns that other infrastructure projects elsewhere in Belgium could also affect connecting trains during those weekends.
Passengers can use De Lijn buses R26 and 82 between Zaventem railway station and the airport with a valid train ticket. SNCB recommends selecting bus connections when checking alternatives through its journey planner.
Airport recently regained international high-speed trains
The disruption comes weeks after Brussels Airport regained a direct international high-speed rail connection for the first time since 2015.
Deutsche Bahn launched its Cologne-Brussels Airport-Antwerp ICE service on 7 September. Two return services operate daily, with Cologne-originating trains scheduled to reach the airport at 08:29 and 16:28.
Brussels Airport chief executive Arnaud Feist said: “The arrival of this high-speed rail service marks an important step in the further development of Brussels Airport as an intermodal hub.”
The airport says more than 1,000 combined rail-and-flight tickets had already been sold after the partnership between Deutsche Bahn and Brussels Airlines was announced.
Passengers advised to check journeys before departure
The reduced Brussels Airport trains could particularly affect airline passengers working to fixed check-in and departure times.
SNCB has incorporated the temporary arrangements into its journey planner and advises passengers to check their connection before leaving.
Works continue until 18 October
The main tunnel works are scheduled from Saturday 3 October through Sunday 18 October. Preparatory work took place on 19-20 September, while finishing work is scheduled for 24-25 October.
Passengers travelling during the affected period should allow additional time and consult SNCB’s latest timetable before heading to Brussels Airport.
