Mechelen (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – NMBS confirms only half the usual trains will run between Antwerp and Brussels this summer due to Mechelen bridge works, sparking travel disruptions.
Therefore, TreinTramBus, a passenger organization, is requesting that NMBS find a way to permit domestic passengers to travel on the international Eurocity train on the Antwerp–Brussels segment. “That’s not feasible,” replies NMBS.
The third Vierendeel bridge across the Leuvense Vaart and the renewal of the rail infrastructure on the Antwerp-Mechelen-Brussels railway line in Belgium will be the focus of ongoing work by rail network manager Infrabel in Mechelen from today until Sunday, August 31. Train traffic around Mechelen will be modified as a result, and there will be fewer tracks and switches accessible.
“On weekdays, there will be fewer IC trains running between Antwerp and Brussels during off-peak hours,”
Explains Bart Crol of NMBS.
“During rush hours, there will be additional trains on that route. The IC train between Essen and Charleroi-Central will not run between Antwerp-Central and Brussels. There will also be fewer suburban S-trains during rush hours.”
There will be half as many trains stopping at Mortsel-Oude God during weekends. Every hour, a train will halt.
“Travellers will have to wait longer and miss a number of connections. And there will also be fewer seats,”
Warns Peter Meukens of the passenger organisation TreinTramBus.
“The trains that do run, do not always leave well-spread over the hour.”
The passenger organisation proposes to open the international train that runs between Antwerp and Brussels to domestic passengers.
“There are at least 300 seats available per trip, let the passengers ride here and we already have part of an alternative” proposes Peter Meukens. “Besides, in the Netherlands that train is accessible to domestic passengers, so why wouldn’t that be possible in Belgium?”
NMBS responds that it recognizes the temporary arrangement is not optimal. However, they oppose letting people go to the Netherlands via international train.
“We have to work with the capacity that is available, and that does indeed mean that some trains are a bit close together, but there will certainly be seats available,”
Says Bart Crols.
He does not think it is a solution to allow domestic passengers on the international train.
“It is an international train that does not follow the route of the classic domestic train. The train only stops in Antwerp Central and Brussels-South, it also has different prices, and during the holiday period the occupancy will also be somewhat higher with tourists, so that is not a solution.”
The third bridge across the Vierendeel will be worked on. The steel structure will be repaired, the bridge abutments will be enlarged, and cable and drainage work will be done. The 63-meter-long, double-track metal bridge was built between 1933 and 1935 and will undergo renovations until 2027.
Additionally, the train infrastructure is undergoing maintenance, and the signaling system is being updated. Mechelen is a key and essential rail intersection, and these projects should raise the standard and safety of both freight and passenger traffic, according to Infrabel.
Why does NMBS refuse to allow passengers on the Eurocity train between Antwerp and Brussels?
The Eurocity Direct’s usefulness for the majority of domestic passengers who usually utilize these central stations is significantly limited because it only stops at Brussels-Midi and not at Brussels-Central or Brussels-North.
With international train prices, Eurocity Direct functions as an international service. It would be impracticable to allow local passengers without imposing additional fees on them, as doing so would compel them to pay higher international prices or require complicated fare modifications.
There are logistical obstacles with integrating domestic passengers on an international service, such as ticketing systems and agreements with foreign partners that are difficult to modify for short-term domestic use.
The Eurocity Direct cannot be opened to domestic passengers between Antwerp and Brussels due to the train’s few domestic stops, international fare structure, and operational complexity, according to NMBS.
