SNCB wants to run 2,000 additional trains per week by 2026, the company announced on Friday. This will involve increasing frequencies on some lines.
Our colleagues from the Last Hour were able to obtain some good “fallen from the truck” pages of this transport plan. It reads that the SNCB and the Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) would like to double the frequencies on several routes from December 2023.
On weekdays, the Liège-Verviers (S41) relationship would be covered twice an hour instead of once. Same thing for Noorderkempen-Antwerp. The Puurs-Antwerp-Essen (S32) connection would be doubled on Saturday, with two trains per hour instead of just one. On weekends, the train connecting Wavre – Ottignies-Fleurus-Charleroi-Namur-Jambes (S61) would run every hour instead of two.
No stops removed and 2,000 additional trains per week by 2026: here are the details of the new SNCB transport plan
We also remind you that the plan includes a new Charleroi-Fleurus-Ottignies-Wavre-Louvain relationship, available 7 days a week, with a TEC bus connection to Charleroi airport.
An extension of the Liège-Vervier section (S41) will join Aix-la-Chapelle, 7 days a week. During the week, the Lokeren-Ghent link (S53) will be extended to Oudenaarde. The Drielandentrain Liège-Maastricht-Aachen by Arriva will also be put into service. On weekends, a direct connection will allow you to reach Louvain-la-Neuve (S8) from Zottegem. Currently, anyone wishing to make this journey by train at the weekend must make a stopover at Brussels-Midi, then reach Ottignies from where they will take a bus to Louvain-la-Neuve.
This new plan still needs to be approved by the Council of Ministers.
