Railway company NMBS will start the new timetable on Sunday. The offer will be expanded by almost 2 percent, although a more extensive expansion was initially planned and an hourly journey on the important Antwerp-Brussels axis will also disappear. An overview:
In addition to the expansion by almost 2 percent, NMBS is also bringing back 220 trains per week that had previously been canceled due to staffing problems. For example, this concerns a second S train per hour during peak hours between Antwerp and Herentals and a number of P trains around Ghent, Geraardsbergen and Kortrijk.
The new train connections are mainly for suburban S-traffic. Around Antwerp, the S-train between Puurs, Antwerp and Essen will now run twice an hour on Saturdays. Around Ghent, an S-train will run every hour all day between Ghent, Lokeren, Oudenaarde and Ronse. Also, from June 2025, the S81 between Schaarbeek, Brussels-Schuman, Ottignies and Louvain-la-Neuve will run all day, instead of only during rush hour.
On the important rail axis between Antwerp and Brussels, on the other hand, only four instead of five IC trains per hour will run on weekdays. The NMBS lost place on the track to the provider of international train connections Eurostar. NMBS must adjust the timetables of a number of other trains.
Travelers can check whether anything has changed for their train via the NMBS journey planner, on the website or in the app.
The most important adjustments
- The number IC trains between Antwerp and Brussels reduces from 5 to 4 per hour.
- There are no longer direct trains on weekdays Sint-Niklaas and Brussels.
- The Eurocity Direct forms a new, faster IC connection between Brussels and Amsterdam.
- There is a new connection between them Brussels and Pariswith a stopover in Bergen. Three trains a day.
- Of ‘Dampoort Express’ will resume its original timetable.
- The direct IC train Blankenberge-Genk does not drive further than Hasselt during the week.
- The S-train will operate around Antwerp on Saturday Puurs, Antwerp and Essen from now on twice an hour.
- Half of the IC trains between Antwerp and Brussels no longer stops in Mechelen-Nekkerspoel.
An overview of all adjustments can be found on the NMBS website.
Shortage of train drivers
The NMBS originally planned a larger expansion of the offer. But due to a shortage of train drivers, the railway company had to postpone a number of projects – such as late evening and weekend trains. However, it maintains its ambition to expand the train offering by 10 percent by 2032 (compared to 2022). The number of travelers should increase by 30 percent during that period.
