Belgium’s national rail operator SNCB introduced a new timetable on Sunday, 14 December 2025, adding late-night S-trains on Fridays and Saturdays and doubling several inter-city frequencies. The changes—part of the 2023-2032 public-service contract—translate into a 2 % network-wide capacity increase for 2026 and a cumulative 5 % rise since 2023.
Key enhancements for international assignees and commuters include a second hourly IC service between Charleroi and Brussels and between Liège and Brussels, plus an extra Liège-Brussels train that now stops at Brussels Airport. On suburban routes, S1 (Brussels–Antwerp) and S2 (Braine-le-Comte–Brussels–Leuven) now run later into the night, improving links for business travellers catching late flights or evening Eurostar services. Weekday frequencies on the S4 (Aalst–Brussels-Luxembourg), S7 (Halle–Vilvoorde) and S3 (Denderleeuw–Geraardsbergen) lines have also been increased to every 30 minutes.
![SNCB rolls out major timetable upgrade, boosting late-night and weekend trains to and from Brussels]()
SNCB says the overhaul lays groundwork for a targeted 10 % network growth by 2032, funded jointly by federal and regional governments. The carrier is recruiting 2,000 additional drivers and conductors and investing €1 billion in new M7 double-deck coaches and upgraded signalling. For HR mobility teams, the expanded evening and weekend services offer greater flexibility for assignees living in satellite cities such as Leuven or Ghent, potentially easing housing pressure in Brussels proper.
VisaHQ can further smooth the relocation process: its platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) simplifies Belgian visa and work-permit applications for international staff, enabling mobility managers to line up travel documents as effortlessly as the new S-train connections.
Companies should update travel-policy guidance and corporate booking tools to reflect the new schedules, especially for employees who rely on rail rather than company cars amid Brussels’ tightening low-emission-zone rules.
Key enhancements for international assignees and commuters include a second hourly IC service between Charleroi and Brussels and between Liège and Brussels, plus an extra Liège-Brussels train that now stops at Brussels Airport. On suburban routes, S1 (Brussels–Antwerp) and S2 (Braine-le-Comte–Brussels–Leuven) now run later into the night, improving links for business travellers catching late flights or evening Eurostar services. Weekday frequencies on the S4 (Aalst–Brussels-Luxembourg), S7 (Halle–Vilvoorde) and S3 (Denderleeuw–Geraardsbergen) lines have also been increased to every 30 minutes.
SNCB says the overhaul lays groundwork for a targeted 10 % network growth by 2032, funded jointly by federal and regional governments. The carrier is recruiting 2,000 additional drivers and conductors and investing €1 billion in new M7 double-deck coaches and upgraded signalling. For HR mobility teams, the expanded evening and weekend services offer greater flexibility for assignees living in satellite cities such as Leuven or Ghent, potentially easing housing pressure in Brussels proper.
VisaHQ can further smooth the relocation process: its platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) simplifies Belgian visa and work-permit applications for international staff, enabling mobility managers to line up travel documents as effortlessly as the new S-train connections.
Companies should update travel-policy guidance and corporate booking tools to reflect the new schedules, especially for employees who rely on rail rather than company cars amid Brussels’ tightening low-emission-zone rules.
