Belgium’s three main rail unions—ACOD Spoor, CSC-Transcom and SLFP—filed formal notice on 8 January for a national strike that will run from Monday 26 to Friday 30 January unless the federal government shelves its rail-reform bill. The legislation would end civil-servant status for new railway recruits and allow management to impose decisions if labour-management committees fail to reach a two-thirds majority. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/fr/news/2026-01-10/be/belgian-rail-unions-plan-26-30-january-strike-threatening-commuter-and-cross-border-services/))
Should the walk-out proceed, national operator SNCB will run only a legally mandated “service minimum”, typically 25–30 % of weekday trains. International carriers—Eurostar, Thalys and Deutsche Bahn—must decide whether to cancel or divert trains that use Belgian tracks, a decision that could also affect through-ticket passengers heading to the UK, France, the Netherlands and Germany. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/fr/news/2026-01-10/be/belgian-rail-unions-plan-26-30-january-strike-threatening-commuter-and-cross-border-services/))
For global mobility teams the dates could not be more awkward. The last week of January is a rotation window for graduate programmes and short-term assignments starting on 1 February. Brussels is also hosting several ministerial meetings under the EU Council presidency, meaning thousands of visiting delegates rely on the rail network. Employers may need to charter buses, authorise taxis or allow remote attendance to keep projects on track. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/fr/news/2026-01-10/be/belgian-rail-unions-plan-26-30-january-strike-threatening-commuter-and-cross-border-services/))
![Belgian rail unions call five-day strike for 26–30 January, threatening commuter and cross-border services]()
Past Belgian rail strikes have produced ripple effects beyond the tracks: baggage-handling slow-downs at Brussels Airport and overtime bans at the Port of Zeebrugge are just two historical precedents. Mobility managers should therefore mark 25–31 January as “amber” days in booking systems, brief employees on reimbursement rules and monitor aviation and maritime bulletins for solidarity action. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/fr/news/2026-01-10/be/belgian-rail-unions-plan-26-30-january-strike-threatening-commuter-and-cross-border-services/))
Amid the scheduling chaos, VisaHQ’s Belgium desk can smooth the paperwork side of any last-minute itinerary changes. The platform’s online dashboard (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) streamlines Schengen visa applications, tracks status updates in real time and alerts travelers if consular hours shift during the strike—giving HR teams one less variable to worry about.
Visa providers report early signs of a documentation crunch as companies move assignees forward by a week to avoid the strike window. Fast-track channels such as the EU ICT permit may help, but HR teams should build extra lead-time into start-date planning and reconfirm municipal registration slots as calendars shift. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/fr/news/2026-01-10/be/belgian-rail-unions-plan-26-30-january-strike-threatening-commuter-and-cross-border-services/))
Should the walk-out proceed, national operator SNCB will run only a legally mandated “service minimum”, typically 25–30 % of weekday trains. International carriers—Eurostar, Thalys and Deutsche Bahn—must decide whether to cancel or divert trains that use Belgian tracks, a decision that could also affect through-ticket passengers heading to the UK, France, the Netherlands and Germany. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/fr/news/2026-01-10/be/belgian-rail-unions-plan-26-30-january-strike-threatening-commuter-and-cross-border-services/))
For global mobility teams the dates could not be more awkward. The last week of January is a rotation window for graduate programmes and short-term assignments starting on 1 February. Brussels is also hosting several ministerial meetings under the EU Council presidency, meaning thousands of visiting delegates rely on the rail network. Employers may need to charter buses, authorise taxis or allow remote attendance to keep projects on track. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/fr/news/2026-01-10/be/belgian-rail-unions-plan-26-30-january-strike-threatening-commuter-and-cross-border-services/))
Past Belgian rail strikes have produced ripple effects beyond the tracks: baggage-handling slow-downs at Brussels Airport and overtime bans at the Port of Zeebrugge are just two historical precedents. Mobility managers should therefore mark 25–31 January as “amber” days in booking systems, brief employees on reimbursement rules and monitor aviation and maritime bulletins for solidarity action. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/fr/news/2026-01-10/be/belgian-rail-unions-plan-26-30-january-strike-threatening-commuter-and-cross-border-services/))
Amid the scheduling chaos, VisaHQ’s Belgium desk can smooth the paperwork side of any last-minute itinerary changes. The platform’s online dashboard (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) streamlines Schengen visa applications, tracks status updates in real time and alerts travelers if consular hours shift during the strike—giving HR teams one less variable to worry about.
Visa providers report early signs of a documentation crunch as companies move assignees forward by a week to avoid the strike window. Fast-track channels such as the EU ICT permit may help, but HR teams should build extra lead-time into start-date planning and reconfirm municipal registration slots as calendars shift. ([visahq.com](https://www.visahq.com/fr/news/2026-01-10/be/belgian-rail-unions-plan-26-30-january-strike-threatening-commuter-and-cross-border-services/))
