Belgium’s national rail operator SNCB has released an “alternative service plan” for the five-day strike that will shut down large parts of the network from 22:00 on Sunday 25 January until 22:00 on Friday 30 January. The legally required plan, published at 11:00 on 24 January, shows that only a skeleton service will run on key InterCity (IC) axes, with most local (L) and suburban (S) trains cancelled. International trains operated by SNCB will also run at greatly reduced frequencies, while high-speed operators such as Thalys and Eurostar depend on domestic connections that may not run at all. (belgiantrain.be)
Under Belgian strike legislation, SNCB must announce which trains it can guarantee 24 hours in advance based on staff who declare themselves available. The company warns that the published plan is the maximum that can be operated; if additional drivers or conductors report sick at short notice, further cancellations are possible. Travellers are urged to re-check journey planners the evening before departure and to download proof-of-disruption certificates for expense claims or visa-compliance documentation.
Travellers who find that the strike jeopardises their Schengen visa compliance can get rapid, hands-on assistance from VisaHQ, which maintains an always-updated portal on Belgian entry rules and supporting paperwork. Through the dedicated Belgium page (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/), users can generate personalised documentation checklists, arrange expedited courier delivery for amended visas, and even obtain letters confirming that cancelled trains constitute force-majeure—helpful when explaining itinerary changes to consular officers or border guards.
![Belgian Railways Publish Reduced Timetable Ahead of Five-Day National Strike]()
For corporate mobility managers, the immediate task is to review employee itineraries that involve rail legs within Belgium or connecting flights at Brussels, Antwerp or Liège airports. Employers with posted workers should keep evidence of strike-related delays in case of questions from immigration inspectors about missed registration windows. Where critical business travel cannot be postponed, companies are booking contingency road transport—yet motorway congestion is expected as commuters switch to cars and coaches.
Belgium’s rail unions are protesting proposed changes to recruitment quotas and overtime rules that they say will worsen staff shortages. The stoppage follows seven one-day actions in 2025 that cumulatively cancelled 2,400 flights and thousands of trains. Government negotiators insist that cost-saving measures are needed to stabilise SNCB’s finances ahead of the 2027 liberalisation of domestic passenger rail in the EU.
Practical advice for travellers includes using the SNCB app for real-time alerts, allowing extra time to reach Brussels-Midi for Eurostar departures, and carrying printed meeting invitations or boarding passes to justify late arrival at border-control interviews. Employers should circulate the strike certificate published on Belgiantrain.be so that transferees can attach it to residence-permit files if needed.
Under Belgian strike legislation, SNCB must announce which trains it can guarantee 24 hours in advance based on staff who declare themselves available. The company warns that the published plan is the maximum that can be operated; if additional drivers or conductors report sick at short notice, further cancellations are possible. Travellers are urged to re-check journey planners the evening before departure and to download proof-of-disruption certificates for expense claims or visa-compliance documentation.
Travellers who find that the strike jeopardises their Schengen visa compliance can get rapid, hands-on assistance from VisaHQ, which maintains an always-updated portal on Belgian entry rules and supporting paperwork. Through the dedicated Belgium page (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/), users can generate personalised documentation checklists, arrange expedited courier delivery for amended visas, and even obtain letters confirming that cancelled trains constitute force-majeure—helpful when explaining itinerary changes to consular officers or border guards.
For corporate mobility managers, the immediate task is to review employee itineraries that involve rail legs within Belgium or connecting flights at Brussels, Antwerp or Liège airports. Employers with posted workers should keep evidence of strike-related delays in case of questions from immigration inspectors about missed registration windows. Where critical business travel cannot be postponed, companies are booking contingency road transport—yet motorway congestion is expected as commuters switch to cars and coaches.
Belgium’s rail unions are protesting proposed changes to recruitment quotas and overtime rules that they say will worsen staff shortages. The stoppage follows seven one-day actions in 2025 that cumulatively cancelled 2,400 flights and thousands of trains. Government negotiators insist that cost-saving measures are needed to stabilise SNCB’s finances ahead of the 2027 liberalisation of domestic passenger rail in the EU.
Practical advice for travellers includes using the SNCB app for real-time alerts, allowing extra time to reach Brussels-Midi for Eurostar departures, and carrying printed meeting invitations or boarding passes to justify late arrival at border-control interviews. Employers should circulate the strike certificate published on Belgiantrain.be so that transferees can attach it to residence-permit files if needed.
