Belgium’s national rail operator NMBS/SNCB quietly rolled out a “lightly adjusted” timetable on Monday, 2 February, to optimise services before a slate of engineering works hits key corridors later this month. According to the carrier’s update page, minor clock-face changes affect departure times on several inter-city and regional lines, while select peak-hour trains gain extra carriages to absorb demand.
More consequential for international commuters is Infrabel’s 2026 projects list, published the same day. From 14 February major track renewals will disrupt the Aarlen–Luxembourg route, a vital artery for EU staff who live in Belgium but work in the Grand Duchy. Parallel works on the Moeskroen–Tournai–Lille-Flandres line between 21 February and 1 March will complicate travel into northern France, while Wezet–Maastricht maintenance in April will alter Belgium–Netherlands services. Replacement buses and extended journey times of up to 45 minutes are expected.
![NMBS Introduces 2 February Timetable Tweaks Ahead of Major Cross-Border Track Works]()
Non-EU passengers caught out by these sudden detours often discover they need fresh paperwork for a new point of entry. VisaHQ’s Brussels team can step in quickly: its online portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) streamlines Schengen visa applications for Belgium, Luxembourg, France and the Netherlands, offers courier pickup, and keeps real-time tabs on processing so travellers aren’t left scrambling right before departure.
NMBS is urging passengers to consult the digital journey-planner or mobile app before travelling. Companies with cross-border commuter policies should circulate the new schedules and consider flexible-working arrangements, particularly for staff who transit daily to Luxembourg or Lille. Voucher arrangements for season-ticket holders affected by long diversions are to be confirmed.
The rail operator says all alterations are uploaded no later than 20 days before works commence, but mobility consultants warn that last-minute overnight timetable loads can catch travellers out. Employers may want to monitor NMBS API feeds—available through the BeRail data portal—to automate alerts in corporate travel tools.
More consequential for international commuters is Infrabel’s 2026 projects list, published the same day. From 14 February major track renewals will disrupt the Aarlen–Luxembourg route, a vital artery for EU staff who live in Belgium but work in the Grand Duchy. Parallel works on the Moeskroen–Tournai–Lille-Flandres line between 21 February and 1 March will complicate travel into northern France, while Wezet–Maastricht maintenance in April will alter Belgium–Netherlands services. Replacement buses and extended journey times of up to 45 minutes are expected.
Non-EU passengers caught out by these sudden detours often discover they need fresh paperwork for a new point of entry. VisaHQ’s Brussels team can step in quickly: its online portal (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) streamlines Schengen visa applications for Belgium, Luxembourg, France and the Netherlands, offers courier pickup, and keeps real-time tabs on processing so travellers aren’t left scrambling right before departure.
NMBS is urging passengers to consult the digital journey-planner or mobile app before travelling. Companies with cross-border commuter policies should circulate the new schedules and consider flexible-working arrangements, particularly for staff who transit daily to Luxembourg or Lille. Voucher arrangements for season-ticket holders affected by long diversions are to be confirmed.
The rail operator says all alterations are uploaded no later than 20 days before works commence, but mobility consultants warn that last-minute overnight timetable loads can catch travellers out. Employers may want to monitor NMBS API feeds—available through the BeRail data portal—to automate alerts in corporate travel tools.
