Public transport across Wallonia remained severely disrupted on 5 February as an unlimited strike by unions representing regional operator OTW and its LETEC bus and metro subsidiaries stretched into its second week. In the Liège-Verviers area, 115 bus routes and the Busway 2 tram line were completely suspended, while Charleroi’s combined bus-metro network was operating just 13 skeleton routes. (brusselstimes.com)
The unions are protesting budget cuts that the Walloon government says are necessary to meet EU deficit targets. Labour leaders argue management is trying to claw back hard-won benefits that were negotiated in lieu of pay rises. Talks between OTW and unions resumed on Thursday afternoon but, at press time, services for 6 February were still expected to be “heavily disrupted,” with some depots blockaded.
![Walloon public-transport strike enters 11th day, crippling regional mobility]()
For travellers whose itineraries may be thrown off by the ongoing strike, VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can quickly help check whether a visa extension or other travel documentation is needed and file everything online, allowing business visitors, expatriates and tourists to stay compliant if they end up having to prolong their time in Belgium until normal services resume.
For employers, the walk-out is hitting commuting patterns just as many firms are urging staff back to the office at least three days a week. HR departments are scrambling to arrange car-pooling, tele-work exemptions and hotel rooms near work sites for critical staff. Logistics companies report that last-mile deliveries in the affected provinces are running up to 24 hours late.
If no agreement is reached, union delegates have threatened to extend pickets to strategic hubs such as Charleroi Airport’s access roads—raising the prospect of compounded disruption for international arrivals during the upcoming winter-holiday peak. Mobility managers with expatriates or frequent travellers in Belgium should monitor daily OTW service bulletins and build in extra transit time.
The unions are protesting budget cuts that the Walloon government says are necessary to meet EU deficit targets. Labour leaders argue management is trying to claw back hard-won benefits that were negotiated in lieu of pay rises. Talks between OTW and unions resumed on Thursday afternoon but, at press time, services for 6 February were still expected to be “heavily disrupted,” with some depots blockaded.
For travellers whose itineraries may be thrown off by the ongoing strike, VisaHQ (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) can quickly help check whether a visa extension or other travel documentation is needed and file everything online, allowing business visitors, expatriates and tourists to stay compliant if they end up having to prolong their time in Belgium until normal services resume.
For employers, the walk-out is hitting commuting patterns just as many firms are urging staff back to the office at least three days a week. HR departments are scrambling to arrange car-pooling, tele-work exemptions and hotel rooms near work sites for critical staff. Logistics companies report that last-mile deliveries in the affected provinces are running up to 24 hours late.
If no agreement is reached, union delegates have threatened to extend pickets to strategic hubs such as Charleroi Airport’s access roads—raising the prospect of compounded disruption for international arrivals during the upcoming winter-holiday peak. Mobility managers with expatriates or frequent travellers in Belgium should monitor daily OTW service bulletins and build in extra transit time.
