Sunday 26 October marked the final day of the nine-day suspension of train services between Brussels-South/Midi and Nivelles, a closure required for Infrabel’s four-track expansion under the RER suburban rail project. Throughout the autumn school break, all passenger trains were replaced by SNCB buses calling at intermediate stations Linkebeek, Waterloo and Braine-l’Alleud.
The works focused on the critical six-kilometre section north of Waterloo where additional tracks are being laid to segregate fast intercity and slower commuter services. According to Infrabel, completing the segment now avoids major weekday disruption later and keeps the €1.6 billion project on schedule for full commissioning in December 2025.
For global-mobility managers, the blockade affected a significant share of the expatriate workforce that lives in Walloon Brabant but commutes to EU and corporate offices in the capital. HR teams reported a sharp uptick in private-car usage and ride-sharing expenses during the week, highlighting the importance of advance travel alerts.
Normal rail service will resume with the first Monday trains on 27 October, but Infrabel cautions that reduced speeds will apply until dynamic track testing is completed in November. A full-service timetable, including the fast Brussels–Charleroi Airport IC, is expected to be restored for the December timetable change.
Employers should remind staff to consult the SNCB app for live updates and factor possible residual delays into Monday morning meetings.
The works focused on the critical six-kilometre section north of Waterloo where additional tracks are being laid to segregate fast intercity and slower commuter services. According to Infrabel, completing the segment now avoids major weekday disruption later and keeps the €1.6 billion project on schedule for full commissioning in December 2025.
For global-mobility managers, the blockade affected a significant share of the expatriate workforce that lives in Walloon Brabant but commutes to EU and corporate offices in the capital. HR teams reported a sharp uptick in private-car usage and ride-sharing expenses during the week, highlighting the importance of advance travel alerts.
Normal rail service will resume with the first Monday trains on 27 October, but Infrabel cautions that reduced speeds will apply until dynamic track testing is completed in November. A full-service timetable, including the fast Brussels–Charleroi Airport IC, is expected to be restored for the December timetable change.
Employers should remind staff to consult the SNCB app for live updates and factor possible residual delays into Monday morning meetings.
