Rail strike: alternative train service is proceeding as planned

Due to a 24-hour strike at the railways, only a quarter of the trains in Belgium have been running since Tuesday evening. This concerns about two in five IC trains between the major cities and one in four L and S trains. The peak hour trains are almost all gone.

NMBS had developed an alternative train service based on the number of staff members not participating in the strike. That service will run as planned on Wednesday morning, SNCB spokesman Dimitri Temmerman reported. “Travellers can therefore count on the planned trains to run as announced,” says Temmerman. “We do recommend that everyone check our app or website in advance to find out when their train is running.”

Train passenger Dirk Serlet, who had to travel from Kortrijk to Ostend this morning, was lucky (VIDEO).

The rail strike will last until 10 p.m. The unions have stepped down to put pressure on the federal government. It must decide on the budget for the railways for the coming years. The unions demand, among other things, sufficient resources for recruitment and good working conditions.

You read the updates from the NMBS here.