October 31, 2025
Virgin Trains, the railway company owned by British businessman Richard Branson, has received permission from the British regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), to share a central rail depot in east London, where trains are maintained and parked, with Eurostar. With the application approved, Virgin Trains is removing a significant barrier to the […]
October 30, 2025
The Flemish public transport company De Lijn continues to rack up fines for violations of the low-emission zone (LEZ). In the first six months of this year, it has already paid almost 150,000 euros in fines, more than double the total spent in 2024. De Lijn will also have to pay LEZ fines next year. After […]
October 30, 2025
From June 3, Brussels Airlines will fly twice a week to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, as a stopover on flights to Nairobi, Kenya. Brussels Airlines specializes in flights to Africa. Next year, the airline will offer 18 destinations there. Parent company Lufthansa, on the other hand, will cut several European connections and domestic flights from its 2026 […]
October 29, 2025
French train manufacturer Alstom is consolidating its activities in Belgium and Luxembourg into its French entity, according to business newspaper L’Echo. At the same time, it is also parting ways with its Benelux CEO, Bernard Belvaux. “The new organizational structure will take effect on December 1 and reflects the close ties that exist between the […]
October 29, 2025
Anyone wishing to visit the Citadel and the rock above the Walloon city of Dinant will no longer be able to do so by cable car. A technical report has identified wear and tear and aging, which means the cable car will have to be temporarily shut down, possibly for 1.5 to 2 years, to […]
October 28, 2025
In the past ten years, the number of tram accidents involving pedestrians in the Brussels-Capital Region has halved. While the MIVB/STIB recorded between 40 and 50 such accidents per year in 2015, the figure for 2024 is 23 collisions. “A promising development,” says the public transport company, “but every accident has potentially serious consequences and […]
October 27, 2025
It is well known that prospective drivers must wait a long time to take their driving test in Flanders. These long waiting times, of six to seven months, are partly because, on average, more than 4,000 driving tests for a Class B driver’s licence are canceled each year. After all, every lost time slot is […]
October 24, 2025
The Walloon public transport company TEC is reforming its fare structure from February 1st. A single price on the classic lines will replace the zone fares. There will also be an indexation of 2.15%. The current ‘Next’ and ‘Horizon’ tickets will be merged into a single ‘Classic’ ticket that is valid for 90 minutes on […]
October 23, 2025
Despite the high cost, Belgian urban families are increasingly opting for cargo bikes. According to figures from the mobility federation Traxio, sales in Belgium have skyrocketed over the past two years, rising by more than 66%, from 9,585 units in 2022 to 15,246 in 2024. The success of the cargo or longtail bike for the […]
October 23, 2025
High-speed train operator Eurostar has ordered 50 trains from French company Alstom. These are double-decker trains, a first for Eurostar. Thanks to their double configuration, with two trains coupled together, they offer more than 1,000 seats per journey while traveling at a maximum speed of 320 km/h. Eurostar needs the trains to open new routes […]
October 22, 2025
The unions at Brussels Airlines are threatening to take action, such as a strike, following the dismissal of three flight attendants. The three refused to fly to Ghana after the cleaning crew reported pests on board, including fleas and bedbugs. According to Brussels Airlines, it was a false alarm. However, the action of the three […]
October 22, 2025
Criticized by some and cherished by others, the low-emission zone (LEZ) in Brussels is having the desired effect, according to the annual evaluation by Brussels Environment. The LEZ is leading to faster fleet renewal and better air quality in the Brussels-Capital Region. An average of 360,000 unique vehicles drive in the LEZ every day. Just […]
October 21, 2025
During the national campaign against distracted driving on October 7 and 8, the Belgian police issued a total of 3,226 fines and immediate penalties. No fewer than 2,877 drivers were fined for using a cell phone while driving, and 1,097 driving licences were immediately revoked. “The number of violations remains very high,” says the federal […]
October 21, 2025
Belgian victims of the Dieselgate scandal who still want to file a claim for €1,000 in compensation need to hurry, because the deadline of Sunday, October 26th, is fast approaching. However, the victims themselves do not seem to be losing any sleep over it. According to the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, only 2,400 Belgians have […]
October 20, 2025
The vote on a carbon tax for international shipping, known as the Net-Zero Framework (NZF), has been postponed for a year. This was decided on Friday in London by the member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the maritime branch of the United Nations. The postponement comes under pressure from US President Donald Trump. […]
October 17, 2025
A pet travelling on an airplane falls under the definition of ‘baggage’. The European Court of Justice has declared this. The declaration arose from a dispute between a Spanish airline and a passenger whose dog was lost during transportation. Whether animal welfare organizations will be happy with this legal ruling is another question. They consider […]
October 17, 2025
Eventually, from mid-November, Flemish public transport company De Lijn would be operating self-driving shuttle minibuses to transport passengers between Leuven station and Heverlee. A Belgian first: autonomous vehicles driving in busy city traffic at normal speeds of up to 40 km/h. But more time is needed to fine-tune and becoming fully operational is now postponed […]
October 16, 2025
Alphabet-Google’s daughter company, Waymo, plans to introduce its robotaxi operations in London next year. This is in response to plans by the British government to allow commercial pilot projects with autonomous vehicles from 2026. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was “delighted” by the announcement. For Waymo, this will be its second international expansion, after […]
October 16, 2025
Securail, the NMBS/SCNB security service, was called upon more than 7,000 times last year to intervene at Brussels South station. This was reported by the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, among others, based on figures from Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés). With an average of 20 interventions per day for incidents in Brussels South, this is […]
October 15, 2025
The Court of Audit, responsible for external control of the budgetary, accounting, and financial transactions of Belgian governments, has reviewed the Flemish plans for renewable energy. The institution also examined the financial support for renewable energy. Between 2014 and 2023, almost 13 billion euros in support for renewable energy were granted in Flanders. And 11.2 […]
October 14, 2025
Despite millions in aid from Flanders and the federal government, totaling 13,5 million euros, Antwerp Airport’s financial situation is so dire that the so-called alarm bell procedure is in effect. This means that any creditor can ask the court to dissolve the company. Nevertheless, for Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA), who is […]
October 13, 2025
The United States is threatening sanctions if the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations’ maritime branch, votes this week in London to adopt the Net-Zero Framework definitively. This framework aims to make shipping greener through a carbon tax. Sixty-three countries have already expressed their support for the plan, including Belgium. Sixteen countries, including Russia […]
October 13, 2025
Tomorrow, Belgian trade unions will mobilize en masse against the Arizona government’s plans. They are hoping for a repeat of 2014, when 100,000 demonstrators turned up to protest, among other things, an index jump. The unions are particularly concerned about the government’s pension reforms, the planned expansion of flexi-jobs, and lower pay for night work. […]
October 10, 2025
The head of Lufthansa does not believe the aviation sector will achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. CEO Carsten Spohr attributes this to the slow development of technology and the increased availability of more sustainable aircraft fuels. The Lufthansa Group has set itself ambitious climate protection goals. The company aims to achieve a neutral CO2 […]
October 10, 2025
The members of Belgium’s largest rail unions have rejected the draft agreement on a modernized statute for rail personnel that the unions had initially agreed with Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés). According to the rail unions, there will probably be no new round of negotiations, and the Minister is now free to do […]
October 10, 2025
Starting in April, Martin Sion, currently executive chairman of European aerospace company ArianeGroup, will become the new CEO of French railway manufacturer Alstom. Sion will replace Henri Poupart-Lafarge, the current CEO. Poupart-Lafarge, who has been CEO of Alstom since 2016, announced in May that he would not be seeking a fourth term. Martin Sion had […]
October 09, 2025
From December 14th, extra late trains will run from Brussels and Antwerp on Friday and Saturday evenings, sometimes until well after midnight. This has been announced by NMBS/SNCB. At weekends, there will also be more trains between several major cities, such as the suburban S-net around Brussels, Ghent, and Charleroi. The changes have already been […]
October 08, 2025
There will be no evaluation of the low-emission zone (LEZ) in Ghent for the time being. This is according to Filip Watteeuw (Groen), alderman for Climate and Environment, among others. According to Watteeuw, there is currently too much legal uncertainty, which means that the city cannot and will not decide to evaluate the LEZ and make […]
October 08, 2025
The European Commission wants to erect a tariff wall to protect the strategically important steel industry from global overcapacity. Welcomed by the European steel industry, which is in a state of survival, but met with skepticism by European carmakers who fear higher production costs. Specifically, the Commission wants to limit tariff-free imports of steel from […]
October 07, 2025
After more than a year of delays, the Belgian federal government and the regions of Flanders, Wallonia, and the Brussels-Capital Region have finalized the approval of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKP). At the same time, an agreement has also been reached on the distribution of funds from the European Social Climate Fund. Maron: […]
October 07, 2025
The announced fare reform at the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB will be launched on October 15. The most significant changes to the ticket offering, the biggest change in 30 years, are fares per kilometer and a discount card. Nothing will change for subscriptions. According to the NMBS/SNCB, the average fare is expected to decrease, […]
October 07, 2025
The Belgian ministers of public transport have long been striving to make Swiss public transport a model for Belgium. Now, progress seems to be being made in implementing some of the ambitions that have made Swiss public transport so successful for many years. Belgium’s four mobility ministers are asking public transport companies to submit a […]
October 06, 2025
The socialist transport workers union BTB-ABVV has once again published a black book on Belgian motorway parking areas. “Unsafe, inadequate, and uncomfortable” is the conclusion of the 11th review, which examined more than 50 parking areas in Belgium and abroad. “It’s high time that policymakers, employers, and clients take responsibility,” says Tom Peeters, deputy federal […]
October 03, 2025
Much has been written about the possible introduction of compulsory bicycle helmets, but everyone agrees that wearing one protects you better against head injuries in the event of a fall. London-based start-up RLS has recently developed an innovative technology for bicycle helmets that significantly reduces the risk of concussions and traumatic brain injuries in the […]
October 03, 2025
A new study funded by the European Commission and conducted by Ghent University on the working conditions of pilots and cabin crew at airlines in the EU reveals some alarming trends that are not necessarily encouraging for airline passengers. High workloads, fatigue, stress, and feelings of dehumanization are commonplace, and the pressure for efficiency and […]
October 02, 2025
The approximately 2,600 employees of the Eurostar high-speed train service have been sporting new uniforms since yesterday. This is the first comprehensive uniform revamp for the company in over a decade. The 54-piece collection reflects the European spirit and is inspired by the various European cities served by Eurostar. In addition to cultural references to […]
October 02, 2025
Almost half of incidents involving pedestrians occur when they are on the sidewalk, a bike path, or in a pedestrian zone, and not when they are hit while crossing the street, as is commonly expected. This is according to a new study by the Traffic Safety Institute Vias. Also noteworthy: 1 in 5 accidents or […]
October 01, 2025
Starting today, Belgian postal company Bpost will deliver its parcels and mail in the 19 municipalities of Brussels completely emission-free. According to Bpost, this makes the capital the first European metropolis where postal workers make their daily rounds completely emission-free. 565 electric delivery vans and 57 electric bicycles with trailers make 728 rounds every day, […]
October 01, 2025
At the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB, only 6,5% of tickets are still purchased at ticket offices, compared to 50% a decade ago. This is logical, considering that there are only 91 stations with ticket offices left, which are often only open in the mornings. The Mobility Committee is now asking NMBS/SNCB to launch a […]
September 30, 2025
Four in a row, because after the Doel 3, Tihange 2, and Doel 1 nuclear reactors were permanently shut down earlier, on Monday night, the plug will also be pulled on Tihange 1. The nuclear reactor has been in service for 50 years, although the Belgian government hopes that this is not the end of […]
September 30, 2025
France is launching a new round of its social leasing plan for the purchase of electric cars, aimed at lower-income households. The system was also launched last year, but was suspended after about six weeks because the budget was quickly exhausted as the number of validated orders was much higher than expected. For this year, […]
September 29, 2025
Lufthansa plans to reduce its administrative workforce by approximately 4,000 by 2030. Most of the jobs will be lost in Germany. The jobs will become redundant because processes “will be digitized, automated, and consolidated,” says the German airline group. Brussels Airlines expects a “limited impact”. At the same time, the group also announced “the largest […]
September 29, 2025
Two Brussels mothers have launched WeCar.mobi, a free carpooling platform designed to make life a lot easier for parents. The platform enables you to coordinate carpooling for private groups, such as after-school activities, birthday parties, or sports matches, while also reducing your individual carbon footprint by sharing rides. Arranging transportation for your children to school and […]
September 26, 2025
Thanks to an agreement with the Flemish Brabant municipality of Linkebeek, the legal issues surrounding the expansion plans for the Brussels-Nivelles line as part of the Regional Express Network (GEN) have been resolved. Federal Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engages) and Benoît Gilson, CEO of Infrabel, signed an agreement yesterday with the first alderman […]
September 26, 2025
Good news for owners of trendy Cowboy bicycles: the brand and the bicycles will continue to exist. French bicycle group Rebirth is set to acquire 80% of the Brussels-based bicycle company and will invest 15 million euros to get the manufacturer of connected e-bikes back on track. Cowboy, which lost 20 million euros last year […]
September 25, 2025
The Dieselgate ‘nightmare’ continues to haunt Volkswagen. Disadvantaged Volkswagen customers in France can still claim compensation five years after being informed that cheating software had been installed in their cars. This was ruled by the Court of Cassation, France’s highest Court. Previously, the limitation period for civil lawsuits related to the Dieselgate scandal was five […]
September 25, 2025
There is no longer any legal obstacle preventing the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB from awarding the contract for the definitive allocation of hundreds of new AM30 trainsets to the Spanish company CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles). After the Council of State rejected Siemens Mobility’s appeal against the order by German train manufacturer last […]
September 24, 2025
EDF, Europe’s largest electricity company, is negotiating with Engie and the Belgian government about a potential takeover of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear reactors, aimed at keeping both plants operational longer, specifically until 2045. This is according to La Lettre, a French online newspaper that mainly reports on politics, business, and the media […]
September 24, 2025
Getting a 4/10 on your report card and still receiving a financial bonus of more than 400,000 euros? That is the outcome of the annual performance report by the Federal Public Service Mobility for the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB. In 2024, NMBS/SNCB achieved its targets for five of the 12 performance indicators, while scoring […]
September 23, 2025
The Flemish government wants to collect an additional 50 million euros annually from speed trap fines. This is one of the mobility consequences of the September Declaration, the moment when the Flemish government proposes the 2026 budget. In addition, the Diependaele government is increasing the CO2 tax for trucks. The kilometer charge is expected to […]
September 23, 2025
For the first time in the history of Deutsche Bahn, a woman will become chair of the board of the German national railway company. That honor goes to Evelyn Palla, who previously headed Deutsche Bahn’s regional train division. In the German business world, it remains relatively rare for women to hold the top position in […]
September 22, 2025
Several European airports, including Brussels Airport, Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, Dublin, and Cork, have been disrupted on Friday and in the weekend by a cyberattack on external service provider Collins Aerospace. Even though it’s been a few days, the fallout is still being felt. The attack affected the American aviation company, which supplies software for […]
September 22, 2025
The Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB is in a stronger legal position regarding the tendering of new trains. As expected, the Council of State has rejected the appeal by German company Siemens Mobility against NMNS/SNCB’s plans to award an order for hundreds of new trainsets to the Spanish company CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles). […]
September 22, 2025
If outgoing Brussels Minister of Mobility Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) has her way, the capital will become car-free not once but four times a year. Van den Brandt wants to discuss this with the mayors of the 19 municipalities. A poll also shows that most Brussels residents want several car-free days per year. In addition […]
September 19, 2025
The new tram in Liège has been in service since the end of April and is proving to be a resounding success. Although no reliable public sources are immediately available, the newspaper Le Soir reports 100,000 users per week, which would amount to more than 2 million passengers to date. The only downside is that […]
September 18, 2025
French energy giant Engie may be willing to extend the lifespan of the Doel 4 and Tihange 3 nuclear reactors by 20 years instead of the planned 10 years. According to the unions, CEO Cédric Osterrieth said this at a works council meeting this week. Furthermore, according to the newspaper Le Soir, Energy Minister Mathieu […]
September 18, 2025
Two Xpeng AeroHT eVTOLs collided at an air show in Changchun, China, according to various Chinese and American media reports. At least one passenger was taken to the hospital with injuries, but these are not believed to be life-threatening. The cause of the accident is still unclear. There have been relatively few incidents involving eVTOLs, […]
September 17, 2025
The three-country train between Maastricht in the Netherlands, the German city of Aachen, and Liège in Belgium was canceled too often last year and ran late 34% of the time. According to agreements between the Dutch province of Limburg and transport company Arriva, this should be no more than 5%. The main reasons for cancellations […]
September 17, 2025
The Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB reportedly orders trains to skip stops an average of five times a day to make up for delays. In six months, more than 900 stops were skipped. It was already known that NMBS/SNCB was applying this practice. For example, the ombudsperson service already mentioned it in its annual report […]
September 16, 2025
During July and August, around 5 million passengers traveled through Brussels Airport. That is an increase of 3%. In August, the airport welcomed 2,5 million passengers, the same as in July. The number of arriving passengers was particularly high, 200,000 more than departing passengers. Due to the large number of local passengers, the share of […]
