Brussels Minister of Mobility Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) acknowledged as much last year: Floya, the Brussels-Capital Region’s multimodal app, needs to become better known.

MIVB/STIB is now addressing the issue itself by announcing that it will discontinue the multimodal mobility app starting in 2027.

The app cost 6 million euros to develop – although Van den Brandt had previously reported a figure of 14 million euros – but nearly three years after its launch, there are hardly any users.

Brussels Member of Parliament Sofia Bennani (Les Engagés) was therefore calling on the news site BRUZZ to pull the plug on it and integrate the new features into a more modern MIVB/STIB app.

Handy app for all your mobility needs in Brussels

The multimodal mobility app Floya was developed by the Brussels public transportation company MIVB/STIB on behalf of the Brussels Region.

The app brings together information on all of Brussels’ transportation options on a single platform. It’s a handy app for all your mobility needs in Brussels, instead of using 10 different apps. Partners include De Lijn, NMBS/SNCB, and MIVB/STIB, as well as Dott, Villa, Bolt, and car-sharing providers.

Based on the selected mode of transport, the user receives an overview of availability, schedules, upcoming departure times, traffic delays, battery levels, and more. Users can also book transportation options and make payments.

44,500 active users

But now Brussels MP Sofia Bennani (Les Engagés) has set the record straight. Figures she requested show that after nearly three years, Floya has 147,000 accounts but only 44,500 active users.

The goal was to reach 25,000 active users per month. By comparison, the MIVB/STIB app, launched in 2018, had 350,000 monthly users in 2023.

“We should no longer keep Floya alive artificially,” Bennani told BRUZZ. “Brussels residents have already embraced the MIVB/STIB app. That app should become the central mobility platform in Brussels.”

Team of about 12 people

Another source of frustration is that the app is currently maintained by a team of about 12 people, whereas the day-to-day operation of the MIVB/STIB app, which, incidentally, has cost half as much to develop, is handled by just 3 full-time employees.

Bennani therefore advocates fully integrating Floya into the MIVB/STIB app. “We mustn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Some of the features developed, such as integrated ticket sales and shared mobility, are interesting. We can adopt those, but we don’t need two expensive platforms competing, resulting in enormous costs and few results.”

Evaluation is in progress

Minister Van den Brandt does not deny the disappointing results. She says that getting people to use a new mobility app remains a huge challenge when there are already giant players like Google Maps on the market, even though you can’t buy tickets or book rides on Google Maps.

The technology behind Flora, such as integrations with other services, shared mobility features, and data tools, will continue to be incorporated into the MIVB/STIB’s digital developments, the Minister adds.

Swiped definitively to the left

Last week, MIVB/STIB was evaluating whether the app would continue, but now the transportation company has announced it will permanently discontinue the app as of December 31, 2026.

According to MIVB/STIB, the decision is in line with the changed context, including the ban on shared e-scooters set to take effect in the Brussels Region in 2027.

And the changing context surrounding the kilometer charge and the reduced number of shared e-scooter and bike providers. The current budgetary realities and cost-saving measures within the Brussels government are also factors.

Users with tickets, passes, or other travel documents in Floya are being asked to use them before the end of 2026. Customer service will remain available until January 31, 2027.

The MIVB/STIB emphasizes that the discontinuation will not affect the mobility service in question. These will remain available through their own apps and platforms.

“Thanks to Floya users, we have a better understanding of what travelers need when they combine different transportation options,” says the MIVB/STIB. “The insights gained from Floya will be incorporated into future digital applications and collaborations with mobility partners.”

Since its launch on September 6, 2023, Floya has been downloaded 433,416 times, says the MIVB/STIB. The app averaged 33,600 active users per month, who searched for a route nearly 23 million times. In other words, a stable user base, but “the active users did not increase enough to continue the project in the long term.”