Fewer NMBS/SNCB trains due to the heat

June 22, 2026

The Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB will cancel some P-trains today and tomorrow due to the heat wave. These are mostly older, non-air-conditioned trains that have been parked in direct sunlight all day. Passengers are advised to plan their trips before departure via the NMBS/SNCB website or app. No airco P-trains operate during peak hours. […]

After storm of criticism, Flanders backs down on special education bus cuts

June 22, 2026

Following a storm of criticism over Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder’s (N-VA) plan to cut more than 200 bus routes for special education starting in September – to stay within the set budget of 139 million euros – the Flemish government has decided that no additional cuts will be imposed on De Lijn after all. […]

Volvo offers to open its factories to Chinese sister brands

June 22, 2026

Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson has made an explicit offer to his Chinese parent company. In an interview with Automobilwoche, Samuelsson said it would be “positive and possible” for Geely’s sibling brands to produce vehicles at Volvo’s European factories, including the Ghent, Belgium, plant. Samuelsson’s offer is a direct invitation for Geely Auto (the brand, […]

Dutch transport company buys Van Hool sites

June 22, 2026

Last week, we reported that the site in Koningshooikt, which the bankrupt bus manufacturer Van Hool had offered for sale, had been sold for 21.5 million euros, but that it was not clear who ultimately bought the land. According to Van Hool’s bankruptcy trustee, the Dutch transport company G.A. den Otter Trucks is the new owner. […]

Brussels to revamp North and South Station

June 19, 2026

The Brussels government has green lighted the Station Plan. This master plan aims to improve safety at the Brussels North and Brussels South train stations, make them cleaner, and at the same time address the presence of homeless people and drug users. An annual budget of 10 million euros has been allocated for the plan. […]

From July 1st, Belgian traffic fines increase by 10%

June 19, 2026

From 1 July 2026, many traffic fines in Belgium will increase by 10%. The De Wever government announced the measure late last year as part of its efforts to raise additional budget revenue. The effective date has now been set. The increase applies to immediate-collection fines: the standard penalties imposed for many common offenses without […]

MG takes Belgian distribution in house as Astara chapter closes July 1st

June 19, 2026

For all the attention around the MG 07, the more immediate Belgian story is happening behind the scenes. On 1 July, MG Motor Europe takes direct control of MG in Belgium and Luxembourg. A press release from the UK confirms the establishment of a Belgian subsidiary and the end of the distribution arrangement under which […]

Belgium helps to build a German power outlet in the North Sea

June 18, 2026

The Antwerp-based construction company Smulders will participate in the construction of a power outlet in the North Sea for the German grid operator 50Hertz, a subsidiary of the Belgian high-voltage group Elia. The offshore power connector, known as ‘North Sea Connector 2,’ will enable up to 2 gigawatts of wind power electricity to be transmitted […]

Controversy erupts over De Lijn’s special education bus plan

June 18, 2026

The news that De Lijn plans to cut back on student transportation to special educations schools starting in September has sparked a great deal of criticism and uproar from school principals and parents to ordinary citizens on the street and in parliament. More than 200 bus routes are being eliminated because Flemish Minister of Mobility […]

Private player buys land from bus manufacturer Van Hool for 21.5 million euros

June 18, 2026

We recently reported that the bankrupt bus manufacturer Van Hool from Koninkshooikt (Lier, Belgium) had put a 30-hectare business expansion site up for sale, and that the Flemish government was participating in the bidding process.  In the meantime, the bidding period has ended and the land in Lier has been sold for 21.5 million euros. Flanders was […]

Powerdot enters Flanders with Carrefour charging site in Zulte

June 18, 2026

European charge point operator Powerdot is taking its first visible steps into Flanders with the opening of a new fast-charging station at the Carrefour supermarket in Zulte, East Flanders. The site has two charging points with a combined capacity of 140 kW, allowing customers to charge their electric vehicles while doing their shopping. The launch […]

Brussels to pull the plug on ‘flopped’ Floya mobility app (update)

June 17, 2026

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 […]

De Lijn is cutting 204 bus routes for special education

June 17, 2026

Next school year, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn will cut 204 bus routes for student transportation to special education schools, according to several media. De Lijn confirms that routes will be eliminated, but has not yet provided a specific number. The cuts are being made because Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder […]

Global EV boom loses speed, but Europe and Belgium tell a different story

June 17, 2026

Global electric vehicle registrations reached around 1.8 million in May, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence data reported by Reuters. That was only 3% more than in May last year, bringing the first five months of 2026 to a modest 0.9% increase. On paper, that looks like a clear slowdown after years of double-digit growth. In […]

Car obesity: Brussels eyes weight limits for SUVs

June 16, 2026

The Brussels Environment Council is calling on the region to adopt “a coherent strategy to reduce the weight of passenger cars gradually.” According to the Council, the weight of new passenger cars has increased by about 50% over the past 20 years. In 2023, more than half of new registrations in Brussels were SUVs, with […]

Benelux urges EU to end e-scooter rule chaos

June 16, 2026

After 16 European countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands, called for uniform European legislation on e-scooters late last year, the Benelux countries are now also urging the European Commission to work toward a harmonized European framework for e-scooters and other light electric vehicles. The three countries point to increasing fragmentation in national regulations, “which leads […]

Reuters: Tesla used misleading safety data to win FSD approval in Europe

June 16, 2026

As Tesla is gradually but quickly rolling out its supervised autonomous driving tech in Europe, details are emerging about how the company is trying to influence the approval process. According to Reuters, a policy manager is on a roadshow with a polished presentation that overestimates the safety benefits of FSD Supervised. After Tesla obtained approval […]

MG 07 lands in China as Belgian import switch nears

June 16, 2026

MG has unveiled the new MG 07 in China, a sleek, electrified fastback that gives a first indication of how the brand may further expand beyond SUVs and hatchbacks. The model has not been confirmed for Europe, but its timing is interesting. In Belgium and Luxembourg, MG is preparing to take over its own distribution […]

¡Hola, VLE!: Mercedes starts electric van production in Spain

June 15, 2026

Three months after its world premiere, series production of the all-electric VLE officially kicked off at Mercedes’ plant in Vitoria, Spain. The occasion was deemed important enough to bring the company’s CEO out on site. Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, attended the production launch ceremony alongside Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. They […]

High-speed rail link between Brussels and Basel to launch in 2027

June 15, 2026

Starting in July 2027, a direct high-speed rail link will be established between Brussels and Basel, Switzerland. “This is a pilot project designed to assess the demand for travel between Brussels and Basel,” says the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB. For this project, NMBS/SNCB, SNCF Voyageurs, and the Swiss operator SBB are joining forces. There […]

Lantis opens bicycle route along Oosterweel construction sites

June 15, 2026

Lantis, the developer of the immense Oosterweel project in Antwerp, launched a new cycle route last Sunday that leads visitors past the construction works. The cyclists receive further explanation about the works and an idea of ​​what the surroundings will look like in the future. The approximately 15-kilometer route, which starts at ‘Het Steen’, follows the existing […]

Driving school director arrested after half a million euro exam fraud

June 15, 2026

Three suspects, including a driving school director, have been arrested and placed in pretrial detention as part of an investigation into a large-scale driver’s license fraud scheme, the Antwerp police announced Friday. Investigators believe the fraudulent activities generated nearly half a million euros over approximately 3 years. The suspects were offering early appointments for practical […]

Smart to Antwerp with the NÜWIEL eTrailer

June 15, 2026

NÜWIEL, a German manufacturer of eTrailers, has been selected by the City of Antwerp for a new pilot project under the “Smart to Antwerp” initiative to help the city transition to zero-emissions logistics. Local businesses and entrepreneurs can try NÜWIEL’s eTrailer for free for 4 weeks to see if it can help reduce traffic congestion […]

BMW’s 200-million-km milestone raises stakes in EU’s hands-free driving race

June 15, 2026

BMW says customers have driven more than 200 million kilometers hands-free with its Highway Assistant, underlining how quickly advanced driver assistance is moving from technology showcase to daily use on European motorways. The German premium brand uses the milestone to position itself among the front-runners in an increasingly crowded field. Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Tesla are […]

Paris-Antwerp by barge: Europe’s new freight route takes shape

June 12, 2026

To alleviate road congestion, Europe plans to establish a new waterborne freight corridor between Le Havre, Paris, and the Ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam. Both Flanders and Wallonia are allocating significant resources to this large-scale European inland waterway project, now called the Seine-Scheldt, which comprises a network of 1,100 kilometers of navigable waterways. To date, […]

Bolt and Dott to lose Brussels e-scooter licenses in 2027

June 12, 2026

Just as the issues surrounding the use of shared e-scooters in Brussels were starting to improve – save for a rise in the number of accidents – the Brussels government has decided to ban shared e-scooters starting in 2027. The decision stems from a rising number of accidents, increased nuisance to other road users, and […]

Vias: ‘30% more accidents involving speed pedelecs in Flanders’

June 12, 2026

The number of traffic accidents in Belgium remained approximately the same in the first three months of this year, but what stands out is that the number of accidents in Flanders involving speed pedelecs has increased by 30% compared to the same period last year, from 142 to 184. In the province of East Flanders, […]

Flanders allows Tesla’s FSD Supervised on public roads (update)

June 12, 2026

Belgium has officially become the fifth EU member state to grant full approval for use of the Tesla FSD self-driving system. After succesful trials with a test vehicle, the Flemish Minister of Mobility, Annick De Ridder (NV-A), has granted approval. As regulatory barriers across Europe continue to fall, Tesla has simultaneously overhauled the pricing model […]

Liège Airport soars toward record year, but turbulence looms

June 11, 2026

Liège Airport, Belgium’s largest cargo airport, started 2026 on a growth trajectory and expects to set a record this year. And why wouldn’t it, when a recent study by the University of Liège shows that the airport is at the heart of an ecosystem comprising nearly 150 companies and supports an estimated 12,600 direct, indirect, and […]

From July: 12-hour driving ban after positive alcohol test

June 11, 2026

Starting in July, anyone caught driving drunk will be given a twelve-hour driving ban. Until now, a driving ban following a positive alcohol test could last two, three, six, or twelve hours. The Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport reported on Tuesday that the legislative amendment was published in the Official Gazette. By systematically revoking driver’s […]

H. Essers opens waterway terminal to keep 260 trucks off the road

June 10, 2026

The Belgian-Limburg logistics group H. Essers has opened a new inland waterway container terminal in Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands. Thanks to its location outside the dike, inland waterway containers can now remain on the water from start to finish between the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam. The new terminal has a capacity of 250,000 […]

Belgian Rail site puts Euregio’s Einstein telescope bid on track

June 09, 2026

If the Euregio secures the prestigious project to build the Einstein Telescope, a railway site spanning over 44 hectares in Montzen, near Voeren, will be available for this purpose. Both the Belgian rail infrastructure manager, Infrabel, and the Belgian national railway company, NMBS/SNCB, have given their informal approval for this. World-class measuring instrument The Einstein […]

Fastned opens 54th Belgian station as competition accelerates

June 09, 2026

Fastned has opened a new fast-charging station on the carpool parking in Sint-Job-in-‘t-Goor, near exit 4 of the E19 towards Antwerp. The Dutch fast-charging company says the site, located on one of the main traffic axes in the Noorderkempen, responds to growing demand for high-power charging infrastructure in the region. The new station offers eight […]

Three ‘free’ mistakes? De Lijn’s new fine policy raises eyebrows

June 09, 2026

Every bus driver employed by the Flemish public transportation company De Lijn will have three minor traffic violations reimbursed annually. Starting with the fourth minor violation within 12 months, the driver must pay the fine themselves. More serious violations, such as driving under the influence, are the employee’s responsibility from the outset. The new regulation […]

High fuel prices make Belgian drivers rethink the road trip

June 09, 2026

For many Belgians, the car remains a constant for day trips, weekends, and holidays. However, the high cost of driving is causing motorists to choose, plan, and drive more consciously. This is evident from a new study commissioned by Auto5 among 809 Belgian motorists. Almost half say they are more cost-conscious: they think more about […]

More than 13,000 vehicles risk Brussels LEZ fines from July 1

June 08, 2026

Normally, the LEZ fines for Euro 5 diesel and Euro 2 gasoline vehicles were set to take effect in Brussels on June 7, but the date has been postponed yet again. Brussels Minister of Finance Dirk De Smedt (Anders) has now confirmed that the fines can be collected starting July 1. Specifically, 13,219 vehicles that […]

Flemish tram network creaks under years of deferred maintenance

June 08, 2026

More than half (53%) of the tram tracks in Flanders are in “poor to very poor” condition: 230 km of tram track are in bad or very bad condition (127 km in bad condition and 103 km in very bad condition). This is evident from figures released by the public transport company De Lijn on […]

Van Hool land sale becomes test case for Flanders’ industrial ambitions

June 08, 2026

The bankrupt bus manufacturer Van Hool from Koninkshooikt (Lier, Belgium) has recently put a 30-hectare business expansion site up for sale, and the Flemish government is participating in the bidding process. Not because it is trying to become e real-estate player, but because it wants to keep control over a rare, large, contiguous industrial site. […]

Flanders puts €119 million on the table to keep Volvo in Ghent

June 08, 2026

To support Belgium’s last car factory, the Flemish government offers a subsidy package of up to €119 million to Volvo Cars. The offer was sent as an official letter to the headquarters in Gothenburg. Will this address the root of the problem, or does it just buy time? As Volvo gears up for its new […]

Night trains to Brussels Airport starting in late 2027

June 08, 2026

Starting in December 2027, there will be an improved train service to and from Brussels Airport, with additional early-morning trains from cities including Bruges and Ghent. This is outlined in the new transport plan from the Belgian national railway company NMBS/SNCB, which the Council has approved with Ministers. Other notable changes include a 3% expansion […]

BMW lands Belgium’s biggest EV fleet deal: 1,000 cars for Katoen Natie

June 08, 2026

BMW Group Belux has signed what it calls “the largest electric corporate fleet deal ever concluded in Belgium with one car manufacturer”. Logistics group Katoen Natie will replace more than 1,000 combustion-engined company cars with electric BMW and Mini models by the end of 2027. The deal, announced at Katoen Natie’s headquarters in Antwerp, covers […]

Rob Smeets appointed new CEO of Port of Antwerp-Bruges

June 05, 2026

Port of Antwerp-Bruges has appointed Rob Smeets as its new CEO. Smeets, the current interim CEO, has been given a six-year term and succeeds Jacques Vandermeiren, who announced his departure in April. Smeets faces a daunting task. Over the next 10 years, the Port of Antwerp-Bruges must secure approximately 5 billion euros for numerous projects. […]

Fietsersbond: About half of cyclists during the morning rush hour are young people

June 04, 2026

46% of cyclists during the morning rush hour in Flanders and Brussels are children or teenagers who ride independently. This is according to a survey by the Fietsersbond or Cycling Union. In addition to this 46%, 6% of children were being transported on an adult’s bicycle. These were mainly cargo bikes (43%), longtails (25%), or […]

NMBS/SNCB covered 3 million fewer kilometers in 2025

June 04, 2026

The service offered by the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB decreased by 3,9% last year compared to the previous year. Last year, all NMBS/SNCB trains together covered 79,2 million train-kilometers, compared to 82,4 million in 2024 – a decrease of 3,2 million train-kilometers. Nevertheless, the railway company aims to increase its service by 10% over […]

Avello: ‘Cycling infrastructure hinders safe commuting’

June 03, 2026

Wallonia and Brussels lag behind Flanders in bicycle commuting to work. Of course, the terrain and the capital’s busy urban environment play a role in this. But according to Avello, an advocacy group for cyclists in Walloon and Brussels municipalities, Wallonia and Brussels are also structurally the least bicycle-friendly regions, and it is precisely the […]

From summer 2027, using a warning triangle will no longer be mandatory in Belgium

June 03, 2026

Turning on your hazard lights instead of placing the warning triangle will become the new primary warning method for drivers whose vehicles break down on Belgian roads. The new rule takes effect on June 1, 2027. It is being introduced because placing a warning triangle along busy roads is no longer considered safe. After all, […]

New record for traffic violations in Belgium

June 02, 2026

Last year, the federal police recorded 10,1 million traffic violations in Belgium, a new record. Approximately 83% of all recorded traffic violations were speeding offenses. However, the majority of these are minor violations, involving speeds of 0-10 kph over the limit. This trend is largely attributable to the fact that traffic enforcement in Belgium is […]

Belux car registrations slightly lower in May, BEV sales continue to grow

June 02, 2026

According to the data of the sector federation, Febiac, and the federal government service Mobility & Transport, 33,625 new cars were registered in May, 2.1% fewer than last year. Febiac stresses that there were two fewer working days this May than last year, which is the main cause of the regression. Overall, looking at the […]

All foreign license plates are once again being ticketed in Brussels

June 02, 2026

For years, parking fines for vehicles with foreign license plates were not always collected in Brussels. That situation is now coming to an end thanks to the introduction of a new international collection system. Parking.brussels is engaging a specialized collection agency to address these violations. Of the total number of parking tickets issued in Brussels, […]

NMBS/SNCB reports 10% increase in passengers due to high fuel prices

June 01, 2026

People are choosing to take the train more often because of high fuel prices. This is according to a survey of train passengers conducted by the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB. NMBS/SNCB is also seeing this growth in passengers’ numbers reflected in the figures: in March and April, the railway company sold 10% more single […]

New train connection: Ghent/Antwerp to Paris and Amsterdam by GoVolta

May 29, 2026

The Dutch railway company GoVolta will launch a daily train service between Amsterdam and Paris on December 14, with stops at Antwerp Central and Ghent-Sint-Pieters. For Ghent, this marks the return of a direct train connection to Paris since the discontinuation of the Thalys service in 2015. GoVolta promises fares starting at €10 for train […]

Lommel and Pelt to serve as test case for autonomous vehicles

May 28, 2026

Starting in June, the Belgian Limburg municipalities of Lommel and Pelt will become a rest region for smart and autonomous vehicles. Lommel Mayor Bob Nijs (CD&V) and his Pelt counterpart, Dennis Fransen (CD&V), have signed a letter of commitment to that effect. Initially, the test drives will take place at Ford’s test site in Lommel, […]

Volvo makes charging at Tesla’s network easier for its drivers

May 28, 2026

Volvo EV owners in Europe are getting a meaningful charging improvement while traveling longer distances. Starting in the autumn of this year, drivers will be able to access, initiate, and pay for sessions at Tesla Supercharger stations without the need for a separate app. No, Tesla allowing rival brands to its Supercharger network in Europe […]

BYD launches Dolphin G DM-i: the smallest plug-in hybrid in Belgium 

May 27, 2026

BYD is bringing plug-in hybrid technology to the B-segment, a class that until now has been bypassed or abandoned by car makers. The Dolphin G DM-i aims squarely at Europe’s B-segment. Not only is this the first model BYD has developed specifically for overseas markets, but it is also the only PHEV currently on sale […]

NMBS/SNCB backtracks: access gates in stations to be re-examined (update)

May 27, 2026

The Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB will continue to investigate whether access gates can be installed in stations to increase safety. A pilot project may be launched in several stations. This is a striking reversal for NMBS/SNCB, as the idea had previously been rejected. The possibility of installing access gates in the country’s major train […]

Body cams coming soon to Belgian public transportation

May 26, 2026

Both train conductors and drivers at De Lijn, MIVB/STIB, and LETEC will soon be allowed to wear body cams. This was decided by the Federal Council of Ministers. The draft legislation must still be approved by the Council of State and then by Parliament before it can take effect. With this measure, the government hopes […]

Vooruit gets support: House votes for free bikes on trains

May 25, 2026

The resolution by the socialist political party Vooruit to allow bicycles on trains free of charge has been unanimously approved by the Parliamentary Committee on Mobility. The resolution also calls on the government to work toward a single combined ticket for all public transport. Currently, passengers who want to bring their bikes on trains pay […]

“Mission: Safe to School”: The game that guides you safely to school

May 25, 2026

At the initiative of DVV Verzekeringen, the Vias Institute has developed “Mission: Safe to School,” an educational video game in which children virtually practice their route to school before taking it in real life. The free game, which is primarily aimed at elementary school children in grades 4 through 6, will be available to all […]

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