Belgian railway operator SNCB will continue with the quiet zones on trains after a successful pilot project. In the future, most trains will have such a quiet seating area, according to the activity report published on the company's website.
The pilot project started early in 2023, when trains travelling between Eupen and Ostend as well as trains between Brussels and Luxembourg were given a quiet zone. In such a carriage, travellers are asked not to talk loudly to each other or on the phone, to limit the volume of headphones and to put mobile phones on silent.
"These quiet zones demarcated with stickers were a great success," the activity report stated. "We are currently investigating how this concept can be rolled out across the entire SNCB network." Further details have not yet been issued.
The pilot project also included a survey among travellers: seven in ten appeared to be in favour of the idea of quiet zones, and three in ten said they would take the train more often if there were such a quiet zone.
