Construction works on an anticipated tram line to Brussels Airport are set to begin by the start of March.
Marijn Struyf, spokesperson for the mobility group De Werkvennootschap, confirmed the update to The Brussels Times on Monday.
The project aims to extend the existing Brussels tram network to connect Brussels-North station to the airport in Zaventem (Flemish Brabant) in 30 minutes. It is expected to be completed in 2030.
The construction of the 'Airport Tram' was fully approved in 2023 as part of a project to improve mobility in and around the north of the capital, as well as to alleviate traffic jams in the area.
The tram to Zaventem will be an extension of the route of the STIB-MIVB tram line 62, which currently stops at the Haren/Bourget stop, near the NATO headquarters.
Credit: De Werkvennootschap
Six new tram stops
In addition to providing another public transport route to the airport, the tram line will also improve accessibility between residential zones and major employment areas.
The extended line will include a total of six new stops.
Three of the stops will be located between the Brussels Ring Road and NATO's HQ, namely stops near the offices of both ExxonMobil and Hewlett-Packard, and a stop near the Van der Valk hotel.
The other additional stops include a stop on Leonardo Da Vinci Avenue, near the Samsung office, a stop near the X-air services, and the final stop near the Brussels Airport terminal.
Credit: De Werkvennootschap
However, the mobility project goes beyond the extended transport network as it includes infrastructure changes to make the areas more accessible to cyclists and pedestrians.
"There are several tenders to execute this project, beginning with a viaduct over the R0 Brussels Ring for trams and cyclists," a spokesperson for De Werkvennootschap told The Brussels Times.
Too soon for service details
While the future tram service connects to the STIB network, it is currently "too soon” to discuss the details of the extended tram line, according to STIB spokesperson, Laurent Vermeersch.
"It is up to the competent authorities (Flanders and the Brussels Capital Region) to decide on the service's operator, frequency, price, etc.," he added.
