The Brussels public transport company STIB/MIVb and the Capital Region are celebrating the birth of the bus this month, exactly 100 years after the launch of the first organised city bus services in the city.
To mark the occasion, a modern STIB bus will be given a retro makeover. The Tram Museum, meanwhile, is hosting a free celebratory weekend on 16 and 17 May.
Exactly a century after the first organised public city bus services began operating in the capital in 1926, this rich heritage is being celebrated with a festive programme that brings together the past, present and future of the Brussels bus.
This includes decorating a modern bus with the historic livery of the "Brossel bus", which dates back to the 1950s. It will be in service over the next two months on route 36 between Maelbeek and Konkel.
The volunteers at the Tram Museum are also ensuring the anniversary does not go unnoticed: they are bringing together almost 40 buses, ranging from pre-war models to the latest electric eCitaro, for an open-air exhibition on the esplanade of the Jubelpark on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May, from 11:00 to 19:00 on both days.
The event is free to attend, and the museum itself is also free for the occasion. Visitors can travel between the two sites on specially chartered historic buses.
With more than 800 vehicles and over 50 routes, the bus remains an essential part of public transport in Brussels, accounting for hundreds of thousands of journeys every day.
By 2025, STIB buses will have covered 29.2 million kilometres and completed 123.5 million journeys.
