On paper, Belgium has one of the most impressive punctuality records for train travel in Europe.
In a December 2024 survey by campaign group Transport & Environment, SNCB was ranked as Europe’s third most reliable rail operator behind Switzerland’s SBB and the Netherlands’ NS.
In Eurostat’s most recent analysis on the punctuality of long-distance and high-speed passenger train services in the EU, Belgium fared even better - ranking second in the list, again behind the Netherlands.
According to the data, 88% of Belgium’s long-distance and high-speed passenger train services were classified as punctual in 2022. In Romania, which sits at the bottom of the league table, only 20% of services were classified as punctual.
For regional and local train services, Belgium’s record isn’t quite as stellar, comparatively speaking. It ranks 12th among European countries in this category, with 91% of rail services classified as punctual.
More recent data suggests an upward trend in punctuality for Belgian trains. Earlier this month, we reported that train punctuality for domestic trains in Belgium is at its highest in four years, reaching an impressive 93.8% in August.
Are train cancellations skewing the figures?
However, recent analysis of Infrabel train cancellation data by Belga News Agency has called the validity of Belgium’s punctuality statistics into question.
According to Belga, the number of cancelled trains was remarkably high during the first half of 2025, when an average of 4,070 trains were cancelled each month.
In February, a staggering 5,006 passenger trains were cancelled – amounting to 6% of all train journeys.
Federal MP Staf Aerts (Groen) has claimed that these statistics undermine SNCB’s claims for punctuality, arguing that the figures do not take cancellations into account.
"It's obviously a good thing that trains are punctual, but it's not worth much if it's simply because there are fewer trains running," he told Belga. "It doesn't help you when you're waiting on the platform because your train has been cancelled."
Furthermore, he added, the statistics do not take into account strike days. On these days, a minimum service is provided, but the trains that don't run are not counted as cancelled.
A spokesperson for SNCB told Le Soir: "Several factors explain the total cancellations: at the beginning of this year, operational difficulties arose, particularly during certain strike days, as well as problems with the availability of rolling stock for international connections.
"The fleet used for these services is limited and the margins for replacement are low in the event of technical failure."
According to SNCB, punctuality for the month of August remained above 90% and was "better than a year ago", even taking cancellations into account.
