Services are set to be disrupted next week as Belgium is hit with three consecutive days of strike action across multiple sectors.
You can find the latest updates on the strike and the disruptions it is causing in Brussels and Belgium in our live blog here.
The strikes, planned for 24, 25 and 26 November, were announced at the end of last month by Belgian trade unions, ACV-CSC, FGTB-ABVV, and CGSLB-ACLVB.
This is the latest in an ongoing series of strikes denouncing socio-economic reforms by the Federal Government which impact, among other things, pensions, salaries, and working conditions.
The public transport sector has been called to strike from 24 November, while other public services and the education sector are set to join the action on 25 November.
A national strike will take place on 26 November, involving both the public and private sectors. Unlike other similar national strikes, no demonstration is planned to take place in the capital, according to a spokesperson for ACV-CSC.
However, there will be picket lines across the country which may block traffic and the entrance to some companies and shops, according to a spokesperson for CGSLB-ACLVB.
Fewer trains running across the country
Railway services from the national operator, SNCB, will be disrupted for all three days of the strike. Fewer trains will be running from 10 p.m. on 23 November until the end of the day on 26 November.
Alternative train services are set to be organised depending on staff availability. SNCB advises passengers to consult the online journey planner for the latest information on the train schedules. The adapted service will be available 24 hours in advance.
A Eurostar train. Credit: Belga / Jonas Roosens
The high-speed Eurostar trains will also be impacted by the three-day strike, a spokesperson told The Brussels Times on Friday.
The company expects only half of its trains between Brussels and Paris to be operational, while around 75% of its trains between Brussels and Amsterdam and Amsterdam and London are expected to run as scheduled.
Only 20% of Eurostar trains between Brussels, Liège and Germany are planned to run during the strike days.
However, the trains between Brussels, Lille and London are expected to run as planned. Similarly, no disruptions are expected for the trains between London and Paris.
Affected customers have been notified by Eurostar and given the option to change their booking at no additional costs, according to the spokesperson. Details for each affected train are available online.
Severely impacted public transport in Brussels
Significant disruptions are expected on the Brussels metro, tram and bus networks during the three-day strike, as announced by the transport operator, STIB-MIVB.
While the exact extent of the disruptions is currently unknown, passengers are advised to make alternative travel arrangements if possible. The STIB-MIVB mobility app, Floya, can help passengers find alternative routes via other modes of transport.
Illustrative image of shows Metro Station Schuman. Credit: Belga/Paul-Henri Verlooy
More concrete information regarding the possibly impacted lines will likely be published in the afternoon the day before the strike days, according to spokesperson Laurent Vermeersch.
Throughout the three-day strike, STIB's Customer Care service will be available from 6 a.m. for passengers seeking additional information. The service is available via social media and the telephone number is +32 (0)2 563 89 17.
De Lijn. Credit: Belga/Kurt Desplenter
Similarly, the Flemish transport operator, De Lijn, which operates buses with routes in Brussels, announced that its tram and bus services would be limited from 24 to 26 November.
More information on the adjusted timetables will be announced in phases via De Lijn's website and app from 22 November.
The transport operator further warned that additional journeys may still be cancelled on the day of the strikes. Passengers are advised to consult the online route planner ahead of their trip.
Illustrative image of a TEC tram. Credit: Belga/Hatim Kaghat
Additional disruptions are expected on all three days of strikes for transport services operated by TEC. Passengers are advised to consult the operator's latest timetables via its website or app.
Information on the adapted TEC services will be available from 6 a.m. on 24 November until the end of the day on 26 November.
Cancelled Brussels flights
All departing flights and over half of arriving flights at Brussels Airport in Zaventem on 26 November are cancelled.
Airlines will contact affected passengers in the coming days with more information on their options.
Passengers can contact their airlines for updates or consult the airport's website.
Cancelled flights on an information board in the departure hall of Brussels Airport, in Zaventem, Thursday 23 June 2022. Credit: Belga/Eric Lalmand
All flights to and from Brussels South Charleroi Airport on 26 November are cancelled, the airport announced on Friday.
Affected passenger will be contacted by their airlines in the coming days with options to rebook or refund their flights.
The Charleroi Airport further advised passengers flying on 24 and 25 November to consider transport and traffic disruptions when planning their trip to the airport, to avoid arriving late.
Meanwhile, all flights at the smaller Antwerp and Ostend-Bruges airports will operate as schedule on the 26 November, according to spokespeople for both airports.
Ferry services disrupted
Shipping traffic may be impacted from 24 November, as staff at the traffic control centre in Zeebrugge will join the strike from Monday evening until Wednesday morning, according to the Maritime Services and Coastal Agency on Friday.
Ferry services in Flanders will also be disrupted over the next three days, a spokesperson for the Coastal Agency confirmed on 23 November.
The Basel-Hemiksem ferry will not be running during the three-day strike.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the Sint-Anna ferry will be operating with one vessel between 7 a.m. and midnight. It will operate again with one vessel on Tuesday 25 November between midnight and 7 a.m. but will stop running from 7 a.m. On Wednesday, it will not run between midnight and 7 p.m.
The Kruibeke-Hoboken ferry will not be operating on Tuesday and will not operate on Wednesday between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m.
The Terdonk ferry will not operate on Wednesday from 7 a.m.
Mail, bin collections, & shops
Rubbish bag collections are expected to be significantly disrupted from Monday in all municipalities in Brussels, the waste management company Bruxelles Propreté confirmed on Thursday.
The collection of residual and food waste bags will be a priority during the three-day strike. Bruxelles Propreté advises households to only put out their white and orange bin bags during the affected days, according to the regional waste management calendar.
Credit: Belga / Jonas Hamers
A catch-up round will be organised from 27 November to collect any remaining white and orange bin bags.
The collection of blue, yellow and green bin bags will be postponed until the week of 1 December.
Additionally, bulky waste collections, recycling parks, and the collection of household chemical waste are likely to be disrupted next week. More information will be communicated to Brussels residents from Monday.
A man entering a supermarket in Anderlecht. Credit: Belga/Hatim Kaghat
Meanwhile, the impact on postal services by Belgium's bpost is currently unknown, although the company has taken measures to minimise potential disruptions, such as increasing communication efforts and reinforcing its teams with volunteers, according to a bpost spokesperson.
Similarly, the impact on supermarkets is yet to be determined, although in previous strikes it has remained limited.
A spokesperson for the supermarket Delhaize told The Brussels Times that it expects minimal impact on its shops.
Meanwhile, the franchised Carrefour shops are set to operate as normal, although there could be disruptions at integrated shops, according to a spokesperson for the company. More information on the opening times of the shops can be found on the supermarket's website and app.
Administrative services & courts
The administrative services of Brussels municipalities may be affected by the strike. The City of Brussels, for example, announced that its Administrative Centre will be disrupted on 24, 25 and 26 November. Brussels residents are advised to consult their local municipalities' websites for more information.
Brucity, the City of Brussels' Administrative Centre. Credit: Belga.
Meanwhile, the staff at the courts in Brussels are currently not planning any major actions, according to a spokesperson for the College of Courts and Tribunals. Hearings will be held as normal, and the registry services will remain open.
Nonetheless, some cases may be delayed and postponed if those involved arrive late due to traffic disruptions, the spokesperson added.
Teachers & police officers join in
The unions representing the education sector in Belgium announced earlier this week that they submitted a strike notice for Tuesday and Wednesday.
Earlier this month, teachers gathered in Brussels to protest austerity measures affecting the education sector within the French-speaking community.
An action organized by a delegation of teachers on the occasion of the education strike day, in Brussels, on Monday 10 November 2025. Credit Belga
Similarly, the union CGSP announced on Tuesday evening that it submitted a strike notice for the police force for 24, 25 and 26 November. The union denounced deteriorating working conditions and a lack of professional recognition.
Strikers demand a response
The Belgian trade unions behind the three-day strike see the days of action as a necessary step to call on "Prime Minister De Wever and the entire government to put an end to social dismantling."
In a statement earlier this month, the unions denounced pension cuts, increases in VAT, reduced social security support and what they believe to be diminishing workers' rights.
Among their list of demands, the unions ask for a "tax on large fortunes and digital giants", an end to "unconditional subsidies to large companies", and the removal of the pension penalty.
