Disruptions to railway services across Belgium are having varying impacts as the country faces the third day of a five-day railway strike called by Belgian trade unions.
The strike, which began on Sunday night, will continue until 22:00 on Friday, 30 January. The union action was called to denounce the end of permanent roles, changes to labour negotiations, working conditions, and pension reforms affecting public rail companies.
Brussels business as usual?
Ahead of the five-day strike, the national train operator, SNCB/NMBS, announced that it would provide an alternative train schedule based on the number of staff who are not striking. This has been released since Saturday at least 24 hours in advance of each strike day via the operator's app and website.
The system appears to have prevented significant transport chaos in the capital, as major train services have remained operational and passengers at Brussels rail stations have reported limited to no additional transport disruption.
Union members distribute info flyers to commuters at Brussels Central station on the first day of a 5-day strike of the national railway company NMBS - SNCB. Credit: Emile Windal/Belga
While some have denounced last-minute train cancellations and delays on social media, SNCB/NMBS spokesperson Dimitri Temmerman told The Brussels Times that the alternative train schedule has been overall accurate so far.
The strike has also not significantly impacted road traffic across the capital, with rush hours remaining calm this week, according to Inge Paemen, spokesperson for the regional mobility agency, Brussels Mobility.
"I think more people are trying to organise their teleworking days around strikes, rather than everyone coming en masse by car, as they used to," Paemen told The Brussels Times.
Train strike amid Walloon bus disruptions
Across Wallonia, however, some are facing more challenges when trying to reach their destinations as the train strike coincides with an indefinite union action impacting bus services of the Walloon operator LETEC.
The strike began on Monday, 26 January, as a response to revisions to LETEC's Public Service Contract.
Busses are parked at a depot of Walloon public transport company LETEC, on the first day of a strike of infinite duration, Monday 26 January 2026 in Nivelles. Credit: Belga/Benoit Doppagne
On Tuesday, RTBF reported a rise in demand for taxis in Mons as some found themselves stranded without alternatives amid the strike actions.
"What else can you do? I live 10 kilometres from here, so walking is not an option," an elderly woman, who originally intended to take a bus, told RTBF.
Fewer rush hour trains
Similar to previous strike days, only a few of the SNCB/NMBS rush-hour trains, known as P trains, are expected to run on Wednesday and Thursday.
On both strike days, only two out of the three trains between major Belgian cities (IC trains) will be operational, while only half of the local and suburban trains (L and S trains) will be running.
Passengers are still advised to consult the SNCB/NMBS app and website for the latest information regarding their train status.
Disrupted international services
While international train journeys have been impacted by Belgium's strike, so far, no significant disruptions are expected for Eurostar trains, OUIGO Brussels-Paris trains, and ICE Brussels-Cologne-Frankfurt on Wednesday and Thursday.
Similarly, most TGV INOUI trains departing and arriving at Brussels-Midi are expected to run, though some have been cancelled ahead of the strike.
Meanwhile, those travelling on the Brussels-Vienna Nightjet train on Wednesday evening have been warned by the operator that the train will depart from Cologne. The Nightjet passengers can use IC trains between Brussels/Liège and Cologne.
Illustrative image of a EuroCity train. Credit: Belga/Lou Lampaert
Additionally, EuroCity train passengers are likely to face disruptions on Wednesday and Thursday, as only 12 out of the 16 EuroCity trains between Brussels and Rotterdam are scheduled to run.
Furthermore, only half of the EuroCity Brussels-Amsterdam trains will depart from Brussels, while only nine out of the 16 EuroCity Brussels-Amsterdam trains will depart from the Netherlands.
Notably, most EuroCity trains between Brussels and Amsterdam will have their final stop or depart from Rotterdam, rather than the Dutch capital.
More details regarding international travel disruptions are available online on the SNCB online traffic disruption page.
