Belgium will celebrate sustainable transport from 16 to 22 September during European Mobility Week, with Brussels’ car-free Sunday on 20 September also marking 50 years since the capital’s metro was inaugurated.
On 20 September, motor vehicles, except those with exemptions, will be banned from Brussels between 9:30 and 19:00. As in previous years, the Brussels-Capital Region will become the largest car-free zone in Europe.
STIB public transport will be free that day, and services on most metro, tram and bus lines will run more frequently.
The event will also bring a wide range of activities to the capital’s streets, including neighbourhood parties, flea markets and guided walks. Brussels Mobility will take over Place des Palais, where visitors will be able to join a large quiz on the metro’s 50th anniversary, get their bikes repaired and take part in road safety and mobility awareness activities.
As part of Heritage Days on 19 and 20 September, guided tours will also be held in several STIB stations and at the Jacques Brel depot in Anderlecht to mark the metro’s half-century.
Anniversary events will take place throughout the week across the STIB network. The programme includes music, street art, food, exhibitions, collectors’ items and tours focused on art in the metro.
In Wallonia, the 2026 edition of Mobility Week will feature the first region-wide car-free day. For one Saturday or Sunday, streets in around 20 municipalities, including Ath, Spa, Stavelot, Hannut and Waremme, will be closed to motor traffic to give more space to pedestrians, cyclists and local events.
Across the week, Wallonia will also host a series of activities promoting sustainable travel, including walking meetings, bike buses and walking buses for children, bicycle repair workshops, road safety awareness events and breakfast stops for cyclists and car-sharers.
Residents, businesses and schools in Wallonia will also be invited to take part in the “Pedestrians & Bikes Challenge”. The aim is to count everyday journeys made on foot or by bike, with a collective target of 150,000 kilometres by the end of the week.
From 12 September to 3 October, teams from the non-profit organisation Avello will travel around Brussels and Wallonia to help cyclists register their bikes on the national “MyBike” platform. Launched in 2024, the identification system links bicycles to their owners through a tamper-resistant yellow sticker carrying a unique number.
Advice on preventing bicycle theft will also be provided during the campaign.
In Flanders, several car-free days will also be held on Sunday 20 September, including in Antwerp, Leuven and Bruges.
