The train is a great way to discover Belgium, but many believe it is too expensive. A proposal is on the table to make it much more affordable – for young people at least.
People aged 25 and under can already travel by train at a reduced rate with a Youth Ticket. Any journey within Belgium with this ticket costs just €7.10 one way in second class (with the exception of Brussels Airport for which a supplement is added). However, the country is looking to encourage more young people to travel by train by lowering the prices.
Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) noted that reductions in line with other "attractive" formulas introduced for other key target groups (such as families, who can buy tickets at a 50% discount) have been considered.
To really make train travel accessible to this group, he argued that Belgium should aim to go further and make it free or much cheaper for people up to the age of 26.
"I think we need to go further and aim for free or virtually free travel for those up to the age of 26. Targeted free travel for train users. It is a helping hand for young people. We need to try and build loyalty," he told RTL on Tuesday morning. He added that this project is already on the table for the next legislature.
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Gilkinet explained that trains have to be both physically and economically accessible. The reported cost regarding the loss of revenue has been estimated at €200 million.
However, the debt of the national railway operator SNCB is already totalling €2.5 billion, raising questions about how this free service will be financed. The Minister explained that the Federal Government is looking to reduce the benefit for employers with company cars to cover this cost.
