After a slump during the pandemic, the number of rides on the network of Brussels public transport operator STIB made a solid comeback in 2023. Passenger numbers are expected to further increase in the coming years.
Whether travelling by bus, tram or metro, more and more people are using the STIB network, the company stated on Wednesday. It counted some 376 million journeys in 2023: more than one million per day. This also marks an 11% increase compared to 2022.
However, the figures remain much below those recorded in 2019 before the pandemic. In 2019, the number of rides totalled 433.5 million before dropping to 244.2 million in 2020, driven by the pandemic and measures taken to control the spread of the virus.
"Indeed, we did expect that it would take some time for the recovery to fully materialise," STIB's spokesperson A Van hamme told The Brussels Times. "Of course, we are currently largely affected by widespread homeworking, which mainly impacts our numbers during classic commute times."
On the other hand, the company did record a noticeable increase in passenger numbers during weekends, a trend that first emerged in 2022. Moreover, the number of passengers is steadily increasing in the evening (after 21:00), both on weekends and weekdays. "STIB is thus used more for leisure trips than ever before."
New trams and safer stations
The company noted that it is currently working on several projects, which will enable it to further increase its passenger numbers in the coming years.
This includes the new tram line 10, which is hoped to be operational by autumn. It will run from the military hospital in Neder-Over-Heembeek to Rogier and is expected to attract 1,600 to 2,400 passengers per hour during peak times.
This will be accompanied by a reorganisation of the tram network to offer new connections and strengthen the service, notably on Boulevard Lambermont and around NATO.
Tram line 3 will merge with line 10 between Churchill and Heembeek, while line 25, which currently connects Rogier to Boondael station, will be split. The section between Boondael and Meiser will be taken over by a new line (line 11) and the section between Meiser and Rogier will be taken over by another new line (line 22, providing a new connection between Evere and Rogier).
As for buses, supply has increased by 30% in recent years. By 2024, STIB expects more than 50 articulated electric buses to replace the Euro 5 diesel buses. These will no longer be allowed to operate in the capital from early 2025 due to the expansion of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ). The STIB bus fleet should be fully electric by 2035, STIB said.
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The public transport company also promised safer stations. Last year, it received extra money from the Brussels Government to set up a team that will guide drug addicts and homeless people in the stations to appropriate shelter, care and housing. These staff will be on the network 24/7, while the number of security patrollers will be increased by 30%.
The Park and Central stations will be renovated to improve accessibility, including through lifts. At the latter, the focus will be on upgrading the pedestrian tunnel to the train station. Renovation of the Porte de Namur station will be completed in 2024.
