Belgium: emergency timetable from monday

[gysev]

Severe restrictions are applied in Belgium since this week in an attempt to slow down the spreading of the Corona virus.

As a result, SNCB will introduce an emergency timetable from monday 23 march. A basic service will run on main lines, usually one train every hour. Services will end between 8 and 9 PM.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

Do you mean 0800 to 2100, rather than 2000 to 2100? Just checking... this is Belgium we are talking about !

 

[TheSeeker]

I've just been told to work from home for another two weeks. 500 euro fine if you're on out on the street with no good reason. Colleagues who have to be in the office are given legal proof in writing to show to the police. We are asked to not use public transport.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Do you mean 0800 to 2100, rather than 2000 to 2100? Just checking... this is Belgium we are talking about !

"Services will end between 8 and 9pm" means to me that your last train may be any time between 2000 and 2059, it doesn't comment on when the first one is.

 

[duesselmartin]

Germany is also restricting now

 

[MarcVD]

Belgium also just decided to close its borders. I don't know yet what it means for international trains.

 

[Struner]

Or cyclists?

 

[AlexNL]

Belgium also just decided to close its borders. I don't know yet what it means for international trains.

As things stand now:

To the Netherlands:
- 1tph Antwerpen Centraal - Noorderkempen - Breda - Rotterdam Centraal
- 2tpd Brussels - Amsterdam (Thalys)
- "Significantly less" trains Roosendaal-Antwerpen and Maastricht-Luik according to NS International, I haven't seen timetables yet

France and UK:
- 2tpd Brussels - London (Eurostar)
- 2tpd Brussels - Paris (Thalys)

Germany:
- 3tpd Brussels - Frankfurt (ICE, all Thalys trains to Germany cancelled)
- Spa-Géronstère - Aachen unknown - mobil.nrw says "no limitations", SNCB say "L trains run only during peak hours"

Luxembourg:
- 1tph Troisvierges/Gouvy - Luxembourg
- 2tph Arlon - Luxembourg (1 IC, 1 RB)
- 1tph Athus - Luxembourg

 

[MarcVD]

That schedule was published before the decision to close borders was taken. So most probably there will be further reductions. Please note also that with France, lots of IC trains to Lille are cancelled, as well as all to Aulnoye & Maubeuge. On remaining trains, only business travel is allowed, with written justification from employer.

 

[AlexNL]

I had completely forgotten about the services to Lille, I didn't see them listed on the NMBS or B-Europe pages about the alterations either.

The daily services to Aulnoyes and Maubeuge are indeed cancelled.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Token service to Lille, maybe 1-2tpd?

 

[AlexNL]

I just had another look at B-Europe's website and noticed a heading which I had missed before. As of today, all trains between Belgium and the north of France have been suspended until further notice.

https://www.b-europe.com/EN/Coronavirus

 

[Peter Kelford]

I've just been told to work from home for another two weeks. 500 euro fine if you're on out on the street with no good reason. Colleagues who have to be in the office are given legal proof in writing to show to the police. We are asked to not use public transport.

Same over in France. To travel you need a justification, valid ticket and ID. You risk a criminal record if not.

 

[AlexNL]

NMBS' app now shows the changes to the cross border services to the Netherlands. As expected, services have been cut back significantly.

To/from Roosendaal, there is an hourly service during peak hours only (06:00 - 10:00 and 15:00 - 19:00). Outside of those time slots, there is no service.

There is no service between Visé and Maastricht. This leads to a somewhat peculiar situation in Eijsden, this is a Dutch station which is served exclusively by Belgian trains as it's under 3 kV electrification.

Formally, NS is responsible for making sure Eijsden sees a service as the station is part of their contract.

On average Eijsden sees 160 passengers a day which makes it one of the least used stations in the country. Given the current circumstances I don't think anyone is expecting a service from Eijsden.

 

[TheSeeker]

"Justin on Eurostar" a Eurostar train manager on twitter now reporting police checks at arrivals in Brussels "If you don't have a valid reason to travel you will be sent back on the next train to London".

 

[Peter Kelford]

"Justin on Eurostar" a Eurostar train manager on twitter now reporting police checks at arrivals in Brussels "If you don't have a valid reason to travel you will be sent back on the next train to London".

Where you will now be sent back to Brussels...

 

[TheSeeker]

Where you will now be sent back to Brussels...

They don't like letting me back into the country at the best of times