A new intermodal station was inaugurated on Sunday next to the Ceria metro station in Anderlecht.
Taking part in the ceremony were Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet, Brussels Region’s Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt, Anderlecht Mayor Fabrice Cumps and the CEO of the national railway utility, SNCB, Sophie Dutordoir.
The new station is the 144th one on the suburban network (S line) and the 35th in the Brussels Region.
Under the 2020-2023 Transport Plan, which includes the extension of the train supply, the stop is served by the S3 train (Zottegem – Anderlecht – Bruxelles – Dendermonde) at the rate of an hourly train in each direction on weekdays from 5.30 a.m. to 11.35 p.m. On weekends there is one train per hour in each direction from 6.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. between Zottegem and Schaerbeek.
The SNCB plans to add a second S3 train by 2023. It will run every hour between Zottegem and Brussels during the week.
Work on the installations is being done by SNCB and Infrabel, which manages Belgium’s railway network infrastructure.
Infrabel, which is working on laying down four tracks on the 50A/C line between Denderleeuw and Bruxelles-Midi, has invested 1.5 million euros in the station. This is in addition to its earlier investments – 540 million euros for the four tracks between Denderleeuw and Anderlecht, and 15 million euros for extending the four between Anderlecht and Brussels.
“Rail accounts for just 1% of travel within Brussels, so there’s huge potential!” Elke Van den Brandt noted. “On certain sections, rail is completely unbeatable in terms of speed, like the one linking Anderlecht to Midi Station in just five minutes.”
The new intermodal station is located at Highway Exit E19 (the Sint-Pieters-Leeuw Exit) close to Ceria-Coovi P&R Parking. It is also close to Ceria subway stop (Line 5, Erasme-Hermann-Debroux) and the STIB and De Lijn bus stops.
It has a shelter and a rack for bicycles that together have 38 places. Arrangements have been made for people with reduced mobility, which is in line with the SNCB’s target of increasing the number of stations accessible to everyone from 78 to 150 by 2025.
“Yes, you can travel to and within Brussels by train, by combining public transport or bicycles for those who are more active,” Minister Gilkinet stressed. “My priority is to reinforce this railway supply and make it better known so as to better connect Brussels and its environs.”
The Brussels Times
