TOURISM IN BELGIUM
Technology: how NMBS uses technology to improve your train journey
The feedback collected through NMBS Lab plays a crucial role in the ongoing development and refinement of the services NMBS offers. The Belgian National Company of Belgian Railways (NMBS) today launched a new feature on its website…
Hydrogen: French Hype brings hydrogen taxis to Brussels
French zero-emission mobility platform Hype will launch a taxi service in Brussels “in the coming days”. Hype, a French taxi company, will bring its hydrogen-powered taxis to Brussels. This is part of an ambitious expansion of the company in Europe, with…
Key figure: Founder's son and pioneer Denis Van Hool passed away
The Belgian business landscape loses one of its pioneers with the death of Denis Van Hool, the son of Bernard Van Hool, founder of the well-known bus builder Van Hool. Denis passed away at the age of 91, a loss that is palpable within and…
Automotive: Van Mossel takes over legendary Garage Mertens
The Van Mossel takeover of Garage Mertens has been completed, the Van Mossel Group reports. Belgium's automotive sector has recently undergone a dramatic change with the completion of a monumental acquisition that is redefining the mobility landscape in the region.…
End of an era: Van Hool's bankruptcy leaves deep wounds
After a 25-year battle for the legacy of founder Bernard Van Hool, nothing remains of that entire legacy. The bankruptcy of Van Hool NV, an established name in the Belgian bus and coach industry, and its umbrella…
De Lijn: new phase with new opportunities and a Hoppin future
The introduction of the second phase of the new network is the largest network adjustment in the history of De Lijn. The ambitious overhaul of the Flemish public transport network, initiated by De Lijn, reached a new milestone with, according to...
Free ride: in the front row at the Tour of Flanders with De Lijn
On Sunday, March 31, experience the highlight of the Flemish cycling spring again from the front row! The Tour of Flanders, one of the most prestigious one-day cycling races in Flanders and part of the UCI WorldTour, is just around the corner. This year…
Strike: aviation in knots as salary dispute escalates at Brussels Airlines
The pilots of Brussels Airlines will stop work from March 23 to 27, a step that stems from a long-running conflict with management over salary cuts and workload. This action could potentially evolve into monthly strikes if their demands go unanswered…
Recovery plan for bus builder Van Hool will cost jobs of 1.100 employees
Van Hool, manufacturer of buses, coaches and industrial vehicles, presented the main lines of its 'Van Hool Recovery Plan' to employee representatives during a special works council. The company has expressed its intention to strategically reorient its activities towards market segments where customers…
Ghent police will soon be able to use urban ANPR cameras
The Ghent police will soon be able to track down signaled and uninsured vehicles, and arrest drivers with a driving ban. The expansion of the functionality of ANPR cameras in Ghent marks another forward step in the enforcement of the law and…
Brussels Airlines rises above expectations and flies high with record results
Brussels Airlines has achieved an impressive financial turnaround in 2023, reporting an adjusted EBIT of 53 million euros. This result, an increase of 127 million euros compared to the previous year, marks an important turning point for the Belgian airline…
Time for a change on the Belgian buses and trams of De Lijn
There may be many more incidents that did not make it to the media. The discussion surrounding public transport in Belgium is taking a new turn with recent events and comments that put the spotlight on the functioning of De Lijn, the Flemish transport company...
Safety concerns are shaking Babboe's market position in Flanders
The sharing platform Baqme, known for its electric cargo bike rental service in urban areas, recently suspended its activities in Ghent and the Netherlands. While the Dutch cargo bike manufacturer Babboe has been under fire in its own country for weeks, customers in Belgium are also…
Older people fear the digital train now that counters are closing their doors
NMBS's choice is not surprising because closing counters is part of an international trend. In an era where digitalization seems inevitable, concerns are growing about the accessibility of public services for all sections of the population.…
Taxi drivers come out on top with a multi-million claim against Uber
According to the Brussels Court of Appeal, Uber drove illegally in Brussels for six years. The dispute started when the Belgian Federation of Taxis (Febet), together with about twenty taxi drivers, filed a lawsuit in 2018 with the intention of banning UberX…
Flemish government's turn, future of bus builder Van Hool is wavering
A third of the staff is temporarily unemployed and there are too few orders. The bus builder Van Hool in Koningshooikt near Lier is in the eye of the storm, confronted with financial setbacks and a changing landscape within the bus industry.…
Scan trucks are missing the point with unjustified fines in the blue zone
In the consumer program “WinWin” on Radio2, Xavier Taveirne shed light on a significant problem in Belgian parking policy, namely the unjustified issuance of parking fines by scanning cars in blue zones. The use of scanning vehicles to enforce parking rules in…
Rush for Flemish premiums for electric cars
The Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters, has reserved a budget of 20 million euros for this scheme. With almost 3.000 applications, this budget seems sufficient for the time being.
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Flemish farmers in conflict with Dutch colleagues
The small Belgian village of Postel, located in the province of Antwerp, has recently become the scene of a growing dispute between Belgian and Dutch farmers. A conflict has arisen between Belgian and Dutch farmers in the border region near Postel. Cause…
Antwerp is setting course for better mobility with an extensive ferry service
Antwerp is expanding its ferry service with a second ship, because in addition to the fully electric Op Stroom, the sister ship Marnix Van Sint Aldegonde will also sail on this connection. The city of Antwerp has been operating its ferry service between the Left and…
Smartphone use behind the wheel now results in a driving ban
According to the new rule, anyone caught handling a mobile phone or any other mobile device with a screen while driving a motor vehicle will have to immediately surrender their driving license for 15 days. Smartphone use behind the wheel…
Speed versus feasibility is the dilemma of towing companies in Antwerp
Towing services are under pressure in the battle against the clock on the Antwerp ring road. Rapid intervention in incidents such as accidents or defective vehicles is essential to provide assistance to those involved and to prevent further accidents and long traffic jams. The…
Apartment in Knokke uninhabitable after electric scooter explosion
Safety tips after a fire in Knokke because smoke detectors can save lives. Along the Zeedijk-Het Zoute in Knokke, an apartment suddenly became a scene of chaos and unrest when the battery of an electric scooter, which was being charged at the time, exploded. This…
Major changes at De Lijn now that thousands of stops have been cancelled
Since January 6, 2024, De Lijn Flex's flex buses have replaced the well-known call buses in many places. The big difference is in the expansion of the offer. A major change in De Lijn's public transport network will take place on Saturday 6…
Electric driving in Belgium remains a road full of challenges
The lack of sufficient fast chargers along highways is not only an inconvenience for electric vehicle drivers, but it also undermines broader efforts to transition to cleaner energy sources. Electric driving in Belgium remains an issue…
Longer bus rides for special education students
Changes in bus transport affect students at BuSO Sint-Elisabeth, with transfers being the main new obstacle. Bus transportation in special education remains a concern. Three months after the start of the school year, it has been shown that approximately 6% of…
The work in Dorpstraat is much more fascinating than what happens in Wetstraat
Tim Vandenput has announced that he will not stand for election in the Federal elections in 2024. Belgian representative and mayor of Hoeilaart Tim Vandenput (Open Vld), has announced that he will not stand for election in the Federal elections in June 2024.…
Railway unions continue and NMBS travelers are once again the victims
This time, two of the three major unions, ACOD and VSOA, are participating in the strike, while ACV Transcom has decided to stay away. The announcement of a new 48-hour strike at the railways shows that there is still tension...
Disruption due to trade union strike in West Flanders until Tuesday
De Lijn is battling disrupted services due to industrial action, communication via app and website is vital for travelers. The strike of the common trade union front in West Flanders, consisting of ACV, ACOD and ACLVB, has been causing disruptions in public transport for several days. Initially…
80-year-old Babousch from Ghent holds silent march to crematorium for return to bus stop
De Lijn itself defends their decision by indicating that passengers can reserve the dial-up bus. Winning her battle against the Flemish transport company De Lijn seems impossible in this local mobility debate. Jeanine Braekenier, better known as Babousch and living in Ledeberg,…
From old De Lijn tram seats to trendy Komrads sneakers
If you thought that the fight against climate change is only the purview of environmental groups or government agencies, think again. The Flemish transport company De Lijn and the Belgian sustainable sneaker brand Komrads are coming together with a new product: a sneaker made from old…