Normal train traffic services resumes in Belgium after 24-hour strike

After the end of a 24-hour strike called by the railway unions, normal train traffic services resumed in Belgium on Wednesday at around 10:00 PM. A spokesperson for Belgian railway utility SNCB, Marianne Hiernaux, said.

SNCB had set up alternative service based on staff members who had shown their intention to work, and generally, it worked well, the spokesperson added.

Around 1,000 trains worked on the Belgian railway network during the strike. On the other hand, no trains circulated in the provinces of Namur and Luxembourg since there were not enough staff members present in the Infrabel signalling booths. These booths are needed to regulate the movement of trains.

In Walloon Brabant, a quarter of the trains ran. Through the strike, the unions intended to put pressure on the government during discussions on state budgets, including for the railway sector. They are demanding more resources for recruitment and an adaptation of salary scales, in particular.