October 10, 2026 — Belgian rail operator SNCB published its strike timetable on Saturday for the walkout that begins at 10 pm Sunday, October 11, and runs through the last train on Monday, October 12. About seven in ten intercity trains will run, half of local and suburban trains, and one in five peak-hour trains. Eurostar and Brussels–Netherlands trains are also cut on Monday.
This updates our October 9 story, when service levels were still TBA.
What is planned
- Who. The socialist rail union ACOD Spoor/CGSP Cheminots, as part of a wider public-services strike against the federal government’s budget plans. The Christian union is not calling a strike, broadcaster RTBF reports.
- When. From 10:00 pm Sunday, October 11, until the last train on Monday, October 12.
| Service on Monday, October 12 | What will run |
|---|---|
| SNCB intercity (IC) trains | 7 in 10 |
| SNCB local (L) and suburban (S) trains | 1 in 2 |
| SNCB peak-hour (P) trains | 1 in 5 |
| De Lijn buses and trams (Flanders) | About 61% on average, varying by region |
| STIB (Brussels) and TEC (Wallonia) | Disruption possible; service level TBA |
| Brussels Airport flights | No impact expected |
| Charleroi Airport flights | All flights planned to operate; allow extra time |
- Planner. Monday’s adjusted timetable shows in the SNCB journey planner from Sunday morning. SNCB has not published a separate figure for the Brussels Airport rail link.
- Refunds. SNCB says its normal exchange and refund rules apply.
International trains on Monday
- Eurostar lists trains cancelled on the Belgian network on October 12 and says affected passengers have been contacted.
- NS International lists reduced Eurostar service between Brussels and Paris, two London–Brussels trains not running, eight EuroCity Rotterdam–Brussels trains cancelled, and 16 Eurocity Direct trains cancelled. Eurocity Direct trains that do run start and end at Rotterdam and skip Schiphol Airport.
- Tickets. EuroCity and Eurocity Direct tickets for October 12 are valid on the same type of train on October 11, 12 and 13, and cancelled trains can be refunded. Eurostar and TGV tickets are not flexible in the same way.
Still ahead
- The Belgian government’s budget talks resume Monday, with the prime minister’s policy statement expected Tuesday, October 13.
- The FGTB union’s threat of a general strike in the week of November 23 remains conditional, with no date set. We found no new strike dates in the past 24 hours.
What it means for airline travelers
- Getting to Brussels Airport on Monday: check the SNCB planner on Sunday. If your train is cut, airport buses and taxis are the fallback, and De Lijn is running a reduced service too.
- Sunday night arrivals: trains thin out after 10 pm. Arrive earlier or plan a taxi.
- Brussels to Paris, Amsterdam or London by rail on Monday: rebook to Sunday or Tuesday if you can. Do not count on a same-day rail connection to a flight at Schiphol or Paris.
- Flights are not the issue on Monday, so standby loads should be normal. The risk is missing check-in because of the ground transport.
- Charleroi: allow extra time for pickets on the access roads.
Sources
- SNCB, strike information page
- VRT NWS, “Waar kan je maandag hinder ondervinden door de staking?”
- RTBF, “Grève des services publics ce lundi 12 octobre: quelles perturbations dans les transports et les services publics”
- Eurostar, Travel updates
- NS International, strike in Belgium service overview
- Brussels Airport, Airport operations
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