Belgium Rail Strike Disrupts Travel – March 8-11, 2026

A nationwide rail strike in Belgium is underway from March 8th to March 11th, 2026, significantly impacting train travel across the country. Passengers should expect substantial disruptions and plan accordingly.

Strike Details and Impact

The strike, called by the socialist rail union ACOD Spoor, began at 10:00 p.m. On Sunday, March 8th, and will continue until 10:00 p.m. On Wednesday, March 11th . The impact on train services varies daily.

According to the national railway operator NMBS/SNCB, approximately seven out of ten intercity (IC) trains are running on the first full day of the strike, Monday, March 9th . Around half of the local L trains and suburban S trains are too operating, with a limited number of P trains expected to run.

Service Adjustments

Despite the strike, NMBS/SNCB stated that all P student trains operated on Sunday evening, March 8th, to facilitate students returning to university cities such as Brussels, Leuven, Ghent, Liège, and Louvain-la-Neuve .

International Travel

The strike also affects international train services traveling in or through Belgium:

• Eurostar: Eurostar is proactively notifying clients via email or SMS if their train is cancelled, using the contact information provided during booking. A list of cancelled trains is available on the Eurostar timetable.
• TGV INOUI: TGV INOUI is also contacting affected passengers via email or SMS. A list of cancelled trains can be found here.

Where to Find Updated Information

Passengers are strongly advised to check the Rail Planner App or the SNCB timetable shortly before their planned journey for the most up-to-date train times . For domestic journeys, the domestic timetable planner on www.belgiantrain.be and in the NMBS app is the most reliable source of information .

Previous Labor Actions

This strike follows earlier tensions between rail unions and management. A previous strike notice for February 5th, 10th, and 12th was rejected, and the unions’ subsequent appeal to the Council of State was unsuccessful .