A December 2024 survey by Transport & Environment placed SNCB, Belgium’s national operator, third in Europe for reliability, behind only Switzerland’s SBB and the Netherlands’ NS. Eurostat data went further, ranking Belgium second for punctuality in long-distance and high-speed passenger services in 2022, with 88% of trains on time.
For regional and local services, Belgium’s record is less exceptional but still strong. The country ranks 12th in Europe, with 91% of trains arriving punctually. More recent figures indicate improvement, with domestic train punctuality reaching 93.8% in August 2025, the best in four years.
Yet these headline numbers may not tell the whole story. Recent analysis by Belga News Agency has suggested that Belgium’s punctuality statistics are being skewed by high levels of train cancellations.
According to Infrabel data cited by Belga, an average of 4,070 trains were cancelled each month in the first half of 2025. In February alone, 5,006 passenger trains were scrapped—amounting to 6% of all journeys scheduled that month.
Federal MP Staf Aerts (Groen) has been critical of how these cancellations are treated in the statistics. He argues that SNCB’s punctuality record is misleading because it ignores trains that never depart.
“It’s obviously a good thing that trains are punctual, but it’s not worth much if it’s simply because there are fewer trains running,” he told Belga. “It doesn’t help you when you’re waiting on the platform because your train has been cancelled.”
Aerts also pointed out that strike days are excluded from cancellation counts. During industrial action, a minimum service is maintained, but the vast number of non-operating trains are not classified as cancelled.
Responding to criticism, an SNCB spokesperson told Le Soir that cancellations were linked to a mix of strike action and operational problems. Issues with international rolling stock, where spare capacity is limited, also contributed.
Despite these difficulties, SNCB insists punctuality remains robust. For August, it reported figures above 90%, which it said were better than last year, even accounting for cancellations.
The debate highlights the growing tension between official performance data and passenger realities. Belgium’s trains may appear punctual on paper, but for those left stranded by cancellations, the statistics feel less reassuring.
