Fifteen years after one of Belgium’s deadliest rail disasters, the country has reached a major safety milestone. All main railway tracks across the national network are now equipped with the European Train Control System (ETCS), a technology designed to prevent catastrophic accidents caused by excessive speed or human error.
The completion of the rollout marks a decisive chapter in Belgium’s long-term efforts to modernise rail safety. The push gained urgency after the 15 February 2010 train crash in Buizingen, which claimed 19 lives and injured dozens, exposing serious shortcomings in existing safety systems.
ETCS continuously monitors train speed and automatically intervenes when a train exceeds permitted limits. Unlike traditional signalling, the system can apply brakes independently of driver action, significantly reducing the risk of collisions caused by missed signals or misjudgements.
According to rail network operator Infrabel, Belgium’s 6,399 kilometres of main railway lines are now fully equipped. The scale of the project has been immense, involving the installation of more than 48,000 electronic beacons along tracks and the upgrading of over 11,000 railway signals nationwide.
The investment required to achieve full coverage has been substantial. Over the past decade, Belgium has spent approximately €2.8 billion on the rollout, making it one of the most comprehensive ETCS deployments in Europe relative to network size.
Infrabel officials describe the completion as a turning point for rail safety. The operator says ETCS dramatically improves oversight of train movements and ensures uniform safety standards across regions, eliminating disparities between older and newer parts of the network.
However, trackside equipment alone does not guarantee safety. For ETCS to function effectively, trains themselves must be fitted with compatible onboard technology capable of receiving and responding to system commands.
Belgium’s national rail operator, SNCB-NMBS, has been working in parallel to upgrade its rolling stock. The company expects its entire passenger and service fleet to be fully equipped with ETCS by the end of this year, bringing train operations in line with the modernised infrastructure.
The transition will soon become mandatory. By the end of 2027, only trains equipped with ETCS technology will be allowed to operate on Belgium’s rail network, effectively retiring older systems and enforcing a single, unified safety standard.
Transport experts say the move places Belgium among Europe’s frontrunners in rail safety compliance. ETCS is a cornerstone of the European Union’s broader strategy to harmonise railway operations, particularly for cross-border traffic and high-speed corridors.
The Buizingen disaster remains a defining moment in Belgium’s transport history. Investigations at the time highlighted failures in signal compliance and the absence of automatic train protection on certain lines, sparking public outrage and political pressure for reform.
In the years that followed, successive governments committed to accelerating safety investments. While the process faced technical, financial, and logistical challenges, the full ETCS rollout is widely seen as a direct outcome of lessons learned from the tragedy.
Rail unions and passenger groups have largely welcomed the development, calling it a vital step toward restoring public confidence. They stress, however, that continued maintenance, staff training, and system monitoring will be essential to ensure the technology delivers its full safety potential.
As Belgium looks ahead, authorities say the focus will shift from installation to optimisation. With infrastructure and trains aligned under a single digital safety system, the country aims to reduce incidents, improve punctuality, and strengthen its role within Europe’s interconnected rail network.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
