Public transport services across the Brussels-Capital Region will be significantly reinforced and made free during the early hours of the new year, the city’s public transport operator STIB/MIVB has announced.
The measures aim to support the tens of thousands of residents and visitors expected to celebrate New Year’s Eve across the capital, while encouraging safe and sustainable travel during the night.
According to STIB/MIVB, around 130,000 journeys were recorded on its network during last year’s New Year’s Eve. Similar or higher passenger numbers are anticipated again this year.
To cope with the expected demand, the operator will extend operating hours on key lines and deploy approximately 650 staff members across the network, including drivers, control room personnel and on-site support teams.
From midnight until 5:30 am, all metro, tram and bus services operated by STIB/MIVB will be free of charge. No tickets or validation will be required during this period.
On New Year’s Eve itself, all metro lines and the majority of tram services will run until around 2:30 am. Several bus routes will also operate later than usual.
Extended bus services will include lines 45, 49, 54, 59, 65, 86 and 87, offering late-night connections across different parts of the capital.
Metro line 6 will see its last departure from Roi Baudouin station at around 2 am. Connections with the final services on metro lines 1 and 5 will be ensured at Beekkant.
Night-time travel will also be supported by the Noctis network, which will operate between midnight and 5:30 am. The last departures from the city centre are scheduled for around 5 am.
Passengers using the Noctis buses can expect frequent services, with a bus every 10 minutes on line N18 and every 15 minutes on lines N04, N05, N06, N08, N09, N10 and N11.
Other Noctis routes, including lines N12, N13 and N16, will run every 20 minutes throughout the night, ensuring broad coverage of the Brussels region.
In addition, tram line 81 will operate all night between Trinité and Montgomery, with services every 15 minutes until the following day.
However, on the section between Barrière and Marius Renard, tram line 81 will follow its usual timetable, with the final services departing at around 1 am.
The reinforced transport offer is partly designed to accommodate crowds attending the annual New Year’s fireworks display at Boulevard du Centenaire on the Heysel plateau.
While the event is expected to attract large numbers of spectators, it will also lead to temporary changes on several transport lines due to road closures in the area.
From 7 pm on New Year’s Eve, Avenue Impératrice Charlotte, Place de Belgique and Avenue de Miramar will be closed to traffic, affecting tram and bus routes.
As a result, tram 7 will continue to Esplanade from De Wand, while tram lines 19 and 62 will be limited to Guillaume de Greef.
Tram line 35 will not operate during the evening, although its route will be covered by tram 7 to maintain connectivity in the area.
Bus line 83 will be diverted via Chaussée Romaine and Avenue des Magnolias, while Noctis line N18 will terminate at Stade instead of continuing to its usual endpoint.
STIB/MIVB has warned that additional changes may still be introduced, depending on security requirements and instructions from the authorities. Passengers are advised to check updates before travelling.
