Subway of Brussels

The subway of Brussels is one of the many joint means of transport serving the capital of Belgium and a small portion of its agglomeration. It has 3 clean lines of sight including two having a common section of 6,1 kilometers. The lines add up large about fifty Kilomètre S of ways, including 37,5 km underground. The first project of subway was projected in 1892. They are only 73 years later, in 1965, which was brought into service a first embryo of the project, concretized by a tunnel functioning in Prémétro and connecting 6 stations.

Today, the subway transports approximately: 340000 passengers per day is 124 million per annum (2006). It has 59 heavy subway stations, 15 of light subway and 7 having a correspondence with another line. With its 32 km (not-counted lines of prémétro), it is classified 72e subway of the world in length. Prémétro included, it is located with its 42 km length in 61e position. It is classified in 36e position for the number of stations and 26e if one counts the 11 stations reserved for the prémétro.

Exploitation of the subway of Brussels east ensured by the STIB; this state enterprise also ensures the exploitation of the trams and the majority of the buses of the Région of Brussels-Capital.

The service road of Brussels and its agglomeration is also ensured by the buses of the state enterprises De Lijn and tce, as well as the trains of SNCB.

The subway of Brussels is the only subway of Belgium. The towns of Antwerp and Charleroi have a network Prémétro. __TOC

The network

See also: List of the stations of the subway of Brussels

The lines 1A and 1B cross the town of west in is and divide a common section under the downtown area, which ensures a strong frequency to him (3 minutes in rush hour). The lines 1A and 1B separate with the extremities from the common section. Line 2 surrounds the downtown area and is currently in ring not-buckled in the west (it will become circular in 2009). The subway of Brussels ensures a precise service road of the city, often copied on the old stops of trams. The stations thus are very brought closer: 663m on average for the line 1A, 623m for the 1B, 575m for line 2 and 545 m for the line of North-South prémétro. The purpose of the subway of Brussels is to reach a block speed of 30 km/h. The speed limit of the oars is of 72 km/h.

The subway of Brussels is primarily underground (85%); some sections are with the free air such as in the east of Brussels with Demey or Alma for example. The tunnels of the subway are with a few tens of meters of depth, except on the level of the station Yser located near the channel. The axis of the prémétro was arranged in the old one voûtement of the Senne located in lower part of the grand boulevards of the interior of the Petite Belt. Line 2, also called line of small belt, is located a few meters below the tunnels dug as an automobile fast track except at the west where the layout differs a little the small original belt.

The underground ways of the subway are always placed in a single tunnel. The circulation of the trains is carried out on the line as in all the other lines of trams and subways of Belgium. Except between the stations Beekant and King Baudouin where following a graining with Beekkant circulation is carried out on the left. Logically during the reorganization of the network planned for 2009 (looping line 2) this graining should disappear. The power supply is made by a Conductor side rail and the electric tension is of 900 Volt S in D.C. current.

The gauge of the oars of the subway is traditional with nearly 2,70 meters. The oars have a capacity from 276 to 744 passengers, this variable number according to the generation and the size of the oars. All the lines of the subway are on rail making it possible to have a block speed raised as on a train.

Stations

The subway station of Brussels traditional is underground and comprises two ways framed by two quays from 3 to 5 meters broad. A fifth of the stations derogates from this provision; they have a central quay which are surrounded of the two ways (for example station Clemenceau) and sometimes 4 quays and 4 ways (for example Art-Law, making the correspondence between 2 lines). It is also to note that certain stations (in particular Rogier) have three quays for two ways, this being explained by the presence of a central quay allowing the loading, the quays external being then reserved with the unloading of the travellers. The length of the quays is fixed at 125 meters of average with certain stations with 170 meters. The stations are always arched and covered by a metal floor. The stations of the old lines of prémétro are characterized by higher tunnels made necessary for the use of the Caténaire for the Pantographe, which was removed at the time of the transformation of the heavy subway line.

The air stations or on the surface were generally built on the final sections of the lines 1A and 1B. Those are entirely covered by canopies or a fabric specialized out of stainless (Érasme). The station Delacroix, last inaugurated station, is air, has a central quay of a width of 6 meters and a very large canopy.

Decoration of the stations

The stations of the subway of Brussels are characterized by various styles independent from/to each other and corresponding to the esthetic choices (and of materials) related to their times of construction. Each station has its own design and does not follow any model of design, the choices being left with the architect in load of the project.

All the stations having been built after 1970, the materials used are in general the concrete, iron and glass. All the grounds are made in ceramics tiling. The side walls of the stations are generally out of metal or out of concrete and of the works of art or publicities are often hung there. The name of each station is registered in black on a metal plate of white color.

The stations of the line of North-South prémétro are characterized by their height of ceiling lower than those from the underground lines, this being due to old the drain of the Senne.

Metro entrances and corridors of correspondence

Each station of the subway of Brussels has 2 metro entrances at least but can have some up to 6, for example with the Public garden Montgomery. The accesses are done via Escalator S or by simple staircases. Near each mouth of subway, one finds a great logo enlightened the night allowing to locate the entries of the station easily. The correspondences between the various lines of the subway are done via staircases or escalators because the various lines are located at various heights. The subway station Art-Law has two levels for the various lines: the -2 is dedicated to the line 1A and 1B while the -1 is dedicated to line 2. The subway station Saint-Handlebar has two levels: the -1 is dedicated to the line 1B and the -2 is dedicated to possible a future line of large belt.

History

Toutes the following data in this part come from the chart which one can find here

It is in 1892 that the first projects of a subway in Brussels emerged, fascinating in example the equipment of the towns of London and Paris. These projects were supported by King Léopold II, called the king-builder. During first half of the 20th century, several plans of underground grids were imagined, without however receiving the support neither of the administration nor of the population. It was necessary to wait the Fifties to see a first underground section very court with the Gare of the South. A first true tunnel accommodating was then open the trams and several stations in 1969, with the downtown area. The exploitation of a true subway took place starting from 1976.

Line 1

It is oldest of the lines, whose first projects go up with 1898. Work started only in 1965 with the Schuman roundabout. The first embryo of subway of Brussels was open in 1969, in the form of line of trams underground (prémétro) East-West between the station De Brouckère and the station Schuman.

After 11 years of work on the whole, this section of prémétro was transformed into true underground line heavy. It was also prolonged in the east until Mérode, from where it was divided into two branches: worms the North-East until Tomberg (1B), the other towards south-east until Beaulieu (1A). This first underground line in Brussels was inaugurated on September 30th, 1976 by its Majesty the King Baudouin.

In 1977, the line was prolonged at its ends with the opening of two new stations: Holy-Catherine in the west, Beaulieu on the south-eastern branch (1A).

In 1981, three new stations came to extend line 1 at its western end: Count de Flandre, Black Ponds and Beekkant, the latter becoming the new western terminus.

Into 1982, line 1 was divided into two branches also in the west. After Beekkant, the line 1A carried on its way towards the North-West until Bockstael (in Laeken). After Beekkant, the line 1B continued towards south-west until Saint-Handlebar (with Anderlecht). The other end of the line 1B was Alma (with Woluwe-Saint-Lambert) in the North-East.

Three years later, the line 1A was extended to the North-West until Heysel (site having accommodated the Expo '58 and where the Stade King-Baudouin is located), and in south-east until Herrmann-Debroux. This same year, the station Veeweyde was open on the line 1B to south-west.

A new extension of line 1 was carried out in 1988: opening of the stations Crainhem and Stockel (new terminus) at the end of the north-eastern branch (1B).

In 1992 took place the opening of the station Bizet, at the other end of the line 1B (south-western).

1998 saw the extension of the line 1A to its North-West with the construction of the station King Baudoin, this one becoming its new terminus (it is it always currently).

In 2003, the four last stations of line 1 were inaugurated in south-west (1B): the Wheel, CERIA, Eddy Merckx and Erasme, the latter becoming the new terminus.

As a whole, the line has a East-West total layout. It has two branches: the line 1A and the line 1B. Between the stations Beekkant (in the west) and Mérode (in the east), the layout is common. The oars alternate: an oar on two traverses the line 1A, the other the line 1B. Starting from Beekkant, the line 1A and the line 1B follow partially the layout of line 28 of SNCB, between Jacques Brel and Bockstael. Line 28 will be reopened with the service of the travellers within the framework of the Réseau regional express of Brussels, with like stations of Pannenhuis correspondence, Simonis and the Station of the West. These stations were brought into service in 1982, week only, then closed a few months later with the opening of the subway. SNCB holds in " réserve" the station of Simonis in the event of extraordinary event to the Stage King-Baudouin (it for example was temporarily reopened at the time of the Euro 2000).

Line 2

Line 2 of the subway of Brussels is a circular line which rolls, for the major part of its layout, under the grand boulevard girdling the historical center of Brussels called Petite Belt.

It acts in the beginning, like line 1, of a line of prémétro.

Indeed, in 1970, the first embryo of line 2 was inaugurated. It was about a tunnel which connected Madou and the Porte of Namur in which circulated of the trams.

The line was extended to the Rogier station which was inaugurated in 1974 then to the station Louise in 1985. She was then traversed mainly by trams 101,102 and 103.

In 1986, the line was lengthened in the west until Simonis. This same year, the ministry of Brussels voted for its conservation in the state. The Ministers for the government of Brussels, federal and of transport granted the license to build for the construction of the stations Yser, Sainctelette (which exist partly but will be never open), Ribaucourt and Simonis in north and Mint in the south.

Into 1988, it was finally transformed into underground line heavy and was named line 2.

It was prolonged until the Gare of the South while passing by the Porte of Hall in 1990.

She knew two more extensions beyond the Station of the South: in December 1992 until Clemenceau, then lately in 2006 until Delacroix, last stage before the looping of the line envisaged in 2009.

Indeed, in 2009, the line will continue of Delacroix towards the Gare of the West before taking again the way occupied today by the line 1A to the station King Baudouin.

Considering the increasing demand of the passengers on the small belt, the number of oars on line 2 will be multiplied: line 2 will make the loop of Simonis (making the totality of the small belt) and line 6 of Simonis to King Baudouin always by making the entirety of the small belt. (see chart below)

Small characteristic, the oars roll on the right-hand side of Simonis to the Gare of the South and then on the left of the Station of the South until the current terminus of Delacroix.

Developments in hand or planned

The development of the network currently is very limited. The prolongation in suburbs of existing lines is still not planned. The tram on lines 39 and 44 in exclusive right of way makes it possible to serve the extreme well is of Brussels while being less expensive than the subway. Nevertheless, certain projects of improvement of the subway with short and long terms exist. The oars, of which some are 30 years old of age, are in the course of renewal with the purchase of 15 Boas.

Prolongations planned or under development

One currently develops a small segment between the stations Delacroix and Gare of the West to allow to buckle line 2. Although very short, this segment is of great importance because it will allow the complete recasting of the network of subway and very an other distribution of the lines. The station Parks sudden West, within the framework of this prolongation, large work of enlarging on several levels having to only allow the future correspondence of several underground lines the place of the 1B currently.

Modification of the network in 2009

The Regional government of the Area of Brussels-Capital adopted in July 2005 the development plan of the network of the STIB. This plan will lead with the looping of line 2 and will imply the total recasting of the network of subway as from February 2009: 4 lines will then traverse this one (of which one will have its two termini in the same station, Simonis, on superimposed levels). The plan envisages also two lines almost entirely in the light subway via the North-South axis (3 and 4), of which the regularity drastiquement will drastiquement be improved.

Line 1: station of the West with Stockel in the heavy subway
Line 2: it will carry out a loop which will begin and have its terminus with Simonis but on different levels in the heavy subway
Ligne 3: station of North with Churchill via the North-South axis by making a way almost exclusively underground
Line 4: carpark of Uccle Stall in Heysel via the North-South axis (partially underground way and largely in exclusive right of way out-tunnel)
Line 5: of Érasme with Herrmann-Debroux in the heavy subway
Line 6: station King Baudouin in Simonis (by borrowing the loop of line 2) (heavy subway)

Renewal of the material

In February 2004, 15 new vehicles were bought at the Spanish company Construcciones there auxiliar of ferrocarriles. Those must started to be delivered in April 2007. The new trains are composed of 6 cars (two half-train of three cars). All the cars are accessible between it interior, from where its nickname of Boa . This new version thus brings a great freedom of movement to the passengers who can cross the train of his beginning to his end without leaving there. The maximum speed of this new vehicle called BOA goes up to 72 km/h out of top speed (equivalent speed to the other models). They are equipped with 18 doors on each side and will be able to transport to 774 passengers is 80 people moreover compared to the capacity of the U5 . The ventilation of the air of the coaches brings a comfort increased to the travellers.

The first specimens circulated on the line 1B as from August 2007. Following the startup of these new oars, the vehicles become surplus on the line 1B will be reallocated to the lines 1A and 2, allowing an increase in capacity on all the lines. An ordering of five additional Boas is envisaged before 2011.

Restoration of 24 stations of the subway

Twenty-four of the 68 subway stations are currently in the process of restoration. Work is in hand and should be fences in 2009. They will be in certain cases complete rebuildings, in others of simple refittings such as the placement of Ascenseur S or new Guichet S to give access to the people reduced mobility, for example. The total costs of this work will be approximately 100 million euros financed by the State, the Area and by the STIB.

The station Holy-Catherine was the first with being given to new. The 23 others are more or less attended stations. One can in particular quote the stations Gare of the South, Gare of North, Rogier, Art-Law, Montgomery, Parc or Schuman.

Limitation of the access to the stations

In order to fight against the fraud and the insecurity, the STIB will place wickets at the entries of the stations in order to limit the access to the only people of them having a transport document. Currently, all the accesses to the stations are free.

Automation of line 1

Studies will be carried out for the automation of this line (oars without driver), in the original intention increase the frequency to fight against saturation.

The material

Since the transition from the prémétro towards the subway in 1976,5 various versions of the subway trains were used: the M90 , M70 , M32 , the Bomber/Alstom and the BOA. All are still used by the STIB. The oars act on rail with a standard spacing (1435mm) and the food is made via a Conductor rail which gives a D.C. current of a tension of 900 Volt S.

The original park of cars of 1976 was composed of 90 standard vehicles M90, vehicle having each one length a 18 meters. Sixty cars were delivered by the Brugean one and Bubbles and 30 cars by CFC and ACEC. These vehicles have only one driver's cab in order to be able to form an oar by assembling some two. Those are indicated under the name of U2 .

Technical installations

One finds on the level of the station Delta, near the university campus of ULB to Ixelles, a large deposit allowing the storage and the repair of the 90 oars circulating on the subway of Brussels. This one is located at the -4 and has very large workshops. The deposit of Delta is the only deposit which repairs the oars of the subway. It is also an important deposit of bus of the network of the STIB. One also finds a school of drivers there located at the -1.

A new deposit subway is currently in construction with Jacques Brel. It will in the future make it possible to accommodate the oars of line 2.

In figures August 1st -->

In practice

Schedules and frequencies

The trains circulate since approximately 5:30 of the morning (6h the weekend and bank holidays) until a little after Minuit, the every day of the year. On the lines 1A and AB, an oar spends on average every 6 minutes to the rush hours, offering a 3 minutes frequency over the common section, and every 10 minutes at the off-peak hours (20 minutes very early the morning and very late the evening). Line 2 has a 2,5 minutes in rush hour, 4 minutes in off-peak hour and 10 minutes frequency the evening. The weekend, its frequency is of approximately 5 minutes.

At the time of the school Holidays, the frequency of the circulation of the subways is less.

Subscription and ticket

There exists a very wide range of tickets meeting various needs. The cost of displacements with the means of transport of the STIB (subway, tram and bus) is calculated per hour. For little that the way does not exceed an hour after the first validation of the ticket, it is allowed, for example, to pass from a bus to a subway train without paying one second time. Each way has a different cost according to the bought type of chart:

The last two tariffs are contractual and allow an unlimited number of voyages on the whole of the underground railway networks, tram and drunk during one or three days. There exist also various offers intended for the tourists as “Brussels Card” which combines the means of transport and the entries of many museums for one limited duration. The price of the subscriptions without reduction totals 40,50 € for one month and 405 € for one year and allow an unlimited number of voyages on the whole of the network (subway, tram and bus) for one month or a year. There exist reductions for many categories of people, in particular including the total exemption from payment for less than 12 years, the most 65 years and the recipients of the income of social integration.

The transport documents can be bought on automatic terminals located at the entries of the stations or near approved salesmen (railway stations, large subway stations, supermarkets, bookstores…). The subscriptions require a photograph.

There exists also a subscription known as MTB , offering the unlimited use of all public transport on the territory of the Area Of Brussels, any state enterprise of transport confused, namely the subway, the trams and the buses of the STIB, the trains of SNCB and the buses of the companies tce and De Lijn. This subscription does not cover the use of this transport out of the Area.

Use

Before reaching the quays, the traveller must point his chart by introducing it into a obliterator magnetic, printing with the back of the chart the number of used line, which allows the checking of the payment of the way during controls. Each started way can continue on any line during one hour, the pointer one then indicating on the chart the new line beside the preceding one. When a subscription is had, it is not necessary to point, it is enough to present it to the controller. Tests are carried out with a new aiming system without contact which will be generalized in a few years.

Descriptive

Each line is indicated at the same time by its number and its termini. While entering a station where several lines circulate, the traveller is guided to the quay sought by panels providing these two indications. On the quay, the name of the current station is recalled by panels every 30 meters on the walls of the station while the direction and the n° of the line are indicated on a panel generally located in the middle of the quay.

Each line is equipped with an electronic system indicating the latency before the arrival of the following oars in the desired direction.

Near the quays of the stations, panels indicating an exit is indicated on green bottom and with a white door and a window upwards.

Since 2006, on all its new plans and panels, the STIB specifically uses a Bill of character creates for its public transport of which the subway, Brusseline. This police force shows very well the visual identity of the STIB and is very easy to read even for tourists.

The next station is indicated inside all the oars of the underground lines and prémétro.

The subway and Inhabitants of Brussels

On approximately: 750000 daily displacements in transport of the STIB, the subway, with its: 350000 travellers/day, represents a share of 45% front them drunk with 29% and the trams with 26%. For the million inhabitants of the area of Brussels-Capital, the subway, supported by the obstruction constant of the lanes on the surface, a determining role in mobility downtown plays.

Evolution of the traffic

The frequentation of the network knew between the year 2005 and a 2006 strong growth of 8%: the number of transported passengers passed from 114,5 million to 122,5 in 2006.

People with reduced mobility

The majority of the recent stations are accessible to the person with reduced mobility. Some stations are not it yet and should be equipped with elevators to make it compatible.

Some stations are already regarded as accessible thanks to the elevator and with a validor from tickets. The station Alma is located on the surface and has an access without staircases to the oars. The stations which will be rehabilitated will have elevators to give access to any user. The stations built in the ten last years such as CERIA, Delacroix, Eddy Merckx, Érasme, Heysel, the Wheel or Stockel are already adapted and do not require any other installation.

In each one of these station, a special validor of tickets was creates for the people with reduced mobility.

A test is currently carried out in the station Maelbeek in order to facilitate the access of the wheelchairs to the oars of the subway. A slope raised at the beginning of quay allows an access to the coach of subway almost without empty space between this one and the quay.

Free newspapers

Every Thursday, a newspaper of Brussels free, the Platform of Brussels, is available in and the prémétro subway stations of the network. It treats topicality of Brussels and has as a slogan the Inhabitants of Brussels speak to the Inhabitants of Brussels . It is also distributed in supplement of Libre Belgique, in the buildings of the European commission and in the stores Delhaize.

Following the example other countries, a newspaper called Metro is distributed each morning free in the stations. With Brussels, it has been available in the stations of Métro or prémétro of the city for approximately 6 years. One finds there contents varied, often in the form of dispatches, treating Belgian and world topicality, economy, Sport but also the program TV of the principal French-speaking Belgian chains, the weather or the horoscope. These editions are very appreciated readers thanks to their exemption from payment and their rapid access without being diverted of sound Means of transport.

Appendices

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