Airport railway projects
Air traffic plays an ever increasing role in passenger and freight transport. For a smooth transition of the huge flow of passengers and goods to and from the airport, optimum accessibility is crucial. In order to support the further evolution of the airports, Infrabel is investing in a superlative rail connection for the Belgian airports. Thanks to the joint efforts of aviation and rail, Infrabel is able to enhance the strategic position of our country in the heart of Europe!
Brussels Airport
Infrabel is creating a direct connection between Brussels Airport and our main national and international railways. In 2005, we built a new connecting curve between Brussels-National-Airport station and the railway from Brussels to Leuven/Liege/Limburg. As a result, the airport now has a direct connection to the high-speed lines into Germany and France. Thanks to the Diabolo project, the airport is now also directly connected to the railway line towards Antwerp and the high-speed line into the Netherlands. Under the airport site, there is an underground railway connecting Brussels-National-Airport station via the Diabolo tunnel to the new railway line along the central reservation of the E19 motorway between Schaerbeek and Mechelen (L25N).
In practical terms this means that passengers coming from Antwerp no longer have to travel via Brussels to reach the airport. The journey time from Mechelen station to the airport will be reduced from 40 minutes to about 10 minutes.
A railway bypass in Mechelen will - in 2015 - further increase rail capacity on the Brussels-Antwerp line.
This project is funded by the Federal Government with the financial support of the European Union.
Zoom in on the Diabolo project.
Brussels-South Charleroi Airport
In support of the ongoing development of Brussels-South Charleroi Airport, Infrabel is working on a plan for a direct rail connection to the airport. It will give Brussels-South Charleroi Airport a central position on both the national railway network and the European high-speed network.
Liege Airport
The airport of Liege-Bierset focuses primarily on freight transport. In the future, polluting and expensive road transport (and perhaps certain short-haul flights) are set to be partially replaced by a high-speed goods train, in order to transport these goods from the airport to their final destinations in Europe. In accordance with its partnership with Carex (Cargo Rail Express), Infrabel guarantees an investment in infrastructure works that will connect Liege airport to the high-speed network.