Early on 14 July unknown thieves cut several signalling and power cables near Ostend station, forcing Belgian rail infrastructure manager Infrabel to halt all train traffic between Bruges and Ostend in both directions. National operator SNCB/NMBS immediately suspended services and warned that repairs would last at least until midday, stranding commuters and thousands of holiday-makers heading for the coast during the school break. Within hours SNCB mobilised replacement buses and advised travellers to use De Lijn coastal trams between Ostend and Blankenberge. The incident came at the height of the summer tourist season, when the Bruges–Ostend route regularly carries more than 30,000 passengers per day. Rail unions called the theft “an organised attack on vital infrastructure” and renewed calls for expanded CCTV coverage along the network. Infrabel engineers reported that the cables had been severed in multiple places, complicating splicing and extending the outage window. The disruption highlighted the vulnerability of Belgium’s ageing coastal rail corridor, which also serves freight movements to the port of Zeebrugge. Logistics companies moving time-sensitive goods faced rerouting costs, while local hospitality businesses feared cancellations as day-trippers reconsidered travel plans. For employers running summer off-sites or client meetings in Bruges or Ostend, contingency plans should include flexible tickets, bus alternatives and remote-meeting options. Mobile employees should monitor the SNCB app and Infrabel’s @Infrabel_OPEN Twitter channel for real-time restoration updates.
Source: The Brussels Times / Belga
