Brussels public transport operator STIB/MIVB will sever three key tram routes for much of August as it takes advantage of the holiday lull to overhaul track, repair a critical embankment and modernise switches on the busy north-eastern corridor. An announcement on 23 July confirms that from 27 July to 30 August tram 10 will be suspended in two phases, while trams 7 and 35 will be curtailed or replaced by shuttle buses between the Docks Bruxsel retail hub, Heysel expo grounds and Neder-Over-Heembeek industrial zone. Phase one (27 July – 7 August) focuses on stabilising the Tyras Avenue embankment, forcing tram 10 to turn back at Nelson Mandela. Phase two (8 – 30 August) shifts to rail and overhead-line work around Van Praet bridge and Avenue des Croix de Feu: during this period tram 7 will also terminate at Docks Bruxsel and tram 35 will stop running entirely. STIB will extend bus routes 47 and 56, add articulated buses, and run a dedicated shuttle between Docks Bruxsel and Heysel to preserve links to Brussels Airport coach services and the Atomium tourist district. Although the closures fall outside the main commuter rush, they overlap with Tomorrowland’s second weekend, the start of the EU institutions’ autumn return and a wave of expatriate removals ahead of the new school year. For relocation providers moving household goods into northern Brussels and for multinationals based in the Heizel offices, journey times could double at peak hours as traffic diverts onto already congested roads. STIB recommends that passengers use its trip planner or the ‘Hello STIB’ app to follow real-time diversions. Employers should remind assignees that the standard MOBIB card will be accepted on the replacement buses and that extra validation is not required when transferring between the shuttle and the remaining tram network. The operator notes that compressing several projects into one extended blockade will avoid repeated interruptions later in the year – a strategy welcomed by Brussels Mobility, which is coordinating road works in the same corridor to minimise cumulative disruption.
Source: BX1
