Public-transport operator STIB-MIVB marked Brussels’ Car-Free Sunday with an open-house event at its Jacques Brel depot in Molenbeek, offering residents and visitors a behind-the-scenes look at metro and bus maintenance. Published on 19 September, the initiative coincides with two anniversaries: 50 years of the Brussels metro and 100 years of bus operations in the capital. From 10:00 to 16:00 today, guests can sit in a driver’s cab, explore the latest electric-bus charging systems and talk to engineers about fleet decarbonisation. The depot visit complements the operator’s decision to make the entire STIB network—four metro lines, 17 tram routes and more than 50 bus services—free of charge for the duration of Car-Free Sunday. Headways on the metro have been reduced to 6 minutes between 13:00 and 19:00 to absorb demand. For corporate mobility teams, the free-fare policy removes one of the last excuses employees cite for using company cars on weekends. It also provides a live stress-test of STIB’s new Be in & Out contactless ticketing system, which enters pilot phase next month. Data collected today will help calibrate fare-capping algorithms and crowd-management models in preparation for Brussels’ 2027 mobility plan, which aims to cut car traffic by 24 %. The agency has also partnered with Brussels Airport Company to extend the zero-fare offering to airport express bus 12, smoothing last-mile travel for international delegates attending Monday’s EU Transport Council. Relocation consultants are using the day to familiarise new expatriates with multimodal options, highlighting that children under 6 and cyclists can board trams for free year-round. While the open day is mainly promotional, it signals STIB’s broader strategy to position public transport as the backbone of corporate mobility budgets as low-emission zones tighten and parking costs escalate. Companies that subsidise employee season tickets can leverage today’s demonstration to boost take-up and reduce Scope 3 emissions.
Source: STIB-MIVB
