The City of Brussels has announced that Infrabel will carry out intensive maintenance on the Schaerbeek – Watermael-Boitsfort axis from 26 September to 17 October 2026. The works, which include ballast renewal, signalling upgrades and noise-barrier installation, form part of a €62 million investment to future-proof the capital’s busiest commuter corridor and prepare for increased traffic once the EU’s Entry/Exit System fully settles. During the first two weeks, all weekend IC services between Brussels-Midi and Ottignies will be rerouted via the eastern freight bypass, adding roughly 15 minutes to journey times. Weekday peak-hour P-trains will operate but with reduced frequency; NMBS will provide supplementary buses linking Schuman, Etterbeek and Boitsfort. The line also carries Eurostar empty-stock movements and Thalys positioning runs; while passenger impact is limited, operators warn that any over-run could ripple into international timetables. Companies in Brussels’ south-eastern business parks are advising staff to switch to telework or use car-pooling to avoid congestion on the E411 ring road. Infrabel says the project will cut future maintenance windows by 30 % thanks to new long-life sleepers and remote-diagnostics sensors. Noise measurements show the corridor currently exceeds regional limits by up to 4 dB(A); the new barriers should bring levels back into compliance, easing community pressure that has grown since night freight resumed in 2024. Residents can consult a real-time work-progress dashboard on the City’s website. The municipality pledges to keep construction noise below 70 dB after 22:00, but admits that overnight welding on 3–4 October may briefly exceed that threshold.
Source: City of Brussels
