De Lijn, the Flemish bus-and-tram operator, has published its alternative service plan less than 24 hours before Monday’s cross-sector strike, confirming ‘serious disruption’ across all provinces. The new timetable, released on 11 October, shows significant service gaps on high-frequency commuter lines, with many routes labelled ‘rijdt niet’ (does not run) in journey planners. The industrial action is part of a broader trade-union campaign against proposed public-spending cuts in the federal budget. While railway services are also expected to be limited from 22:00 tonight, De Lijn’s cutbacks will mainly hit first-mile/last-mile connectivity, stranding travellers who rely on buses to reach train hubs such as Gent-Sint-Pieters and Antwerpen-Centraal. Employers running shuttle services for shift workers in the Port of Antwerp and the Ghent Canal Zone are scrambling to secure private coaches, triggering a short-term spike in charter-bus prices. Some companies with critical 24/7 operations have activated emergency accommodation near worksites to avoid absenteeism penalties. De Lijn reminds passengers that tickets remain valid on any running service on Monday, but offers no compensation for cancelled trips. Riders can request attestations of delay or cancellation via an online form, which are accepted by most Belgian employers and schools as proof of force majeure. Looking forward, union leaders have hinted at further actions if negotiations stall, a scenario that could complicate end-of-year peak-season travel and assignment planning. Mobility teams should therefore build contingency budgets for taxis and hotel stays into Q4 relocation forecasts.
Source: De Lijn
