Mobility newsletter May 2023

What's new in mobility? At the start of each month, we share the latest news related to mobility.

In the news 📰

Summer is in town. No plans for the holidays yet? Hop on a train this summer and enjoy a city trip to Vienna or Berlin. Besides the night train to Vienna, you can also travel all the way from Brussels to Berlin since 26 May. This is the second night train operating commercially in Belgium. Via Antwerp, Rotterdam and Amsterdam, you will reach Germany's capital without traffic jams. Depending on the compartment, you pay between 59 and 200 euros for the ride. Moreover, the train will be extended all the way to Dresden and Prague next year. Despite night trains being popular, supply is not growing as expected. For transport companies, they are financially less interesting at the moment. Source

Would you rather travel by plane? Between 2013 and 2023, the price of a plane ticket in Belgium increased by 27.4 per cent. On the one hand, the past year was very good for airlines, but compared to the pre-covid era, supply remains limited and does not sufficiently meet demand. On the other hand, airlines have to raise prices to adapt to environmental restrictions. Source

Mobility facts 🧮

63 per cent of Belgians forget to delay at roadworks. This puts us among the worst European students in the class. In 2021, there were six fatal accidents and 504 accidents with injuries at roadworks in Flanders. Time for action. The new road safety campaign "Rij veilig, wij veilig" was launched in May. Source

Delays at SNCB. It’s nothing new. In 2022, punctuality deteriorated further, with as many as one train in ten running with a delay of at least six minutes. That is also the biggest reason why 31 per cent of passengers, 8 per cent more than in 2021, are dissatisfied with SNCB's service. Source

Did you know❓

If you do not have a public charging point in Flanders within a radius of 250 metres from your home, you can apply for a charging point via the website of the Flemish government. This with the condition that you have no space at home to install a charging point. The "Paal volgt wagen" initiative already has 1,300 applications as of September 2022. Also submit an application here. Source

Driving with an expired digital driving licence carries the same high fines as driving without one. These fines can be as high as €2,000. Minister Gilkinet reveals that this law is currently under review and reminders will be sent to renew your digital driving licence. Source