Belgian rail operator SNCB will absorb 60% of the EUR 100 million budget cuts planned for the rail sector in 2026, while infrastructure manager Infrabel will bear the remaining 40%. The information was reported by The Brussels Times, citing government sources.
The distribution was agreed following discussions between the Minister of Mobility, Jean-Luc Crucke, and the two railway companies.
This is the second consecutive year that SNCB has absorbed most of the funding cuts, after absorbing most of the EUR50 million cuts decided by the government coalition in 2025.
According to the Belgian publication, Infrabel CEO Benoît Gilson said that the impact of the cuts on the company’s activity would not be “spectacular.”
In the case of Infrabel, the savings will be distributed between Flanders and Wallonia, also on a 60-40 basis. SNCB has not yet commented on how the cuts will be translated into concrete measures.
Tariff adjustments from February 2026
Separate from the discussions on public funding, SNCB has announced that it will apply a moderate fare indexation from February 1, 2026, in accordance with the public service contract concluded with the Belgian state. Ticket prices will increase by 2.14%, and season ticket prices by 2.6%.
At the same time, a number of fares will remain unchanged. The Train+ card will not be indexed, nor will supplements for pets and bicycles. The maximum Train+ fare will also remain at 14 EUR per journey in second class, or 5.50 EUR for young people, seniors, and people with disabilities.
SNCB has also announced a reduction in the price of long-distance season tickets, by lowering the maximum distance charged from 150 km to 120 km, which will lead to a reduction of approximately 16% in the maximum price for these season tickets.
As for parking, train passengers will benefit from average reductions of around 27% in daily pass rates, while for non-train passengers, prices will increase by 2.6%. Rates for secure bicycle parking will also remain unchanged for passengers.
Funding and fares, two different plans
Although budget cuts and fare adjustments overlap in the 2026 calendar, the two developments are linked to different mechanisms: public funding of the rail system and the automatic application of the indexation provided for in the public service contract.
According to The Brussels Times, the specific way in which SNCB will implement the budget cuts is still being defined.
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