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Central station (Brussels)
Encyclopedia
Bruxelles-Central / Brussel-Centraal (Brussels Central) is a metro
and railway station in Brussels
, the capital city of Belgium
. It is the busiest train station in Belgium and one of three principal train stations in Brussels, but handles primarily domestic traffic. (See: List of railway stations in Belgium) First completed in 1952 after protracted delays caused by economic difficulties and war, it is the newest of Brussels' main rail hubs.
and Gare du Midi were the primary railway stations in Brussels (Brussels North slowly supplanted the original Allée Verte Station near the same site). However, they were linked only by an inadequate iron track that ran along the current inner ring road
from 1841-1870. Many proposals were put forward to link the two stations, but it was not until just before the First World War that a law was passed mandating a direct connection. The Putterie district was razed to make way for the connection, and work was then halted by the war. Financial constraints limited work after the war, and in 1927 the government suspended the project altogether. In 1935 a new office dedicated to the project was set up and work resumed. The Central Station was planned as a hub in the connection. However, the Second World War slowed construction again. The interruptions and delays to construction left large areas filled with debris and craters for decades. The station was finally completed in October 1952 based on a modified design by Victor Horta
.
s. These are underground, beneath the city blocks within the "Boulevard de l'Impératrice/Keizerinlaan", "Rue de l'Infante Isabelle/Infante Isabella straat", "Kantersteen" and "Rue de la Putterie/Putterijstraat".
As for the main entrance an d ticket office, they are at ground level on Keizerinlaan/Imperatrice, and there are several other entrances on the other streets. The station was renovated between 2004 and 2010 in an attempt to better equip the station to present levels of usage (which can reach 150,000 passengers/day on the busiest days). Two new entrances were created, and the main entrance was extensively renovated. The "Carrefour d'Europe," a pedestrianised square was created in front of the station. Plans are underway for the renovation of the tunnel which links the main station with the metro stop. It has been described as dilapidated, dirty, and permanently tinged by the smell of urine. An architectural firm had been retained in 2010 to implement the project designed to make the hallway a better "window" to Brussels for the many travellers who begin their journey there. Shops and a more luminous, graffiti resistant environment were planned, pending final planning approval.
Although Brussels' central station is at the very heart of the city, its capacity is not adapted to present usage levels (ca. 70,000 passengers on a weekday), let alone future levels. The interior and the platforms have been renovated in recent years, but the main problem (i.e. lack of capacity) has not fundamentally been addressed. There have been suggestions to expand the station, but none of them has gained widespread acceptance. Today at peak times about 96 trains an hour use the six platforms of the station. With passenger growth expected to average 4%/year in the coming decade, Infrabel
, the administrator of the Belgian rail network, has determined that an expansion of the rail capacity and of the Central Station will be necessary. The CEO of Infrabel has estimated the cost of an adequate expansion at at least a billion euros, and has said it will be necessary to complete the project by 2020. However, the task of getting all relevant authorities to agree on a plan has so far proved difficult. Some credit a general taboo against discussions of expanding the North-South rail axis after the extended delays and widespread destruction that initial construction entailed from 1911-1952.
station, also called Gare Centrale - Centraal Station. It is located under the "Marché au bois/Houtmarkt".
This was first opened as a premetro
station on 17 December 1969 on the tram line between De Brouckère
and Schuman
. This premetro line was upgraded to full metro status on 20 September 1976 and today lies on the joint section of lines 1 and 5 that cross Brussels from east to west.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
and railway station in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, the capital city of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. It is the busiest train station in Belgium and one of three principal train stations in Brussels, but handles primarily domestic traffic. (See: List of railway stations in Belgium) First completed in 1952 after protracted delays caused by economic difficulties and war, it is the newest of Brussels' main rail hubs.
History
For a long time Gare du NordBrussels-North railway station
Bruxelles-Nord / Brussel-Noord is one of the three major railway stations in Brussels; the other two are Brussels Central and Brussels South...
and Gare du Midi were the primary railway stations in Brussels (Brussels North slowly supplanted the original Allée Verte Station near the same site). However, they were linked only by an inadequate iron track that ran along the current inner ring road
Small ring (Brussels)
The Brussels small ring or inner ring road is a series of roadways in central Brussels, Belgium, surrounding the historic city centre. It was built on the site of the Second walls of Brussels, built in the 16th century, after they were torn down....
from 1841-1870. Many proposals were put forward to link the two stations, but it was not until just before the First World War that a law was passed mandating a direct connection. The Putterie district was razed to make way for the connection, and work was then halted by the war. Financial constraints limited work after the war, and in 1927 the government suspended the project altogether. In 1935 a new office dedicated to the project was set up and work resumed. The Central Station was planned as a hub in the connection. However, the Second World War slowed construction again. The interruptions and delays to construction left large areas filled with debris and craters for decades. The station was finally completed in October 1952 based on a modified design by Victor Horta
Victor Horta
Victor, Baron Horta was a Belgian architect and designer. John Julius Norwich described him as "undoubtedly the key European Art Nouveau architect." Indeed, Horta is one of the most important names in Art Nouveau architecture; the construction of his Hôtel Tassel in Brussels in 1892-3 means that...
.
Rail station
The railway station has six tracks, served by three island platformIsland platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
s. These are underground, beneath the city blocks within the "Boulevard de l'Impératrice/Keizerinlaan", "Rue de l'Infante Isabelle/Infante Isabella straat", "Kantersteen" and "Rue de la Putterie/Putterijstraat".
As for the main entrance an d ticket office, they are at ground level on Keizerinlaan/Imperatrice, and there are several other entrances on the other streets. The station was renovated between 2004 and 2010 in an attempt to better equip the station to present levels of usage (which can reach 150,000 passengers/day on the busiest days). Two new entrances were created, and the main entrance was extensively renovated. The "Carrefour d'Europe," a pedestrianised square was created in front of the station. Plans are underway for the renovation of the tunnel which links the main station with the metro stop. It has been described as dilapidated, dirty, and permanently tinged by the smell of urine. An architectural firm had been retained in 2010 to implement the project designed to make the hallway a better "window" to Brussels for the many travellers who begin their journey there. Shops and a more luminous, graffiti resistant environment were planned, pending final planning approval.
Although Brussels' central station is at the very heart of the city, its capacity is not adapted to present usage levels (ca. 70,000 passengers on a weekday), let alone future levels. The interior and the platforms have been renovated in recent years, but the main problem (i.e. lack of capacity) has not fundamentally been addressed. There have been suggestions to expand the station, but none of them has gained widespread acceptance. Today at peak times about 96 trains an hour use the six platforms of the station. With passenger growth expected to average 4%/year in the coming decade, Infrabel
Infrabel
Infrabel is a Belgian government-owned public limited company. It was created on 1 January 2005 from the split of the once unitary SNCB/NMBS. It builds, maintains and upgrades the Belgian railway network, makes its capacity available to railway companies, and handles the train traffic control. ...
, the administrator of the Belgian rail network, has determined that an expansion of the rail capacity and of the Central Station will be necessary. The CEO of Infrabel has estimated the cost of an adequate expansion at at least a billion euros, and has said it will be necessary to complete the project by 2020. However, the task of getting all relevant authorities to agree on a plan has so far proved difficult. Some credit a general taboo against discussions of expanding the North-South rail axis after the extended delays and widespread destruction that initial construction entailed from 1911-1952.
Metro station
Five minutes' walk from the railway station through a pedestrian tunnel, there is a Brussels MetroBrussels Metro
The Brussels Metro is a rapid transit system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It consists of a network with four metro line services with some shared sections. The metro has 49.9 km of network and 59 stations...
station, also called Gare Centrale - Centraal Station. It is located under the "Marché au bois/Houtmarkt".
This was first opened as a premetro
Premetro
A premetro is a tramway or light railway which includes segments built to rapid transit standards, usually as part of a process of conversion to a metro railway, mainly by the construction of tunnels in the central city area...
station on 17 December 1969 on the tram line between De Brouckère
De Brouckère station
De Brouckère is a Brussels rapid transit station consisting of both a metro station and a premetro station .-History:...
and Schuman
Schuman station
Schuman station is a railway and metro station in the City of Brussels. The metro station opened in 1969 and serves the European quarter of Brussels.-Metro:...
. This premetro line was upgraded to full metro status on 20 September 1976 and today lies on the joint section of lines 1 and 5 that cross Brussels from east to west.
See also
- Murder of Joe Van HolsbeeckJoe Van HolsbeeckJoe Van Holsbeeck was a 17-year-old Belgian teenager who was murdered on April 12, 2006 at Brussels Central train station. This murder, following the attempted theft of an MP3 player, took place at approximately 4:30 in the afternoon, during rush hour...
- List of railway stations in Belgium