History

Fascinated by trams and buses?

19th century

• 25 May 1873: Inauguration of the first Flemish horse-drawn tram line between Antwerp (Meirbrug) and Berchem (St.-Willibrorduskerk)

• 28 May 1884: Ratification of the law on local railways (Nationale Maatschappij van Buurtspoorwegen – NMVB)

• 26 December 1898: The NMVB celebrates the 2,000th kilometre of authorised local railway line

• 24 April 1899: Establishment of the Compagnie Générale des Tramways d’Anvers (CGTA). It starts by purchasing the various Antwerp horse-drawn tram companies

World War I: 1914-1918

• At the outbreak of World War I, the CGTA has 14 tram lines, numbered from 1 to 14.

• NMVB: Despite all protests from the various administrations and authorities, the occupier started removing rolling stock and tearing up the lines from 1915 onwards. In total, 450 locomotives, 1,950 coaches and baggage cars, and 4,700 freight wagons were taken away, i.e. almost the pre-war fleet of rolling stock. All the copper and almost the entire stock of track materials — including 200,000 new sleepers and 4,700 tonnes of new rails — were also requisitioned. Year by year, the local network was shrinking. In November 1918, only 1,865 km of the 4,096 km operated remained intact.

1920s and 1930s

• 1923: Competition for the local railways. Entrepreneurs see that buses can provide a better service than the slow steam trams. In addition, the NMVB no longer runs on all routes. At first the competition is “wild”, but soon entrepreneurs must obtain a provincial licence. If the line runs through more than one province, they must apply to all the provinces concerned. The permanent deputation grants the authorisation for 10 years.

• 1939: On the eve of the Second World War, the NMVB tram network is at its peak. The network is 4,756 km long. The local railways operate 4,526 km, tenants 231 km

Overijse eerste NMVB bussen

World War II: 1940-1945

During the dark war years, the trams of the local railways were the preferred means of transport. Countless Belgians travelled by tram and smuggled goods such as vegetables, potatoes, meat, cheese or butter along with them. In October 1942, the occupier announced plans to dismantle local lines. Around a thousand kilometres of local lines were to be transported in three stages (starting in December 1942) to Ukraine. However, the NMVB refused to identify the lines to be dismantled. The occupier then made its own selection based on the revenues.

It was only in the spring of 1943 that the occupier tasked Belgian contractors with dismantling a first series of lines (429.2 km). Part of the material was stockpiled. At the beginning of 1944, the order was given to proceed to the second phase. By then, the material from the first phase had not even left yet. Because liberation was in sight, the second phase did not go ahead.

1950-1978

• Gradual shift from tram to bus. By the end of 1969, there were still 966 km of tram lines under NMVB management and 11.7 km of leased lines.

Brugge stadsbus 118 - 1951

• 1958: World Exhibition in Brussels. The federation of bus entrepreneurs establishes the Nationale Maatschappij van Belgische Autobus- en Autocar (Namaba). It sells tickets and operates two bus lines between the exhibition site and, respectively, Vilvoorde Camping and the Eden complex in Wilrijk

• 15 March 1961: Establishment of the Maatschappij voor het Intercommunaal Vervoer te Gent (MIVG)

• 10 October 1962: Establishment of the Maatschappij voor het Intercommunaal Vervoer te Antwerpen (MIVA)

Antwerpen FR Rooseveldplaats 1962

• 1 January 1963: The MIVA takes over the tram and bus network from TAO. The 52.25 km tram network comprises twelve lines. The bus network, also twelve lines, covers 80.32 km. There is still one trolleybus line of 7.124 km

• 25 May 1968: The province of Antwerp bids farewell to the last “farmer’s tram”: line 61 is discontinued between Antwerp (Fr. Rooseveltplaats) and Lindenlei in Schoten. The late cabaret artist Wannes Van de Velde says goodbye to the tram with his bagpipes on Franklin Rooseveltplaats.

• 1 September 1977: The NMVB takes over the bus services of the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS)

8 August 1988

The special financing law makes Flanders responsible for urban and regional public transport, with the exception of the railway network (NMBS)

Antwerpen St-Jans plein gelede bus 5774

1990-1996

• 31 July 1990: The decree establishing the Flemish Transport Company (VVM) appears in the Belgian Official Gazette of 27 October 1990 and regulates the establishment, structure, capital, governing bodies, operations, supervision, budget, transitional provisions and entry into force of the company. The statutes of the VVM appear in the Belgian Official Gazette of 21 December 1990. The decree of the Flemish Executive approving the statutes of the VVM dates from 24 October 1990.

• 31 December 1990: The licences of the MIVA, the MIVG and the NMVB expire. The MIVA, MIVG and the Flemish part of the local railways are absorbed into the Flemish Transport Company. Commercial name: De Lijn

De Lijn

• 1 January 1991: From now on, we have the monopoly on urban and regional transport (tram, bus and pre-metro) in Flanders.

• 6 July 1996: For the first time, we bring young people home after Rock Werchter. Together with the NMBS, we want to lend the youngsters a helping hand and avoid traffic chaos in and around Werchter and Leuven. This initiative was created in cooperation with the city of Leuven, the municipalities of Rotselaar and Haacht, the police services and the organisers of Rock Werchter.

Rock Werchter

2001-2003

• 22 September 2001: We win the international award for regional transport. At its conference in Bern, UITP (the International Association of Public Transport) awarded De Lijn its first UITP Regional Transport Award.

• UITP motivated its choice for De Lijn as follows:

  “De Lijn is the result of the merger of the public transport companies of Antwerp (MIVA) and Ghent (MIVG), and the Flemish part of the former Neighborhood Railways (NMVB). With the merger of these three separate partners into an integrated network of city, suburban and regional transport - each with its own type of rolling stock (from streetcar to dial-a-bus) - and in a political climate that has changed dramatically as a result of federalization, De Lijn has succeeded in significantly increasing its passenger numbers.”

  UITP

• 5 May 2001: Official opening of the Flemish Tram and Bus Museum in the protected tram depot Groenenhoek, Diksmuidelaan 42, in Antwerp-Berchem by Steve Stevaert, Vice-President of the Flemish Government and Flemish Minister of Mobility, Public Works and Energy, in the presence of numerous guests.

• 20 November 2002:

  We order 47 low-floor trams. With this order, we want to further renew our vehicle fleet and meet the demand for greater capacity.

• 19 December 2002: Start of the dispatch of 1.1 million Omnipasses 65+ (the former 65+ cards). With the Omnipas 65+, Flemish residents aged 65 and over can travel free by bus and tram throughout Belgium.

• 23 December 2002: For the first time in our history, we pass the 300 million passenger mark. The 300 millionth passenger is Mieke De Haeck, a 36-year-old woman who has held a subscription for seven years. Minister Steve Stevaert promptly put her in the spotlight as the 300 millionth passenger. She is named honorary passenger for life.

• 8 May 2003: International award “The Third Secretary General Award” in Madrid. With this award, the world federation UITP honours the Jump ticket, the travel pass that allows passengers to travel on the networks of the four companies in Brussels. The jury praises the initiative as an example of integration between four companies operating in three different regions and dealing with four authorities.

• 30 June 2003: Presentation of the Pegasus plan 2003-2025. In East Flanders, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp, we want to invest 1.1 billion euros in an extensive bus and tram network that must continue to guarantee mobility to and from the major urban centres. A tram on Antwerp’s Ring road, the commissioning of Antwerp’s pre-metro, the expansion and extension of the Ghent tram network, and a rapid network of 21 bus lines to and from Brussels and Leuven are part of the plan.

2004

• 15 January 2004: To underline its commitment to sustainability, we sign the UITP Charter for Sustainable Development on 15 January (UITP, the International Association of Public Transport, the world federation of public transport companies). We promise, as a pledge signatory, to pay maximum attention to sustainable and environmentally conscious techniques, materials and processes in all our business processes.

• 20 February 2004: Flemish Minister-President Bart Somers opens the new headquarters in Mechelen. The Lijnhuis was built on a historic site, namely the location where Ragheno built trains, trams and buses in the 19th and 20th centuries.

• 5 April 2004: Launch of De Lijninfo, one single phone number for all your questions. At De LijnInfo, people can turn to us with all possible questions about De Lijn: request travel information (timetables, routes, connections), request certificates and publications, report lost property, customer feedback and general questions (tickets, opening hours of Lijnwinkel stores, ...).

• 17 November 2004: The board of directors approves the purchase of 142 new buses. This purchase is worth 31.1 million euros. It concerns 62 articulated regional buses, 42 regional buses, 22 city buses and 16 city buses.

• 8 December 2004: Flemish Minister of Mobility, Equal Opportunities and Social Economy Kathleen Van Brempt and Ingrid Lieten, Director General of De Lijn, present the Spartacus plan to the municipalities of Limburg. The Spartacus plan is a future plan for integrated and sustainable public transport in the province of Limburg.

2005-2006

• 31 March 2005: The Spartacus plan can count on European support. With the Spartacus plan, we want to raise the quality of public transport in Limburg within 10 years to a level that can offer a full alternative to individual car traffic.

• 22 April 2005: To take a clear stand against discrimination, the Bus and Coach sector launches a non-discrimination code. With this code, the participating companies – including De Lijn – commit themselves to fighting discrimination and exclusion in all aspects of their operations.

By signing the code, the sector takes on four commitments:

1. promoting the integration of vulnerable groups;

2. aligning education with the labour market;

3. lifelong learning and competence management;

4. mobility to and from the labour market.

• 5 September 2005: The Antwerp pre-metro stations Meir and Sport are 100% accessible to wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility (blind people, visually impaired people, ...). As a result, the Meir shopping street and surroundings and the Sportpaleis (AFAS Dome) are now accessible to everyone by tram.

• 23 September 2005: After a successful trial with a bus running on pure vegetable oil (PPO), we will deploy seventy additional buses on PPO: twenty in 2005 and fifty in 2006. With vehicles running on pure vegetable oil, no extra CO₂ enters the atmosphere.

Bus on pure vegetable oil (PPO)

• 19 October 2005: The board of directors approves the purchase of 99 new buses, for an amount of 19.9 million euros. Fuel consumption was an important award criterion for the contract. All buses have air conditioning and an environmentally friendly Euro 4 engine, and are accessible to wheelchair users.

• 7 December 2005: At the beginning of 2006, we equip another 92 buses with a soot filter. As a result, the number of buses with this environmentally friendly technology rises to 579.

• 1 March 2006: Two thousand newspaper shops and supermarkets now sell De Lijn cards and tickets. Through a greatly expanded advance sales network, we want to reduce onboard sales so we can run more punctually.

• 14 July 2006: Action plan 'Safe on the road - Passengers and staff on the same page'. With this integrated action plan, we want to make maximum efforts to increase the safety of our passengers and staff. The eye-catchers of the plan are the tenfold increase in the number of cameras, the deployment of 214 extra staff members and additional training for our staff.

2007-2009

• 30 March 2007: To put an end to antisocial behaviour, we are launching a new passenger code. Anyone who deliberately obstructs or endangers passengers, staff or De Lijn equipment risks a fine of up to 500 euros. The new fines are part of our safety plan.

• 14 March 2007: A Flemish hybrid bus powered by hydrogen is a world first. This bus emits no harmful substances and is also very quiet. By supporting this project, the Flemish Government wants to play a pioneering role in technological progress and environmentally friendly public transport. From 18 June, we will put the bus into service on the line from Lier to Antwerp.

• 6 September 2007: Together with Proximus, we are launching a pilot project allowing passengers to buy their ride by SMS. Thanks to this mobile ticketing system, we want to run more punctually by reducing ticket sales from the driver. With this system, we are the first transport company in Europe to commercially launch mobile ticketing. The system of direct billing via the mobile operator, without prior registration, is a first for public transport in the Benelux. In Germany, among other places, users still have to pay by separate bank transfer.

• 5 October 2007: Passengers can now buy a subscription via the website. In this way, we want to increase convenience for our subscribers.

• 19 February 2008: Five months after the launch of SMS ticketing, 100,000 tickets have already been sold.

• 18 June 2008: To increase passenger satisfaction and attract new passengers, we are investing 12 million euros in modernising our travel information. Its pillars are real-time information and clear communication.

Realtime

• 25 July 2008: We are launching 1.7 million new advance sales points. Anyone with a computer and internet connection can now buy travel tickets online in De Post’s eShop and have them delivered to their home by the postman. With this pilot project, we are responding to our passengers’ demand for expanded advance sales.

• 5 December 2008: e-Government Award for online sales of subscriptions.

• 23 December 2008: For the first time in our history, we have carried 500 million passengers in one year. That makes 2008 the best year since our creation in 1991.

• 17 February 2009: The city of Mechelen gets the first look at the first shelter with updated stop information on Tuesday 17 February. Its pillars are real-time information and the use of colours.

• 21 September 2009: We reintroduce boarding at the front. With this measure, we want to increase the sense of safety and reduce the number of fare dodgers and incidents of aggression.

2010-2015

• 30 January 2010: 125 years of the Coast Tram. For more than a century, the Coast Tram has played an important role in the sustainable development of a wide region.

Kusttram 125 jaar

• 31 January 2010: From Monday 1 February 2010 onwards, passengers can pay for their ride with their mobile phone anywhere in Flanders. The ticket was developed together with mobile operator Proximus and extensively tested in Antwerp and Ghent.

Pay with mobile phone

• 14 September 2011: Passengers with a smartphone can now plan their route by bus, tram and train anytime, anywhere. To better inform our passengers, we are launching an iPhone app, a mobile route planner and a portal for all travel information applications.

• 4 December 2011: The 125 years of the Coast Tram project wins the first edition of the heritage award of the Province of West Flanders.

• 23 September 2011: On the proposal of Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Hilde Crevits, the Flemish Government has chosen an electric light rail line between Hasselt and Maastricht. In the long term, this tram line could attract 3.2 million passenger journeys per year.

• 12 November 2011: 20 years of belbus. On 12 November 2011, it has been 20 years since the first belbus appeared on the streets of Flanders. Belbuses were introduced to also serve passengers in sparsely populated areas.

Belbus

• 12 April 2012: Passengers can now also plan their trip with Google Maps. With this new free app, we want to make it easier to take the bus or tram and attract new passengers as well. Google Maps is available on both computers and smartphones.

• 6 August 2012: Purchase of 48 trams approved. This concerns 20 long low-floor trams for Antwerp and Ghent and 28 latest-generation low-floor trams for Antwerp. This is the largest tram purchase ever.

• 3 December 2012: Our website gets the AnySurfer label. This means that the information on our website is usable for everyone, including for example people with a visual impairment or a motor disability.

• 24 September 2013: We start distributing the MOBIB card to 1.2 million Flemish residents aged 65 and over.

• 20 February 2014: The purchase procedure for 146 new accessible trams is launched. This is the largest tram order ever. With this investment, at the request of Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Hilde Crevits, we want to replace the current Coast Trams and the small trams and provide additional tram sets for the expansion of the tram network. In addition, we expect the first new accessible trams from already placed orders by November 2014. Ten of them will go to Ghent, 38 to Antwerp.

• 24 September 2014: At the Innotrans trade fair in Berlin, we presented our first new tram for Ghent and Antwerp. It is an extra-long 43-metre low-floor tram, about one-third longer than the Hermelijn tram, with 315 passenger spaces. The tram is part of an order for 48 trams. The contract is worth 128.6 million euros. It concerns 20 extra-long trams and 28 regular trams. The vehicles were built by Bombardier, and Antwerp resident Axel Enthoven designed the tram. He had already designed the Hermelijn tram and vehicles for the Brussels transport company MIVB.

• 1 December 2014: Since 1 December, the quietest and cleanest buses in the world have been running in the north of the province of Antwerp. The 5 hydrogen buses produce no harmful emissions and are extremely quiet. Because there is no combustion process, the bus emits no harmful substances such as CO₂ (which causes greenhouse gases), NOx (acid rain and harmful to health) and particulate matter. From the exhaust comes only pure water vapour. Because there is no diesel engine, the hydrogen bus is also virtually silent. A humming sound is the only thing you hear. The bus has room for 94 passengers and a range of 350 kilometres. That is comparable to a diesel bus.

Waterstofbus

• 28 April 2015: Forty years ago, the metro ran in Antwerp for the first time. Over the past decades, more metro tunnels were built than are used today. Since 18 April 2015, a metro train has finally been running through the ‘Reuzenpijp’ under Turnhoutsebaan in Borgerhout. Tram 8 now runs from Astridplein to the park-and-ride zone in Wommelgem. Underground, the new pre-metro station Zegel was also put into service, and Astrid at Astridplein was expanded and renovated. On the day of the opening, there was a big street festival in and around Turnhoutsebaan in Borgerhout with lots of music, a historic tram, a flea market, children’s entertainment, etc. Finally, in the run-up to the opening, there were tunnel walks through the Reuzenpijp. Twenty thousand visitors toured the Reuzenpijp on foot over six days between Astridplein and Zegel station.

• 11 May 2015: The new extra-long tram (Flexity 2 type) will henceforth be called Albatros. The name was chosen from more than 3,000 submissions. Ghent resident Gunther Govaert came up with the name, which refers to the way the bird of the same name glides through the air quietly and effortlessly.

2016-2019

• 20 February 2016: The Flemish Government has given the green light for an investment of 27 million euros in 131 buses. The contract goes to the Flemish manufacturer VDL from Roeselare. The first new vehicles will enter service in the autumn. All new vehicles are equipped with Euro VI engines, the cleanest diesel engines on the market. Once the new buses are delivered, all 2,200 buses will have a soot filter. This greatly reduces the emission of harmful particulate matter.

• 13 July 2016: From 2019 onwards, we will only purchase buses with alternative propulsion, provided the technology is mature. This includes hybrid and electric buses. This means the end of the classic diesel bus. With this decision, the board aims to green the fleet faster and ensure that by 2025 only green buses will be running in urban areas.

Elektrische bussen

• 19 September 2016: From now on, you can pay for your ride via a smartphone app. With the m-ticket, a new digital travel pass, we want to make it easier to take the bus or tram and reduce the amount of cash handled by drivers. The m-ticket is even easier than the ticket, because you no longer have to remember a code and application number. One tap on your smartphone screen is enough, sometimes with a PIN code as security. Because no telecom charges are applied, the m-ticket is 15 cents cheaper than a ticket. To request an m-ticket, you first need to install the app of a ticket provider and register. Once that is done, you can request a ticket using a smartphone.

• 24 March 2017: We have put a new rail protection system into service. It ensures that trams in the pre-metro do not drive too fast or ignore signals, preventing collisions. The new rail protection system LijnGUARD took over from the previous system, which had already been in use for 42 years. LijnGUARD ensures that the 815 trams per day can travel safely through the dark pre-metro tunnels and do not collide. A rail protection system monitors both the distance between two trams, their speed and compliance with the signals.

• 20 April 2017: In Antwerp, Ghent and Leuven we will test electric buses that are charged at their terminus. The board has given the green light for three sets of two buses and the associated charging infrastructure. If everything goes smoothly, the buses will start running at the end of 2019. The electric buses will operate exclusively in urban areas. They must be able to run for about 50 minutes, good for 20 kilometres.

Elektrische bus

• 13 June 2017: The board has again awarded the order for 24 low-floor trams to the Spanish manufacturer CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles). This is the first of possibly 7 instalments, amounting to an investment of 295 million euros in 146 new trams. This tender for 146 trams is the largest ever in our history and is urgently needed. The trams are an alternative to traffic congestion in major cities and replace the old Coast Trams and PCCs.

• 6 September 2017: Bus and tram passengers will now sit on reclaimed leather seats. After a successful test in the new Albatros trams, we are permanently replacing the fabric upholstery with reclaimed leather. This material is more comfortable and easier to maintain. The board has approved a budget of 1,925,000 euros over five years for a gradual transition. The seat upholstery will be found in newly purchased vehicles.

• Spring 2018: With ‘Mobile Monday’, we encourage people to choose combi mobility at least one day a week.

• 20 April 2018: The first self-driving bus in the country is on its way! Together with Brussels Airport, we are going to test an autonomous shuttle at the airport. In 2019 on the manufacturer’s grounds, and from 2020 also at the airport.

• 9 December 2019: We order 200 green buses from manufacturer VDL. With the order, we are greening and renewing our fleet. After delivery, almost one in three buses will be green.

2020

• Spring 2020: The coronavirus crisis breaks out. The covid-19 virus largely brings society to a standstill, but people can continue to rely on De Lijn: our passengers and employees can continue to travel safely on our vehicles. To protect our employees, we ask passengers not to board at the front; we also install a film between the driver’s cab and the passenger area. In addition, we step up hygiene by cleaning and disinfecting our vehicles more frequently. Because the number of sick drivers is increasing, we are forced to adjust our timetable. When the mask mandate is introduced, we naturally follow the government measures: from May 2020, passengers aged 13 and over are required to wear a face mask on our buses and trams.

Impact of the coronavirus crisis

• Spring 2020: During the coronavirus pandemic, we abolish cash payments and rapidly introduce contactless payment. This means payments are now smooth and safe: with their contactless payment card, passengers pay more easily and more quickly. Drivers can focus more on driving itself and on the safe boarding and alighting of passengers – and as a result, our vehicles spend less time standing at stops.

Contactless payment

• 22 June 2020: The very first brand-new CAF Coast Tram arrives at our site on Nieuwpoortsesteenweg in Ostend.

CAF kusttram

• 28 June 2020: The Ring trambus runs for the first time. This vehicle is a 24-metre-long bus with the capacity of a tram. It runs largely on its own right of way on the route of bus line 820 (Zaventem – Vilvoorde – Jette).

Ringtrambus

• 1 July 2020: It is no longer possible to use magnetic travel tickets on our buses and trams.

• September 2020: At the start of the new school and academic year, the coronavirus crisis continues to demand our attention. We deploy larger or additional vehicles and enter into cooperation with coach companies: 424 coaches provide 850 extra rides every day, allowing us to offer more seats. In addition, we launch the crowding barometer in our app: this gives passengers an estimate of how crowded our vehicles are.

• December 2020: The Flemish Government confirms us as the internal operator for the core network and the supplementary network.

• End of 2020: Our fleet now includes 13 fully electric buses. This year, 88 hybrid buses were also added. We are also looking ahead: we conclude a cooperation agreement with Fluvius for the charging infrastructure of our fleet.

2021

• 3 April 2021: During the Easter weekend, passengers can travel with the new CAF Coast Tram for the first time: three vehicles operate extra trips between Ostend and Westende. From the summer onwards, the new trams will run on the full route between Knokke and De Panne. Just before the start of the summer holidays, we announce the tram’s new name: Zeelijner.

Zeelijner

• 29 April 2021: De Lijn’s revamped app is now also accessible to blind and visually impaired users. Thanks to voice-over technology, they can plan a route, consult timetables and buy tickets. Visually impaired users can easily adjust the font size in their smartphone settings.

• 11 May 2021: Five electric buses now run between Antwerp city centre and Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) in Edegem. This is a pilot project with dual charging technology: at night the e-buses are charged at the depot, during the day they are topped up at UZA.

• 17 May 2021: On the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, we dress some of our buses and trams in rainbow colours. With that, we send the message that everyone is welcome with us – as a passenger, as a colleague, as whoever.

Rainbow tram

• 14 July 2021: Our board approves the purchase of 44 plug-in hybrid articulated buses. It also gives the green light to upgrade 280 hybrid buses to e-hybrids. These 324 e-hybrid buses will have a greater zero-emission range: they can drive up to 100 km continuously on electricity.

• Autumn 2021: We are renewing the tram tracks on Antwerp’s left bank. The new structure is built on 2,000 foundation piles and 150 prefabricated piles (8 to 11 metres long) and forms a kind of underground bridge for the tramway.

Track renewal Antwerp Left Bank

• 15 September 2021: With the Elektro Challenge, De Lijn is launching an online competition about electricity and electronics. With this competition, we highlight technical professions and want to spark interest among future technicians. 661 participants take up the challenge.

• 10 October 2021: The De Lijn Mobility Academy kicks off. With these sessions (on traffic flow, network design, electric bus systems, etc.), we are targeting mobility professionals: cities and municipalities, consulting firms, ...

• 10 November 2021: Our board approves the purchase of 60 electric buses. The board also gives the green light for the purchase of charging infrastructure for the e-buses and e-hybrids.

2022

• 1 March 2022: A first for Ghent: since 1 March, the first electric route buses charged exclusively at the depot have been running. Thanks to additional batteries, they can cover 200 emission-free kilometres, enough for a full duty on line 6 (Ghent Watersportbaan – Mariakerke Post).

E-bus Ghent

• 26 April 2022: The new 50-ride card is ideal for passengers who travel back and forth by public transport an average of twice a week. With it, we are responding flexibly to the new way of working, where people work partly from home and partly in the office.

• 10 June 2022: The Flemish Government is stopping the Spartacus high-speed tram project. Based on a comparative study, the Flemish Government opts for a trambus (High-Quality Public Transport).

• 14 June 2022: With the campaign ‘Move along towards less CO₂’, De Lijn positions itself as a pioneer of the modal shift towards sustainable mobility.

Join us in moving toward less CO2 

• 2 July 2022: The Flemish Government and De Lijn sign a new public service contract (PSC). This contract provides a stable framework for our operations from 2023 to 2027. In it, De Lijn is confirmed as the internal operator and appointed system manager of the transport system: as internal operator, we remain responsible for the day-to-day public transport service, and as system manager we are now also responsible for operational management across the transport layers. The Flemish Government gives us the mandate and the resources to realise the PSC’s key objectives (working in a more customer-oriented, sustainable and efficient way).

• End of 2022: For the first time, we order articulated e-buses (65 vehicles) and e-trambuses (17 vehicles).

2023

• 1 January 2023: The first phase of basic accessibility, the Flemish authority’s new mobility vision, starts. This marks the start of the biggest network adjustment in De Lijn’s history. It involves around fifty small optimisations, but later other phases will follow, with larger adjustments (July 2023, January 2024, July 2024 and January 2025). With basic accessibility, we make our network more efficient and demand-driven: it becomes stronger on connections where demand for public transport is high. In the layered network, the rail network and the tram and bus network (core network and supplementary network) are aligned even better. That makes important attractors such as hospitals more accessible. Flex transport and shared mobility systems are a good solution for the first or last leg of a public transport journey. Flanders is now divided into 15 transport regions, each with its own transport region council. This is where the local authorities involved meet with the necessary mobility partners and draw up a mobility plan for their region. De Lijn has a triple task here: we are responsible for designing the core network, for making proposals about the supplementary network and we are the internal operator for both. The transport region council gives advice and takes the final decision.

• 30 January 2023: New trams appear on the streets of Antwerp: the Stadslijners. They are not entirely new to De Lijn, though, because these CAF trams already made their debut at the coast in 2022 (Zeelijners).

Stadslijner 

• 25 May 2023: Winterslag depot in Limburg gets the first of the latest-generation electric buses. The depot has the necessary charging infrastructure, allowing the buses to charge there at night. With a range of more than 500 km, these route buses no longer need to be recharged en route. The e-buses run on Ghent’s city network and on regional routes between Genk, Hasselt, Tongeren and Houthalen.

• 28 May 2023: In 2023, it was exactly 150 years since a tram first ran through Antwerp. That is why a big Tram Festival took place on Sunday 28 May. Thousands of visitors enjoyed a ride on a historic tram through the heart of the city of waffles.

150 years of tram in Antwerp

• 18 September 2023: The first Lijnwinkel 2.0 opens at Antwerp Central Station. In the accessible, open space, passengers are more central than ever.

Lijnwinkel store 2.0

• 23 September 2023: At the coast, we bid farewell to the old BN Coast Trams.

2024

• 6 January 2024: Flex transport starts as the — more extensive — successor to the belbus service. Flex transport covers a larger area, serves more municipalities and also offers greater availability. It is part of the new network under basic accessibility.

• 18-19 May 2024: During the Pentecost weekend, 12,000 visitors celebrate ‘150 years of tram in Ghent’. One of the highlights is the Tram Parade with 19 trams, including a horse-drawn tram and a steam tram. Visitors can also ride along on one of the many heritage trams.

150 years of trams in Ghent

• 9 July 2024: Subscribers can now register their boarding and transfer via the app. They no longer need to scan their MOBIB card on the vehicle. When boarding, they must show the driver the confirmation in the app.

• August 2024: The very first new escalator is installed in Antwerp’s Sport metro station. This marks the start of a thorough and structural upgrade of the Antwerp pre-metro network.

• 1 September 2024: Antwerp’s city bus operation moves from Zurenborg to the brand-new Mortsel depot (near Deurne airport). The new depot, where more than 350 people work, will eventually become the largest depot for electric buses: it has space for 130 standard buses and 20 articulated buses. The depot is climate neutral, with maximum water reuse, green roofs, rainwater harvesting, solar panels …

Mortsel depot

• September 2024: At the end of the summer, our 12 Coast Lijnwinkel stores close their doors for good. Passengers can still visit the permanent Lijnwinkel stores in Ostend. Of course, they can also use the app, the website and the ticket machines at 39 stops along the Coast Tram route.

• 9 December 2024: Want to get to know the tram network at the coast, in Ghent or in Antwerp? Want to experience how to steer a tram safely through traffic? Our tram drivers can now do that in our tram simulators in Bruges or Antwerp. These simulators provide a lifelike experience and contribute to more efficient and safer training.

Tram simulator

• End of 2024: 30% of our fleet is already equipped with counting cameras. These record who gets on and off. This allows us to determine more accurately how passengers travel on our buses and trams — and to make our network even more demand-driven.

2025

• 1 January 2025: We are launching a chatbot on our website, for now as a pilot project. We ask passengers to test the chatbot already, so that it can — through artificial intelligence — learn as quickly as possible.

• 21 January 2025: At Winterslag depot, we are putting new software for depot and charging management (PSI) into service. Thanks to PSI, we can charge our electric buses correctly and cost-efficiently: the software controls the entire charging process, so that the buses are ready in the right order with sufficient battery charge when they leave the depot.

PSI depot Winterslag

• 21 February 2025: We are ordering charging stations worth 24.2 million euros. This order is an important step in preparing depots for the arrival of electric buses.

• 28 April 2025: The first articulated e-buses appear on the streets in Leuven. These two 18-metre buses are the forerunner of 109 articulated e-buses, which will later be deployed from the Leuven-Noord, Zomergem, Bruges, Sint-Niklaas, Hasselt, Genk and Tielt-Winge depots. Before launch, the vehicles are decorated with colourful drawings by Leuven schoolchildren.

Articulated electric buses Leuven

• 12 June 2025: De Lijn orders 290 electric buses. This concerns 140 standard e-buses (12 metres) and 150 articulated e-buses (18 metres).

• 16 June 2025: A serious stabbing incident takes place on line 36 in Antwerp (Linkeroever), in which one passenger dies and two others are injured. In the aftermath of this incident, we deploy additional escorts and inspection teams on line 36.

• 23 June 2025: De Lijn puts the first electric buses from BYD Europe into service. From Mortsel depot, they strengthen service in the Antwerp region. By the end of the year, 92 new e-buses will be in operation in Mortsel.

E-bus BYD Europe

• July 2025: We are testing innovative technology on Antwerp trams to make tram traffic safer and smoother. We are doing this together with the Ghent-based tech company OTIV. A smart driver-assistance system helps tram drivers react faster to dangerous situations in traffic. Under the name ARISE (Advanced Rail Innovation for Safety & Efficiency), the technology uses cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence.

ARISE technology

• 13 August 2025: Articulated electric buses depart from Sint-Niklaas for the first time. The depot in the Waasland is thus following in the footsteps of the depots in Leuven North, Zomergem and Bruges.

• 11 September 2025: Self-driving shuttles are running in Leuven — a major first, with autonomous shuttles operating for the first time in busy (European) city traffic. Traffic in Leuven is challenging: narrow streets, lots of cyclists and, of course, many students on and along the route. This is a collaboration between De Lijn, the City of Leuven and the consulting firm Espaces Mobilités. The vehicles are supplied by the technology company WeRide. In the first phase, they run without passengers. Under the supervision of a steward, they are intensively tested on their driving behaviour in mixed urban traffic, between Leuven station and Heverlee.

Autonomous transport Leuven

• 17 November 2025: Lijnwinkel 2.0 opens at Ostend railway station — an important step towards modern, customer-focused service. On 18 December, the new Lijnwinkel in Brussels-North station also opens its doors.

2026 

• 22 January 2026: The self-driving shuttles in Leuven transport passengers for the first time. On line 16, they connect Leuven bus station with the district of Heverlee.

• 7 April 2026: After a successful test in Antwerp, the ARISE project continues in Ghent under the name TRACE. As a digital co-pilot, the system helps tram drivers spot risks more quickly.

• 15 April 2026: De Lijn puts the 1,000th electric bus into service. We are doing this together with sector federation FBAA: the subcontractors affiliated with FBAA already have more than 700 buses in service at that point. With this, De Lijn confirms its ambition to offer fully emission-free public transport by 2035.

• 4 May 2026: In Antwerp, renovation of the metro tunnels begins. This renovation is necessary because some parts of the metro are already more than 50 years old. In order to make (pre-)metro traffic reliable, safe and future-ready, no trams will run between P+R Melsele (on the left bank) and Opera station (on the right bank). During this extensive tunnel renovation, passengers can rely on full alternatives: the P5 shuttle bus runs via the Kennedy tunnel between the left and right banks, we are strengthening the bus offer on the left bank and adapting the tram offer on the right bank. Thanks to extensive cooperation with the City of Antwerp and other mobility partners, passengers can also count on an additional train connection (from the temporary Antwerp-Left Bank railway station) and reinforced water connections (the Sint-Anna ferry and DeWaterbus).

Antwerp metro tunnel renovation

• 1 July 2026: In Limburg, the first HOV line (High-Quality Public Transport) starts. Line X44 connects Hasselt and Maasmechelen via Diepenbeek and Genk. Traffic-flow measures along the route ensure a fast connection.

HOV Limburg

• 18 September 2026: As part of its energy strategy, De Lijn signs up for the first joint virtual Power Purchase Agreement of the Flemish Energy Company. This secures De Lijn a share of Belgian onshore wind power production from 2027 for ten years.

• 26 September 2026: After more than 60 years, De Lijn says goodbye to PCC trams. From now on, we will operate exclusively with accessible low-floor trams.

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