New bus station opens in front of Brussels North Railway Station
Bus services operated by the Flemish public transport company De Lijn have new terminus stops at Brussels North Railway station. Previously passengers wishing to catch a bus from the station to destination elsewhere in Brussels, in Flemish Brabant and beyond had to go to the area underneath the Communication Centre North building that houses the station.
For today De Lijn’s passengers will be able to use a brand new bus temporary bus station on the Noordplein, a square just in front of the station.
All De Lijn’s services (around 25 in total) that serve the station will terminate at depart from the same place.
Work to get the new bus terminus ready has taken are three months. The new platform has been raised to make it easier to get on and off busses. Three bus shelters have also been put in place to allow passengers to shelter from the elements. A digital departure board provides passengers with up to the minute information about bus service departures.
The new bus station has been built after years of complaints from passengers and bus drivers about hygiene, safety and crime issues at and around the bus stops previous location under the CCN building. The issues have come to a head in recent years due to the presence of transit migrants around the station.
Last year the terminus for De Lijn’s bus services was moved to the Rogierplein for a time after drivers refused to serve the stops at the station due to the issues mentioned above. After months of negotiations between De Lijn, the Brussels-Capital Region and the municipal authorities, the Flemish public transport company was given the green light to build the new bus station.
The bus station is a temporary solution. It will remain until the CCN building has been revamped. Work there is due to start in 2021.