Rail services to Ostend disrupted, hundreds of passengers stuck
Just like yesterday, rail services are being disrupted in West Flanders. While technical problems were causing passengers headaches yesterday, an accident was to blame today.
Today's problems are situated on the Ostend-Bruges line. Two trains came to a standstill in Oudenburg after an accident. 500 passengers on a train from Brussels Airport to Ostend, have to be evacuated and get on a different train.
Rail services to Ostend are now being restricted to Bruges, but Belgian Rail will make sure new passengers to the coast can use shuttle buses. The problems come on a day when the coast is expecting a lot of day trippers. An alternative for those wanting to reach the coast, is the train to Blankenberge.
Yesterday, rail services were suspended between Roeselare and Bruges and between Tielt and Diksmuide due to problems with overhead cables. Two trains got stranded in Lichtervelde and Loppem. 500 passengers had to be evacuated as temperatures were increasing inside the carriages on a particularly hot summer's day. The technical problems in Lichtervelde were solved last night, Belgian Rail announced.