Rail infrastructure manager launches project against trespassers on the tracks
Trespassers on railway tracks caused an average of 4.5 hours of delays per day last year, and nine people died as a result of trespassing. It is a particularly serious problem in Brussels: 55 cases were recorded on the busy North-South connection in the capital. Rail infrastructure manager Infrabel is launching a pilot project at Brussels North station to tackle the problem.
Last year, there were 583 reports of trespassers on the tracks, Infrabel announced at a press conference on Thursday. Trespassing on the tracks is the biggest external cause of rail delays and is particularly a problem during the evening rush hour and in Brussels. It is also extremely dangerous: in 2025, nine trespassers died and three others were seriously injured.
Infrabel is launching a pilot project at Brussels North to stop people entering the tracks from platforms. There were 19 reports of trespassers recorded there in 2025, with 18 reports at Brussels Midi and 15 at Brussels Central.
The pilot project is being rolled out on tracks 1 and 12, as well as on the platform between tracks 8 and 9, which is longer than the others. Barriers and trip mats have been installed, and a virtual barrier using cameras with intrusion detection will automatically send an alarm to a control room. The project involves an investment of 75,000 euros.
There are also severe penalties for trespassing on the tracks. Anyone caught can be fined 300 euros. Anyone caught a second time must pay 500 euros.
Illustration © PHOTO INFRABEL
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