The Belgian railway company SNCB is introducing positioning zones on platforms and displaying where train cars will stop, in an effort to make boarding easier and reduce delays. Passengers can see in the Belgian operator’s app where each car will stop relative to the marked zones on the platform, indicated by signs labeled A, B, C, and D.
The company says the measure is especially useful for passengers looking for a specific type of car, such as an accessible car, one with bike spaces, a first-class car, or one reserved for groups. According to SNCB, a more clearly organized boarding process can improve both comfort and punctuality.
Test launched at Brussels-Central Station
The system was first tested at Brussels-Central Station, where signs were installed to divide the platform into distinct zones. Since last September, the location of the various train cars could be viewed in the test app used by SNCB to evaluate the new features.
The operator says that the reaction from passengers has been very positive, among both commuters and occasional travelers. Following this pilot phase, the system is now being rolled out at Hal and Brussels Airport stations as well.
The information appears in the app and will also be displayed on platform screens
Passengers can already see the positions of the various train cars when the train stops in the SNCB app, and the company says that the same information will soon be displayed on screens installed on the platforms.
In the app, the data appears in the train composition section of the trip details. SNCB also provides concrete examples: a person with reduced mobility will be able to see in advance which area the accessible car will stop at and can position themselves there before the train arrives. The same applies to cyclists.
Expansion to other stations is coming
The company says it plans to expand the concept to other major stations, including:News in the app
Namur
Charleroi-Central
Brussels-Midi
Brussels-North
Brussels-Schuman
Brussels-Luxembourg
Bruges
Antwerp-Central (lines -2)
Leuven
Ghent-Saint-Pierre
At the same time, SNCB has introduced other new features in the app. The train’s departure direction is now clearly displayed, and the train’s composition is shown in the actual direction of travel. The cars are numbered, and car 1 is the one at the front.
The operator also notes that it has made other useful adjustments for passengers: the travel planner now clearly indicates connection times, and in the event of disruptions, route changes are displayed more clearly.
Share on: 
