Federal government buries plan for rail link to Charleroi Airport

The latest version of the federal government agreement has abandoned plans for a rail link to Charleroi airport.

All that remains in the text in terms of references to airport-railway connections is the improvement of "the international high-speed rail connection between the TGV hubs and Zaventem airport", Le Soir reports.

The idea for a station providing direct rail access to Charleroi Airport has been discuseed for almost two decades now but has never passed the project stage.

In 2013, an estimate put the cost at €480 million and critics pointed out that shuttle buses already link the airport to rail infrastructure.

A 2022 study concluded that "no solution for creating rail infrastructure at Brussels-South Charleroi Airport appears viable in terms of mobility, financing or environmental impact", which is why many were surprised to see it appear in earlier drafts of the latest government agreement.

Mobility minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) said that pragmatism would guide the new government's decision, remarks for which outgoing minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) offered support.

Gilkinet had described the proposed project an "aberration" and Crucke said such a station was not in high demand.

Charleroi mayor Thomas Dermine (PS) also said it was not a priority.

Charleroi Airport is partly accessible by train. A half-hourly train from Brussels to Luttre connects directly with TEC bus A3 to the airport.