Schaerbeek to lose tram line 35 after just six months

Tram 35, the new tram line linking Laeken to Schaerbeek, will be modified from 11 March, just six months after launching, as part of a wider overhaul of trams in the north of the city, Brussels public transport operator Stib has announced.

The less-used part of the recently launched service - from Docks Bruxsel to Bienfaiteurs - will disappear, but a large part of the scrapped route will still be served by tram line 7.

Meanwhile, line 25, with its trams running between Rogier in Saint-Josse and Boondael in Ixelles, will be maintained following public complaints.

“The Stib is continuing to study ways of improving public transport along the Boulevard Lambermont, which is still overloaded,” the organisation said. “This is a complicated exercise that must take into account both infrastructure constraints and passenger comfort.”

The new tram line 35, created last autumn, currently runs between Esplanade in Laeken and Bienfaiteurs in Schaerbeek. It came into operation during the reorganisation of the tram network in the north of the city, accompanied by the launch of tram 10 in Neder-Over-Heembeek.

“The main purpose of line 35 was to serve the route between Esplanade and Heembeek [previously served by the now-scrapped line 3] and ensure a smooth connection with line 10,” Stib said.

“While the new line 10 is a great success, line 35 remains underused. Therefore, its itinerary will be adapted. This modification will benefit line 62 [from Heysel in Laeken to Eurocontrol in Haren], which needs to be reinforced.”

From 11 March, tram 35 will therefore end at the Docks Bruxsel stop, due to the low number of passengers wanting to continue their journey after this point.

Most passengers on this route prefer tram 7, which serves the same stops, and runs even further, Stib added: “So no stops will be deleted on the route, tram 7 will continue to serve them.”

Other factors also resulted in the tram route changes, Stib said. Notably, from September 2025, after completion of the works, the tram 35 line will be extended from Docks Bruxsel to Schaerbeek station.

“This new terminus will offer passengers more transfer options, for example with tram line 92, but also with the S-network trains,” Stib added.

In addition, by shortening line 35, several high-capacity trams will be made available, to be used on line 62.

“On the Boulevard Leopold III, along which tram 62 runs, we noticed a need for more capacity,” a Stib spokesperson said. “The newer and larger trams that will become available will be able to transport 15% more people on this route.”

Tram 62 serves Nato, Eurocontrol and the new European School in Evere. In the future, it will be extended into Zaventem, providing a new public transport connection to Brussels Airport and several key industrial zones.