Tram line 9 extended to King Baudouin

The extension of Brussels' tram line 9 north-west of the capital has been completed and it now connects Simonis to the Roi Baudouin station, near the Heysel plateau, in 20 minutes.

The route serves the centre of Jette, the Square du Centenaire, UZ Brussel and the Cité Modèle.

Open to the public as of this weekend, this new section provides a quick connection between the municipalities of Jette, Koekelberg, Ganshoren and Laeken, while ensuring a connection with metro lines 2 and 6 and several bus and tram lines.

Line 9 has been in existence since 2018, with the first 4km section linking Simonis to Avenue de l'Arbre Ballon, in 10 stops and 14 minutes.

The line proved to be immediately popular and currently there are an average of 12,000 travellers per day on this first part of the line. The extension is 1.6km long and has four stops for an extra ride time of six minutes.

Brussels Mobility has given a facelift to the districts crossed by the tram, with a complete fitting out of the public space on the route, the creation of exclusive tram lanes, the resolution of safety problems at the various crossroads and the improvement of the pedestrian and cycle routes.

The materials were chosen in order to maintain the permeability of the soil and thus avoid runoff and flooding in the event of heavy rain. The project favoured grass and semi-permeable materials such as small paving stones, instead of hard surfaces.

The route will have a total of 210 trees. The green character of the tram route will be reinforced by the greening of the tram's right of way within six months and by the planting of hedges and grasses along the line.

A third phase is in the works with the extension of line 9 to the Heysel metro station.