Report proposes unified digital ticket for Belgian public transport

A new report from the Central Economic Council (CRB) suggests a unified digital ticketing platform for Belgium's public transport operators. The CRB envisions a system where passengers create an account and pay for their travel after the fact, similar to monthly utility bills. This would eliminate the need to purchase tickets before boarding trains, trams, or buses, requiring only an in or out check-in. The platform would then calculate the most favorable fare for the passenger.

The proposal, however, hinges on the participation of all four public transport companies: NMBS (rail), De Lijn (Flanders), MIVB (Brussels), and TEC (Wallonia). A significant hurdle remains the lack of a harmonized fare structure across these operators. Currently, only the Brussels-Capital Region and surrounding municipalities have a unified fare zone, known as Brupass XL. The CRB's report is seen as a "first step toward harmonized tariff structures," a goal that has been discussed for years without concrete progress.

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You can compare it to your phone or energy bill that you pay monthly.

The next steps involve the four relevant mobility ministers, who are scheduled to discuss the proposal next week. The successful implementation of such a system would require extensive coordination and agreement on fare policies among the different regional and national transport authorities.

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This is a first step toward harmonized tariff structures.