Thanks to its new fare offer, SNCB records an increase in the number of travelers and a change in travel habits

Since the start of the year, the number of travelers purchasing a ticket has increased by 8.5%. Travelers are taking the train more regularly and increasingly doing so outside peak hours. These results show that the approach implemented by SNCB to attract more travelers – particularly during off-peak hours and on weekends – is bearing fruit. The new fare offer plays an essential role in this regard, as does the continued expansion of the rail offer, particularly at these times of the day.

Thanks to the new price offer launched on October 15, 2025, train ticket prices are generally more advantageous, particularly during off-peak hours and weekends. This offer aimed to attract new travelers, encourage more frequent travel and stimulate weekend and off-peak travel. ​

One year after its launch, SNCB’s new fare offer is showing encouraging results and is bearing fruit. This is explained in particular by the investment resources made available to SNCB, which make it possible to improve punctuality (92.9% since the start of the year, an increase of 1.3% compared to the same period last year), to expand the train offer and to modernize stations and trains.

Increased travel frequency

Sales recorded since the start of the year reveal that travelers are taking the train more and more often: the frequency of trips has increased by 8%, mainly among young people and seniors. ​

More trips during off-peak hours and on weekends thanks to the Train+ card

Thanks to the Train+ card launched as part of this new fare offer, more travelers are taking the train during off-peak hours and on weekends. All Train+ users, including young people, seniors, Beneficiaries of Increased Intervention (BIM) and adults, benefit from an (additional) 40% reduction during off-peak hours and weekends, as well as an advantageous maximum fare, including during peak hours. ​

Train+ quickly found its audience: since its launch, some 1.9 million travelers have purchased a card and there were 803,000 active cards in September 2026.

And its use continues to grow: in recent months, more than four out of ten journeys have been made with Train+. The success is particularly marked with seniors and beneficiaries of the increased intervention, who use it for almost six out of ten journeys.

A simpler choice

The new fare offer has made fares simpler and more readable for all travelers. The old flat rates and multi-journey cards (“Multi”) which were only interesting for long distances have given way to a system where rates are calculated on the basis of kilometers traveled, with reductions expressed as a percentage. This development allows travelers to better understand the advantage they benefit from and is also interesting for short and medium distance travel. This is reflected concretely in travel habits, with the number of train journeys of less than 50 kilometers having increased by almost 12% over the past year. ​

Since the launch of the new fare offer, passenger satisfaction with the price has also increased, especially among frequent travelers and Train+ users, whose satisfaction score increased from 6.28 in October 2025 to 7.05 out of 10 in October 2026. ​

More generally, the overall satisfaction of train travelers has been increasing since the start of the year. The overall satisfaction score reached 7.14 out of 10, compared to 6.88 last year at the same period.

Home-work subscriptions on the rise

Alongside the increase in tickets, the number of home-to-work subscriptions increased by 7% compared to the same period last year. SNCB also recorded an increase in the number of Flex-Subscriptions, which represent more than four out of ten subscriptions. This is the subscription intended for people who go to their workplace two or three times a week.

The train cheaper than neighboring operators

SNCB has studied the offers offered on traditional lines in neighboring countries. The results show that SNCB offers generally more attractive prices than operators in these countries, especially for young people, seniors and BIMs. ​

In addition, with Train+, travelers benefit from additional advantages, in particular thanks to the accumulation of reductions granted to young people, seniors and beneficiaries of the increased intervention. In fact, Train+ allows a 40% reduction during off-peak hours, weekends and public holidays, in addition to the basic 40% reduction for these categories of travelers. These advantages are more attractive than with neighboring operators. Among these, SNCB is the only operator to offer a maximum fare. Train+ also stands out with a more attractive price than that of loyalty cards offered by neighboring countries. ​

Finally, SNCB offers a wider range of flexible home-work subscription packages in order to best meet the different needs of travelers. SNCB also recently launched a flexible formula for students.