BELGIUM: Revenue services began operating on Brussels tram route 10 on September 23, following inauguration celebrations on September 21 attended by King Philippe.
Authorised in 2019, the 5·5 km branch serving the northern suburb of Neder-over-Heembeek has been under construction for the past two years. It diverges from the existing network at Hembeek and serves eight intermediate stops before terminating at Hôpital Militaire.
Route 10 runs through the north-south premetro tunnel to terminate at Churchill, replacing route 3 whose number is to be reused for the automated metro line now under construction. The tram route is expected to be cut back to Rogier once the new metro takes over the cross-city tunnel.
The northwestern section of route 3 from Hembeek to Esplanade has been replaced by a new route 35, which shares tracks with route 7 as far as Meiser and terminates at Bienfaiteurs in the eastern suburbs.
In conjunction with the opening of the branch, the local operator STIB has reconfigured several bus services in the area to act as feeders to the tram interchanges at Hôpital Militaire, Hembeek and De Wand.
• In the northwestern suburbs of Brussels, tram route 9 has been extended from Simonis to Groot-Bijgaarden, replacing route 19 which was cut back to Simons with effect from July 6.
