Line 50: Brussels-North - Gent-Sint-Pieters

Belgian Railway Line 50

Brussels-North - Gent-Sint-Pieters

The Belgian railway line 50 is a railway line in Belgium connecting Brussels to Ghent. The first section between Ghent and Schellebelle was finished in 1837, offering a connection to Brussels through Dendermonde and Mechelen. The section between Schellebelle and Brussels was completed on 1 May 1856.

A section between Ghent and Ostend was completed in 1838 and is named line 50A. Between 1923 and 1933, line 50A was extended to Brussels, which provides a fast connection between Brussels and Ghent. Where the original line 50 enters Brussels from the north, after passing through Aalst, the latter 50A enters Brussels from the south, this allows through trains from the west of the country to the east or vice versa without having to reverse. In 2016, line 50A was widened with two extra tracks, labelled line 50C, between Denderleeuw and Brussels, the main reason was the increase in traffic from the GEN/RER commuter trains.

The following stations are located on the original line 50:

• Brussels-North
• Bockstael
• Jette
• Berchem-Sainte-Agathe/Sint-Agatha-Berchem
• Groot-Bijgaarden
• Dilbeek
• Sint-Martens-Bodegem
• Ternat
• Essene Lombeek
• Liedekerke
• Denderleeuw
• Erembodegem
• Aalst
• Lede
• Serskamp
• Schellebelle
• Wetteren
• Kwatrecht
• Melle
• Merelbeke
• Gent-Sint-Pieters

A new CERIA/COOVI station was built in Anderlecht, near the CERIA/COOVI campus, it entered service with the updated schedules on 14 December 2020, with an hourly service by the S3 line of the Brussels Regional Express Network.

Belgian Railway Line 50 Overview

Belgian Railway Line 50 Status: Operational
Belgian Railway Line 50 Locale: Belgium
Belgian Railway Line 50 Termini:
Brussels-North railway station
Gent-Sint-Pieters railway station
Belgian Railway Line 50 Operator(s): National Railway Company of Belgium
Belgian Railway Line 50 Opened: 1837-1856
Belgian Railway Line 50 Line Length: 56 km (35 mi)
Belgian Railway Line 50 Number of Tracks: double track
Belgian Railway Line 50 Track Gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Belgian Railway Line 50 Electrification: 3 kV DC

Belgian Railway Line 50 Route Map

           Line from Brussels-South
0.0      Brussels-North
           Line to Namur
           Line to Antwerp and Leuven
           Brussels–Scheldt Maritime Canal
           to Brussels-West
3.2      Bockstael
           from Brussels-West
4.1      Jette
            to Dendermonde
7.6      Berchem-Sainte-Agathe
8.9      Groot-Bijgaarden
11.0    Dilbeek
13.7   Sint-Martens-Bodegem
16.7   Ternat
20.3   Essene-Lombeek
           Line Ghent – Brussels-South
21.9    Liedekerke
           River Dender
           from Ath
23.8   Denderleeuw
           to Oudenaarde
           Line Brussels-South – Ghent
26.7   Erembodegem
           River Dender
29.7   Aalst
           to Zottegem
34.5   Lede
37.0   Serskamp
           from Dendermonde
40.3   Schellebelle
43.1   Wetteren
46.9   Kwatrecht
           from Brussels-South
           from Geraardsbergen
49.5   Melle
           Ringvaart
52.6   Merelbeke
           Line to Antwerp
           River Scheldt
           Line from Brussels-South
55.6   Gent-Sint-Pieters
           Line to Kortrijk
           Line to Bruges