EU Rail Disruption Deepens as Belgian Strike Hits Core Networks

On 26 November 2025, the rail sector across Belgium, and by extension several European corridors, was brought almost to a halt as a 72-hour national strike by country-wide unions reached its final day. Domestic services operated by SNCB ran at roughly 20% of normal capacity, with most inter-city and regional trains cancelled.

The disruption cascaded across borders: key international services like Eurostar and Thalys saw drastically reduced schedules. Reports suggest only half of Eurostar trains between Brussels and Paris remained operational; connections to Amsterdam and Germany were similarly constrained.

The strike, prompted by opposition to planned pension and labour-market reforms by the Belgian government, is part of a broader wave of labour unrest that has already affected rail, freight, airports and public transport.

For freight and logistics, the timing could not be worse. Rail-served inland hubs across Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands face major bottlenecks, threatening to disrupt cargo flows from ports such as Antwerp and Rotterdam, a critical point in the supply-chain network linking maritime and inland logistics.

Industry watchers say the knock-on effects may linger beyond November: rerouted freight, increased pressure on road transport, and delays in goods deliveries across the EU’s heartland. For travellers, the message is clear, check schedules carefully; conventional rail may be as good as grounded for several days.