Making cross-border rail safer and interoperable: ETCS deployment in Belgium

A CEF Transport-supported project has helped Belgium’s national railway operator NMBS/SNCB prepare its passenger fleet for the wider deployment of the European Train Control System (ETCS), contributing to safer, more interoperable rail services across Europe. ETCS is the European standard for train control and protection. By continuously monitoring train speed and other operational parameters, the system helps ensure that trains remain within authorised operating limits.

Supported by €1.55 million in EU funding through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Transport, the project focused on the development and implementation of ETCS Level 2 Baseline 3 on three prototype vehicle types: T18-19 locomotives, AM08 electric multiple units and M6 driving cabs. The successful implementation of ETCS on the three prototype types provided NMBS/SNCB with the technical basis needed for the subsequent serial upgrading of the corresponding fleets.

The project formed part of Belgium’s Masterplan ETCS and supported the NMBS/SNCB's strategy to progressively equip its rolling stock with the European train control system. Validating the technical solution on prototype vehicles was an essential step before its wider industrial deployment.

The subsequent planned upgrades cover:

• 120 T18-19 locomotives
• 305 AM08 electric multiple units
• 85 M6 driving cabs, including I11 vehicles

Together, this represents 510 passenger vehicles operating not only in Belgium but also on international services to Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany and France. 

For a railway operator with extensive international services, deploying ETCS also has an important interoperability dimension. Different national train control systems have historically represented a technical barrier to seamless cross-border rail operations. The migration towards a common European system helps address these barriers, supporting safer and more efficient passenger services across national borders. The fleet, benefiting from the subsequent serial deployment, operates predominantly on the North Sea–Baltic, Rhine–Alpine and North Sea–Mediterranean Core Network Corridors.

The prototype project provided a practical bridge between technological development and large-scale deployment. It demonstrated the technical solution on different types of passenger rolling stock, creating the foundations for its industrialisation across the wider fleet.

The NMBS/SNCB 's broader deployment strategy has since made substantial progress. According to the NMBS/SNCB, 95% of its fleet was equipped with ETCS by the end of 2024, with 100% coverage reached in December 2025.