Belgium has finished equipping 2,274 km of its national railway with ETCS Level 2, completing a rollout that started in 2015 and making it the first country to implement the European Train Control System across a highly complex network largely without closing lines.

Infrastructure manager Infrabel ran the programme with Siemens Mobility, which supplied and modernised the ETCS Level 2 and interlocking systems for most of the network, and Equans, which handled site installation: cabling, civil engineering, electrical fitting, hardware deployment and documentation.

The deployment covers major routes linking Arlon, Bruges, Ghent, Hasselt, Mons and Verviers, and targeted both national axes and key European corridors. Belgium's 'ETCS Masterplan' had set the target of equipping all lines with the system by this month — a deadline the consortium met exactly ten years after work began.

What does the upgrade change operationally?

The network now integrates 46 interlockings, 37 Radio Block Centres, more than 19,000 balises and roughly 4,536 signals, all supporting real-time train management over GSM-R radio communication.

Before the upgrade, Belgium's railways relied on legacy signalling that constrained reliability, efficiency and cross-border compatibility. The new configuration replaces those systems with continuous digital communication between train and trackside, which the project partners say will improve operational efficiency and enable seamless cross-border operations consistent with EU standards.

Belgium now has ETCS coverage at both Level 1 and Level 2 across its entire railway — a position few European networks have reached, and one with direct consequences for cross-border traffic on corridors passing through the country.

What did the suppliers say?

Siemens Mobility CEO Michael Peter framed the result as a benchmark for the rest of the continent: "Belgium is the first country to implement ETCS across a highly complex network under rolling conditions with almost no closures – setting the example Europe must follow."

Peter also highlighted the schedule: "The on-time completion and commissioning of this project, exactly ten years after its start, reflects the strength of our partnership with Infrabel and the consortium's unwavering commitment."

Equans Belux CEO Mark Dirckx pointed to the scale of the installation: "We realised a technically and logistically complex project of impressive scale: extensive rail lines, thousands of track equipment, and a robust digital infrastructure."

Dirckx added that the nationwide installation and the achievement of the ETCS Masterplan represent "an important contribution to safer, more efficient and future-proof rail transport in Belgium".

How was the work divided?

The consortium split responsibilities along conventional signalling-project lines:

• Siemens Mobility — ETCS Level 2 implementation, interlocking modernisation and integration for the majority of the Belgian network
• Equans — site installation, including cabling, civil engineering, electrical fitting, hardware deployment and documentation
• Infrabel — overall infrastructure management and programme direction under the national ETCS Masterplan

What comes next?

With commissioning complete, Belgium's network operates on ETCS Level 2 on its main axes, giving cross-border services on European corridors through the country a common signalling standard. The partners present the ten-year programme — delivered on schedule and with minimal disruption to operations — as a reference case for other EU member states still working through their own ETCS migration plans.