Train Network of Belgium 2023

Belgium has joined my map collection, as I could not find a nice network train map anywhere. I wanted to create a map that covers both Belgiums long-distance and regional trains, because the stopping frequencies of the long-distance (Intercity) and regional trains (L and S) are similar in some regions. As the rail network is quite dense in the urban areas, the map is designed as a poster rather than a small overview.

When designing the networks structure, I realised quite quickly that a structure based on 30° angles would be more suitable than a classical octolinear structure based on 45° angles. On the one hand, the 30° structure allows to depict the many radial axes towards Brussels. On the other hand, the important axis along the IC-01 from Bruges to Ghent, Brussels, Leuven and Liège can be arranged in a clear way. A 45° structure would require many curves or distort the map a lot.

A big challenge was again the big difference in the network density. Around Brussels, there are many different lines and stations compared to more peripheral regions. I also wanted to represent all station names according to their official language situation. This means that I had to display both the French and Dutch station names in the capital region, which again increases the space requirements. However, I tried to find a balances solution by extending the capital region as well as reducing the area of outer regions such as eastern Wallonia.

The timetables differ strongly between weekdays and weekends. Some lines even take different routes such as the IC-09 or IC-19 lines, so I have created separate maps for weekdays and weekends. To make the distinction clearer, I have changed the colours a little. The weekday version is based on the ‘modern’ colours of NMBS/SNCB. Red, grey and dark blue can be found on newer trains. The light blue is used for other purposes such as their webpage or advertisement. The weekend version is inspired by the colours of the old corporate identity. Despite the separate weekday map, it was not possible to include the different P trains as they vary a lot. Therefore, this map shows only trains that run regularly.

I made an effort on analysing the timetables carefully. However, if you discover any mistake in the maps, please let me know.

Please make sure to have a look at the newer 2024 version of this map.