The diabolo experience (free ride by train in the tunnel)

Post by **luchtzak** » 03 Jun 2012, 00:27

2 years ago we visited the diabolo project (train tunnels under Brussels AIrport to have a direct connection between Antwerp and Brussels Airport), a report can be read here: viewtopic.php?p=233282#p233282

now 2 years later the project has been completed! Today I discovered this website: http://www.diabolo-experience.be/ , it's an invitation for a free ride in the new tunnel on the 9th of June and it will bring you to Diabolo-village (no idea where that would be

). You have to subscribe, pick a schedule and then show up at Brussels Airport -1 on the 9th of June!

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 03 Jun 2012, 18:47

I wish they would build a train connection between Oostende, Brugge and Brussels Airport.

Charlie Roy · Post by **Charlie Roy** » 03 Jun 2012, 20:29

Oh Comet we should start a petition, I also very much need a direct train service from Oostende to the airport.

Acid-drop · Post by **Acid-drop** » 03 Jun 2012, 20:32

A relation Liège-Leuven-BRU-Mechelen-Antwerp please !!

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 04 Jun 2012, 10:53

Charlie Roy wrote:Oh Comet we should start a petition, I also very much need a direct train service from Oostende to the airport.

Very good idea

Seriously I would imagine that would be very popular and well-used. Many tourists arriving into Brussels are heading to Brugge, a train direct from the airport would be well-used, instead of having the nightmare of getting off in a busy Brussels station and being weighed down with luggage which you have to drag up and down escalators to another platform. If an airport train started and terminated in Oostende it would be even better for those of us who like to spend our holidays in Oostende

De Panne has an airport train, so why not Oostende

regi · Post by **regi** » 04 Jun 2012, 17:14

Comet wrote:
Charlie Roy wrote:Oh Comet we should start a petition, I also very much need a direct train service from Oostende to the airport.
Very good idea Seriously I would imagine that would be very popular and well-used. Many tourists arriving into Brussels are heading to Brugge, a train direct from the airport would be well-used, instead of having the nightmare of getting off in a busy Brussels station and being weighed down with luggage which you have to drag up and down escalators to another platform. If an airport train started and terminated in Oostende it would be even better for those of us who like to spend our holidays in Oostende De Panne has an airport train, so why not Oostende

The financial figures of Belgian railways, published last week, don't give much space for investment.

airazurxtror · Post by **airazurxtror** » 04 Jun 2012, 19:06

I don't know who pays for it, but there are works at present in progress on a tunnel Schuman-Josaphat which will give direct access to the airport from the new Schuman railway and metro station (and the line 161 from Luxemburg and Namur) - in service in 2015 if all goes as planned.

Conti764 · Post by **Conti764** » 04 Jun 2012, 21:34

airazurxtror wrote:I don't know who pays for it, but there are works at present in progress on a tunnel Schuman-Josaphat which will give direct access to the airport from the new Schuman railway and metro station (and the line 161 from Luxemburg and Namur) - in service in 2015 if all goes as planned.

Infrabel and Beliris (investment vehicle for the Brussels Capitol Region).

Conti764 · Post by **Conti764** » 04 Jun 2012, 21:37

regi wrote:
Comet wrote:
Charlie Roy wrote:Oh Comet we should start a petition, I also very much need a direct train service from Oostende to the airport.
Very good idea Seriously I would imagine that would be very popular and well-used. Many tourists arriving into Brussels are heading to Brugge, a train direct from the airport would be well-used, instead of having the nightmare of getting off in a busy Brussels station and being weighed down with luggage which you have to drag up and down escalators to another platform. If an airport train started and terminated in Oostende it would be even better for those of us who like to spend our holidays in Oostende De Panne has an airport train, so why not Oostende
The financial figures of Belgian railways, published last week, don't give much space for investment.

They don't have to invest much, accept for equipment and personel.

Given the cost of Diabolo you'd think they'd make sure the airport station would be quite an important hub in their network. A direct hourly link with every province to start and to some important cities (e.g. Antwerp) two trains an hour.

Stij · Post by **Stij** » 05 Jun 2012, 08:43

The current timetable of the Belgian Railways was designed without the Diabolo and a lot of other new tracks in mind.
Currently they're completely redesiging it (they say from scratch) with alle the new infrastructure taken into account.
So let's keep our fingers crossed!
BTW it's not just about direct links, it's also about getting there early enough and being able to get home late enough.
Cheers,
Stij

airazurxtror · Post by **airazurxtror** » 07 Jun 2012, 19:59

The Diabolo was inaugurated today.
It cost 678 million euros.

air belgium · Post by **air belgium** » 08 Jun 2012, 04:27

Terrible timetable!

Post by **luchtzak** » 08 Jun 2012, 08:32

air belgium wrote:Terrible timetable!

Where do you find the timetable ?

convair · Post by **convair** » 08 Jun 2012, 10:08

OMG, I almost got caught!

Our beloved NMBS/SNCB is offering invitation for a free ride in the tunnel tomorrow. Very nice indeed?

Well, the confirmation of your invitation mentions that the free ride does NOT include the train fare to/from the airport station, which, according to the media, now bears a surcharge of 4.20 € each way!

In othe words, this "free" ride would cost me not only the "normal" fare (I mean the previous one without the surchage) to/from the airport station, but also an extra 8.40 €! How nice!

BTW, for once NMBS/SNCB is using subtle marketing tease to abduct its potential victims: you have to print the confirmation which bears a barcode meaning that you are being endowed a royal privilege!

As I said above, I almost... Thank you, but NO, thank you!

ezis · Post by **ezis** » 08 Jun 2012, 10:13

luchtzak wrote:
air belgium wrote:Terrible timetable!
Where do you find the timetable ?

I think http://www.railtime.be is an easy site to find this out
You just need to fill out the station and the date

Air Key West · Post by **Air Key West** » 08 Jun 2012, 12:03

First train from Antwerp is at 7:16am (too late) and last train from BRU is at 21:44 (too early).
Frequency : one train per hour (too little). An expensive project completely underutilised, implementation totally disconnected from real needs. Typical for Belgian public or semi-public services.
Sorry in Dutch only :
http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnen ... ager.dhtml

ezis · Post by **ezis** » 08 Jun 2012, 12:48

Air Key West wrote:First train from Antwerp is at 7:16am (too late) and last train from BRU is at 21:44 (too early).

Don't forget there are 2 trains an hour via Diabolo on the track Airport - Mechelen

Actually, according to the B-Rail website, the first trian (not via Brussels North) leaves Antwerp Central at 06:07 and with a stopover in Mechelen (thus via Diabolo) arrives in the Airport at 06:46

The last one leaves the Airport at 23:14 to Mechelen, where you can take an InterCity to Antwerp (arriving in Antwerp Central at 23:53)

I do agree there might have been more trains, but I wonder how full they'd be (as everyone in this country prefers taking the car whatever the reason)

Conti764 · Post by **Conti764** » 08 Jun 2012, 13:06

Relax people... The NMBS is working on a new timetable (from scratch) which will be implemented somewhere beginning next year.

WC_EEND · Post by **WC_EEND** » 08 Jun 2012, 15:14

ezis wrote: I do agree there might have been more trains, but I wonder how full they'd be (as everyone in this country prefers taking the car whatever the reason)

Well yeah, with such a massive surcharge on top of your train ticket, why wouldn't you?

ezis · Post by **ezis** » 08 Jun 2012, 15:31

Well, my remark was more general than taking the train to the Airport

But nonetheless, if you prefer paying for the parking space (which is more expensive than the surcharge), fine by me.

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