Ghent-Burges railway upgrade to be complete by 2029
The railway stretching from Ghent to Bruges, in northwestern Belgium, is currently being upgraded to become a four-track line. Two new tracks are currently being built and the two existing ones will be renovated afterwards. The line is quite valuable for rail freight as it links the three largest ports of the country. The new bundle of tracks should be fully operational by 2029.
The three ports are Zeebrugge and Ghent, connected by this very line, and the one in Antwerp, which has a direct connection to Ghent. A section of the third track, between Bellem and Oostkamp, has been up and running since 13 April, as Belgian infrastructure manager Infrabel said. The third and fourth tracks will be used for freight traffic and local passenger services, while high-speed trains will run on the other tracks.
Construction of the two new tracks, being built to the left and right of the existing line, started in 2007. Both tracks will be 38 kilometres long and need to be equipped with overhead lines and signalling, including ETCS. The new lines shall be commissioned in 2027. After that, the renovation of the two middle tracks will commence, which should start until 2029. Other than the track upgrades, Infrabel has also replaced all the 12 level crossings along the line with bridges and tunnels.
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