Belgium‘s national railway operator NMBS / SNCB will celebrate a major milestone next week as it marks the 100th anniversary of its creation. On 23 July 2026, exactly one century after the Belgian Parliament approved the law establishing the railway company in 1926, passengers and railway staff will be treated to special anniversary activities, while a broader programme of exhibitions, concerts and open days will continue throughout the remainder of the year.
The railway operator has already been celebrating its centenary since February with a series of initiatives highlighting both its history and its future. These have included a passenger appreciation campaign, a commemorative stamp series, themed music playlists, a travelling railway model exhibition and an art competition for students.
Anniversary celebrations on 23 July
On its official birthday, NMBS / SNCB will distribute small anniversary gifts to passengers and staff on board selected trains and in five railway stations. The company said the symbolic gesture is intended as a thank-you to everyone who has helped shape Belgian railways over the past century, including travellers, employees, partners and generations of Belgians who have made the train part of their daily lives.
Passengers will also be able to take part in a 24-hour online competition on 23 July via NMBS / SNCB’s social media channels, with exclusive centenary T-shirts up for grabs.
Historic trains and railway heritage on display
The anniversary programme will continue well beyond July, with several major public events planned over the coming months.
One of the highlights will be a 300-metre-long exhibition train featuring historic and iconic railway vehicles from different eras of Belgian rail transport. Several of the coaches will be open to visitors. The exhibition train will be displayed at Schaerbeek / Schaarbeek station on 29 and 30 August, at Liège-Guillemins on 12 and 13 September, and at Antwerp-Central on 10 and 11 October.
Train World, NMBS / SNCB’s railway museum, will also open a new exhibition entitled ‘Fashion & Trains: From 1835 to Today‘ from 18 September. During the weekend of 29 and 30 August, the museum will also host a large model railway exhibition.
On 4 October, as part of Belgium’s Open Company Day, NMBS / SNCB will open its central workshops in Mechelen (Malines, Mechlin) and Salzinnes, giving the public a behind-the-scenes look at the maintenance and modernisation of the railway fleet.
The centenary celebrations will also include station concerts featuring live DJ performances. Following an earlier event in Mons (Bergen), concerts are scheduled for Liège-Guillemins on 4 September, Antwerp-Central on 12 November, and Brussels-Central and Brussels-North on 20 November.
Meanwhile, a new podcast series exploring the history and future of the Belgian railway will launch on 20 July, combining archive recordings with contemporary perspectives on the people who built and continue to develop the country’s rail network.
A century since the creation of NMBS / SNCB
The anniversary commemorates the vote in the Belgian Parliament on 23 July 1926, which established the National Railway Company of Belgium (Nationale Maatschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen; Société nationale des chemins de fer belges; Nationale Gesellschaft der Belgischen Eisenbahnen).
The legislation was adopted during the government of catholic Prime Minister Henri Jaspar, while socialist politician Edward Anseele served as Minister of Railways, Maritime Affairs, Posts, Telegraphs, Telephones, and Aviation.
The creation of the autonomous railway company came in the aftermath of World War I, when Belgium faced the enormous task of rebuilding and modernising its damaged railway network while navigating a difficult economic climate. The new organisation was intended to improve the efficiency of railway operations and secure the long-term future of rail transport in Belgium.
Although the founding law was adopted on 23 July 1926 and published the following day, a royal decree implementing the legislation followed on 7 August. NMBS / SNCB officially began railway operations on 1 September 1926, inheriting an extensive rail network, thousands of employees and a large fleet of rolling stock.
According to NMBS / SNCB, the centenary is not only an opportunity to reflect on a century of railway history, but also to look ahead. The company says it will continue investing in accessible, sustainable, safe, comfortable and innovative mobility under the anniversary slogan: “100 years. The journey continues.“
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