NMBS / SNCB will mark its centenary with a unique travelling exhibition bringing together almost a century of Belgian railway history in a single 300-metre-long train. Featuring historic locomotives and carriages spanning from the 1930s to the latest generation of rolling stock, the exhibition will visit Schaerbeek / Schaarbeek in Brussels, Liège-Guillemins, and Antwerp-Central Railway Station over the coming months, allowing visitors to explore the evolution of the country’s railways free of charge.
The travelling exhibition is one of the flagship events in the railway operator’s celebrations marking 100 years since the law establishing the National Railway Company of Belgium was adopted on 23 July 1926. Alongside the exhibition train, the centenary programme also includes commemorative stamps, a €2 commemorative coin, concerts in stations, a podcast series, the ‘Fashion & Trains‘ exhibition at Train World, and open days at the central workshops in Mechelen (Malines, Mechlin), and Salzinnes.
Months of preparation
The exhibition train itself brings together iconic locomotives and passenger coaches from different eras, illustrating how Belgian rail transport has evolved over the past century. Diesel and electric traction are represented, alongside domestic and international passenger coaches and two rare royal carriages dating from 1939. Several vehicles will be open to visitors, although the interiors of the royal coaches will remain closed to protect their fragile Art Deco fittings.
Preparing the train has been a major logistical undertaking involving railway heritage specialists, engineers, operational staff, station teams and communications personnel. Over several months, historic vehicles were restored and inspected, technical checks and brake tests carried out, operating documentation prepared and specialist drivers assigned. The rolling stock also had to be brought together from different storage locations before being assembled into a single formation, while stations prepared crowd management, signage, visitor facilities and safety arrangements.
The exhibition will first be displayed at Schaerbeek station on 29 and 30 August, before moving to Liège-Guillemins on 12 and 13 September and Antwerp-Central on 10 and 11 October. Admission will be free at all three locations from 10:00 until 17:00, with no advance reservation required.
Royal coaches reunited
One of the highlights of the exhibition is the inclusion of two coaches from Belgium’s former Royal Train. On 10 August, the surviving Salon Coach No. 1 and Sleeping Coach No. 3 were transported from their storage location in Liers to Monceau to be incorporated into the exhibition train. The move was carried out by diesel locomotive 5512, accompanied by Train World Heritage‘s DMS 17406 support coach.
Originally built in 1939, the Royal Train consisted of three luxurious steel coaches with distinctive Art Deco interiors: a salon coach, dining coach and sleeping coach.
Designed exclusively for the Belgian royal family, they remained in service until 1982, carrying Kings Leopold III and Baudouin I as well as visiting heads of state. King Baudouin notably travelled aboard the train for the ceremonial opening of Brussels’ North-South railway connection on 4 October 1952.
After 1982 the Belgian monarchy switched to conventional trains. The Dining Coach No. 2 is now permanently displayed at Train World, while the other two surviving vehicles will be reunited for the travelling exhibition.
A journey through Belgian railway history
The exhibition brings together an exceptional cross-section of Belgian railway history. Among the oldest vehicles are the two surviving royal coaches from 1939, the Salon Coach No. 1 and Sleeping Coach No. 3, which were built for the Belgian royal family and feature luxurious Art Deco interiors. They are joined by a K1 first-class coach from the 1930s, once a mainstay of the country’s premier express services, and an L second-class coach, originally built as a third-class vehicle, representing the backbone of local passenger transport for much of the twentieth century.
The locomotive line-up charts the development of Belgian traction over nearly eight decades. It begins with electric locomotive 101.012, one of the country’s first generation of electric locomotives introduced around 1950, and continues with the versatile Class 51 diesel locomotive, which hauled everything from freight trains to Trans Europ Express services. Also on display are the Belgian-built Class 73 diesel shunting locomotive, famous for each locomotive carrying its own name, the dual-voltage Class 11 electric locomotive built for Benelux services between Brussels and Amsterdam, the Class 21, one of the last locomotive types built entirely in Belgium, and the modern multi-system Class 18, which continues to haul InterCity services throughout Belgium and to Luxembourg.
More recent passenger stock is represented by an M4 ADx driving trailer, used on push-pull InterCity and peak-hour services, and the latest-generation M7 double-deck coach, which offers air conditioning, digital passenger information systems and fully accessible boarding. Completing the exhibition is the former Railtour DMS luggage van, which has been converted into a miniature model railway exhibition for visitors. At the Antwerp-Central stop, the travelling exhibition will also be accompanied by steam locomotive 1.002, one of the most powerful steam locomotives ever operated by NMBS / SNCB during the mid-twentieth century.
NMBS / SNCB & Infrabel related news
- BELGIUM | Council of Ministers approves roadmap to open rail market to competition after 2032.
- NMBS / SNCB turns 100 on 23 July and holds nationwide celebrations in the coming months.
- NMBS / SNCB advisory committee explicitly opposes station access gates, while people on the ground express more enthusiasm.
- Brussels to Coast trains to include uniformed and plain-clothed police.
- NMBS / SNCB: International train travel continues to grow in popularity with Belgian holidaymakers.
- NMBS / SNCB expands summer train services to coast, tourist attractions and festivals.
- NMBS / SNCB: Ticket checks possible on the platform before embarking the train, no on-board sales from 1 July 2026.
- TGV inOui Brussels – Strasbourg – Basel from July 2027.
- NMBS / SNCB to expand train services by 3% under new 2026–2029 transport plan.
- ANTWERP-LINKEROEVER | Average of 530 people take the train at Linkeroever on weekdays.
- NMBS / SNCB: Train travel gains popularity as fuel prices rise.
- NMBS / SNCB ends mandatory gender registration for online ticket purchases.
- NMBS / SNCB presents new rainbow-clad Siemens Desiro for Pride and IDAHOT.
- Antwerp-Linkeroever Railway Station reopens as temporary hub during premetro tunnel works.
- PHOTOS | Presenting Antwerp-Linkeroever Railway Station anno 2026.
- NMBS / SNCB introduces boarding zones on platforms to further improve passenger experience.
- BELGIUM | Infrabel to upgrade Antwerp-Berchem and add second track between Mol and Neerpelt, amongst other economy-boosting projects.
- Antwerp-Linkeroever Railway Station (re)opens on Saturday 2 May.
- BELGIUM | Infrabel launches Brussels pilot to curb dangerous track trespassing.
- BELGIUM | Train operator NMBS / SNCB to end on-board ticket sales from 1 July 2026.
- BELGIUM | Access gates to be introduced in major railway stations, reversing earlier opposition.
- Rise of international trains puts pressure on the Belgian rail network: domestic services must not disappear.
- ANTWERP | Renovation of Linkeroever station to begin during spring half-term, rail services temporarily disrupted.
- Belgian Mobility Minister wants to revive direct train service to Switzerland.
- NMBS / SNCB & CAF for MR30 / AM30 electric multiple units signed.
- 2026 | Bpost marks 100 years of NMBS / SNCB with a stamp.
- Reorganising train travel in Belgium by 2050: going for the Swiss or the Dutch model?.
- BELGIUM | More than 9.5 million travellers took the train the summer of 2025.
- Hamont – Weert on foot, because the train connection still isn’t there.
- REVIEW | ‘Belgian Railways Under Occupation: Between Collaboration and Resistance’ at Train World in Brussels.
- NMBS / SNCB to apologize for involvement in WWII deportation transports.
- Antwerp-Berchem Railway Station up for major revamp.
- PHOTOS | AM66 ‘Klassiekje’ / ‘Classique’ Farewell Ride at Antwerp-Central Railway Station.
- Farewell to Mortsel-Deurnesteenweg.
Heritage and other special trams and trains in Belgium
- NAMUR | Fête du Rail 2026 on 15 and 16 August in the Bocq Valley.
- 4-5 JULY 2026 | Scheldeland in Stoom festival celebrates 40 years of museum line 52.
- BELGIUM | Steam Train Festival returns to Maldegem with anniversary celebrations and restored railway link.
- Aachen Christmas Market Trains from Vilvoorde / Antwerp / Lier / Hasselt and Braine-le-Comte / Mons / Charleroi-Central / Namur on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 December 2025.
- Pride Express links Ghent, Brussels and Antwerp to WorldPride Amsterdam on 1 and 2 August 2026.
- BELGIUM | Rollout of The Rolling Tables dinner train experience delayed.
- The Rolling Tables dinner train experience in Belgium from 1 August 2025 and in the Netherlands from 1 November 2025.
- BELGIUM | Le Chemin de Fer du Bocq heritage railway reopens on 14 June 2025.
- BELGIUM | Fête du Rail at Rétrotrain, Saint-Ghislain.
- BELGIUM | Dendermonde – Puurs Steam Railway.
- PHOTOS | AM66 ‘Klassiekje’ / ‘Classique’ Farewell Ride at Antwerp-Central Railway Station.
- Farewell to the NMBS / SNCB AM66 ‘Klassiekje’ or ‘Classique’.
- Plans for a steam train heritage service between Brussels and Mechelen shelved.
- RIDE & DINE | Orient Dining Express by Stoomtrein Maldegem-Eeklo.
- RIDE & DINE | Brussels Tram Experience.
- Riding the Kersttram or Christmas Tram in Antwerp.
