Belgian and Dutch passenger organisations are calling for the rapid reopening of the railway between Hamont in Belgian Limburg, and Weert in Dutch Limburg. Following a joint inspection of the nine-kilometre missing link, TreinTramBus (TTB), Dutch passenger organisation Rover and the Vereniging Treinreizigers Vervoer (vTv) concluded that the cross-border connection could be restored relatively quickly and at limited cost, Het Belang van Limburg reports.
The current intercity service from Antwerp-Central to Hamont spends around 40 minutes at the Belgian terminus before returning to Antwerp. According to the passenger groups, that time could instead be used to extend the service to Weert, creating a direct rail link between Antwerp and the Dutch province of Limburg.
The inspection was organised by Theo Schuurmans, former mayor of Hamont-Achel and chairman of vTv. The participants followed the entire route from Weert through Budel-Schoot to Hamont. According to Schuurmans, they found that much of the infrastructure is already in good condition. The track was renewed in 2007, while Belgium’s ETCS train protection system has already been installed as far as Budel. Freight trains still use the line to serve the zinc plant there.
Peter Meukens, chairman of TTB, described Hamont-Weert as a low-hanging fruit for cross-border rail. He said the connection could be delivered quickly and would benefit North Limburg in Belgium as well as Limburg and North Brabant in the Netherlands.
Meukens also pointed to the rapid development of the Brainport Eindhoven technology region and the resulting demand for highly skilled workers at companies such as ASML. Some of those workers live across the border in Belgium, while the Netherlands is facing a severe housing shortage. A direct train connection could make cross-border commuting considerably easier, he argued.
Weert already offers frequent onward connections. Four intercity trains and two local services leave for Eindhoven every hour, while four intercity trains per hour also run towards Roermond and Sittard.
A 2021 study estimated that around 1,030 passengers could use a Hamont-Weert rail service each day. That estimate did not include more recent developments in the Eindhoven Brainport region or potential economic activity linked to the Einstein Telescope, meaning actual demand could be higher.
Limited investment
Several infrastructure upgrades would nevertheless be required before Belgian trains could reach Weert. A new platform would have to be built at Weert station, while the Dutch section of the railway would need to be electrified. Belgium’s train protection system would also have to be extended, as the service would be operated by Belgian national railway NMBS / SNCB.
The cost of the necessary works was estimated at between €39 million and €73 million in 2023. The passenger organisations argue that this is relatively modest for a railway infrastructure project, noting that major rail projects can cost hundreds of millions or even billions of euros.
The reopening would also fill an important gap in the cross-border railway network between Belgium and the Netherlands. At present, there is only one border crossing for conventional passenger trains between Flanders and the Netherlands, between Essen and Roosendaal. The connection between Noorderkempen and Breda is used exclusively by high-speed trains.
TTB, Rover and vTv therefore see Hamont-Weert as an opportunity to create a new international rail link with a comparatively limited investment. Meukens said the project essentially involves connecting two railway lines that are already very close to one another.
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