Belgian rail operator NMBS / SNCB says costs, station layouts and uncertain safety benefits of access gates outweigh the advantages, while politicians and railway staff argue that gates could reduce fare evasion and confrontations with ticket inspectors.
The National Company of Belgian Railways continues to oppose installing access gates at major railway stations, despite renewed calls for the measure amid rising aggression against railway staff. The operator believes the financial and practical disadvantages outweigh the potential benefits, although Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) wants the possibility to remain under consideration.
The debate has gained urgency following new figures showing that serious incidents involving NMBS / SNCB employees continue to increase. Last year, recorded cases of aggression rose by almost 25%, while the number of working hours lost through incapacity following assaults by passengers doubled to nearly 100,000.
On average, seven railway employees a day are now victims of serious verbal aggression, threats or physical violence.
Access gates could prevent passengers without valid tickets from reaching platforms in certain stations, potentially reducing confrontations between fare evaders and ticket inspectors. However, NMBS / SNCB maintains that the business case for introducing the system remains negative.
Railway operator questions the business case
Crucke confirmed the operator’s position in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives on Wednesday 7 October 2026, in response to a question from Vlaams Belang MP Frank Troosters. According to the minister, the latest assessment found that installing access gates at major stations would not be economically justified.
The conclusion also reflects differences in station layouts and uncertainty about the impact the gates would have on safety. The operator argues that installation would be expensive and could obstruct the smooth flow of passengers. Gates could also inconvenience local residents who use station premises as part of their everyday journeys, potentially forcing them to take substantial detours.
Crucke has asked NMBS / SNCB chief executive Sophie Dutordoir to provide further information about the Dutch model, where access gates are widespread. The authors of the study have also been invited to explain their findings to parliament.
Troosters said the operator’s reluctance was unsurprising, but argued that safety and lost revenue should not necessarily be assessed solely through a financial business case. Rather than advocating gates at every station, he suggested that they could be introduced in selected groups of stations where the benefits would be greatest.
The debate is not new. NMBS / SNCB rejected the idea of installing gates at major stations late last year, again citing the costs involved. In February, however, Crucke announced plans for a pilot project at five major stations, arguing that access gates could improve security and ticket checks.
The minister has maintained that gates could help protect platforms and passenger areas while reducing fare evasion. He remains in favour of installing them wherever they are appropriate and relevant, and wants the possibility to be assessed through practical experience.
Rising aggression renews calls for access gates
The discussion comes as efforts to tackle aggression against railway employees have yet to produce a lasting improvement. NMBS / SNCB has introduced awareness campaigns, closer cooperation with police and judicial authorities, and anti-aggression training. Nevertheless, the latest figures suggest that the problem is getting worse.
A particularly serious incident illustrates the consequences. A train conductor who was checking tickets on a service between Antwerp and Leuven was assaulted after asking a passenger to show a valid ticket. The passenger’s daughter subsequently became involved, and the two women allegedly beat the conductor and attempted to strangle her using the cord attached to her whistle.
After a lengthy recovery, the employee, who had worked for the railway for 14 years, changed jobs because she could no longer cope psychologically with the work.
Trade union representative Tony Fonteyne of ACOD Spoor said the railway operator had made substantial efforts to address aggression, including through a dedicated working group, but that the measures had failed to deliver the desired results on the ground. He believes the problem extends beyond the railway company itself.
Body cameras?
N-VA MP Dorien Cuylaerts has called for access gates at the busiest stations, alongside the rapid introduction of body cameras (bodycams) for railway staff. By restricting access to platforms to passengers with valid tickets, she argues, gates could reduce the number of confrontations between fare evaders and train conductors.
The use of body cameras has support from both NMBS / SNCB and Crucke, who have described the rising aggression figures as worrying. The cameras could provide evidence after incidents, but Fonteyne cautioned that they should not be regarded as a complete solution. He noted that extensive CCTV coverage in stations and trains has not prevented violent incidents.
Railway staff divided over the effectiveness of gates
For some railway employees, the connection between fare evasion and aggression is central to the debate.
Facebook community page Treinbestuurder En Fier argues that fare evasion itself is a major source of conflict. Passengers travelling without valid tickets may refuse to accept responsibility when confronted by inspectors, sometimes directing their frustration at the employee attempting to enforce the rules.
Treinbestuurder En Fier believes access gates at the platforms of major stations could help prevent some of these confrontations by introducing an initial ticket check before passengers board a train. The measure could also improve the sense of security on platforms and reduce train cancellations caused by incidents involving aggression.
However, access gates remain controversial. Their substantial installation costs, the practical difficulties of adapting different station layouts and the potential inconvenience to passengers and local residents all count against them.
Passenger organisation TreinTramBus have previously raised concerns about their feasibility, arguing that the money could be better spent expanding the rail service.
The central question remains whether the potential safety benefits justify the financial and operational costs. While NMBS / SNCB continues to reject a general introduction of access gates at major stations, the growing number of assaults on railway staff is keeping the issue firmly on the political agenda.
“No time”
A reality on board trains is that there are more than a marginal number of passengers who only buy they their ticket or activate a ride once on board and only when the train guard comes by to check tickets. The excuse is often “I didn’t have time to…”. Access gates would force them make time for it. Access gates work in the Netherlands, and in London, just to name two examples. Everyone is expected to have a ticket before boarding the train. It’s only fair to the company, society, and fellow public transport users.
People can make time to go through them there. Why can’t they make time here in Belgium?
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