Infrabel is the Belgian rail infrastructure manager, a public limited company under public law owned by the Belgian state. It maintains, renews and modernises the national network, controls train traffic and sells train paths to passenger and freight operators.
Infrabel was founded in 2005 as infrastructure manager within the SNCB/NMBS group. Since 1 January 2014 the Belgian railway has had a dual structure, with Infrabel as infrastructure manager, SNCB/NMBS as the national passenger operator and HR Rail as the legal employer of staff in both companies. Benoît Gilson is the chief executive.
The network comprises 3,602 km of lines and 6,399 km of main track. Infrabel had around 9,400 full-time equivalent employees at the end of 2024.
As infrastructure manager, Infrabel serves every operator on the Belgian network. The public service mission for domestic passenger trains is entrusted exclusively to SNCB/NMBS until the end of 2032, while freight operators and international passenger operators buy paths on the same network.
ETCS on the main network
By December 2025 all 6,399 km of main track was equipped with ETCS, after a rollout of about 10 years costing about EUR 2.8bn. The network uses ETCS Level 1 in full and limited supervision and ETCS Level 2.
The programme included more than 650 masts for GSM-R, the radio system that carries ETCS Level 2 data. From the end of 2027 only trains equipped with ETCS may run in Belgium.
The deadline places the remaining cost on operators. Any locomotive or multiple unit that is to keep running in Belgium after 2027 needs ETCS onboard equipment.
Funding and level crossings
Infrabel is funded through a 10-year performance contract with the federal state covering 2023–2032, signed in February 2023 alongside the public service contract of SNCB/NMBS. The contract sets the state’s investment and maintenance funding and the targets Infrabel must meet.
About 1,600 level crossings remain on the network, and more than 450 have been removed since 2005. In May 2026 a train hit a school bus at a level crossing in Buggenhout, killing four people.
Infrabel and SNCB/NMBS staff took part in repeated national rail strikes in 2025 and January 2026 over pension reform, budget cuts and the end of statutory status for new rail staff. Infrabel puts the cost of each weekday strike at EUR 1m.