Belgium is an important transport hub within the coronary heart of Europe, permitting travellers to attach seamlessly with different components of the continent.

Trains repeatedly run to Germany, France, the UK, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

The variety of individuals travelling by rail has elevated, with a whopping 244 million recorded final yr.

Belgian authorities have sought to modernise rail infrastructure, together with stations, to encourage much more travellers to journey by practice.

Final week, Mons opened its station to the general public after an in depth improve and refurbishment was lastly accomplished.

The futuristic new design price an eye-watering €480 million (£397m) and was carried out by the Santiago Calatrava firm of architects and engineers.

Mons station is undoubtedly an essential worldwide hub with 57,000 passengers every week and 189 trains a day.

Fashionable, accessible and on the metropolis’s coronary heart, the station and its new footbridge provide even larger intramodality.

Folks can entry the bus station, Kiss&Experience and take a cab instantly from the brand new station.

There are 5 coated platforms, two parking heaps and 350 bicycle parking areas, whereas the brand new footbridge homes 14 retail and repair areas.

The station has been designed to allow all passengers to journey barrier-free and independently.

The brand new walkway has 12 elevators, raised platforms and pedometers for the visually impaired.

Though already operational, an official inauguration will happen on 31 January 2025 through the “Mons en lumières” pageant.

The most recent design is the fourth iteration of the Mons practice station, which first opened its doorways in 1841.

The unique station was a part of the Midi-line connecting Brussels and the French border by way of Quiévrain to Paris.

This primary constructing was changed in 1874 by its successor, who was almost 200 metres lengthy.

The second station was destroyed by American bombs on 10 Could 1944 and was changed by a 3rd construction in 1952.

The third station closed to passengers in March 2013 and was demolished three months later as a part of the modernisation plans.