Brussels S Train

The Brussels S Train, also known as the Brussels Regional Express Network (French: Réseau Express Régional Bruxellois or RER; Dutch: Gewestelijk ExpresNet or GEN) is a suburban rail system in and around the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It will offer fast connections and increased frequency within a 30 km (19 mi) radius of the region, covering a territory inhabited by 2.5 million people. Most jobs in the Brussels-Capital Region are filled by workers from other regions. Private vehicles clog the city daily, hampering mobility and creating pollution. The RER/GEN is a response to these growing problems. Only 20% of commuters use public transport daily; the goal is to double this figure by facilitating movement into and within the region. Total costs for the GEN/RER project will be at least €2.173bn. The initially planned nine lines have since increased to 12; but the projected frequency of "a departure at least every 15 minutes" has not been implemented as of early 2018: most services run once per hour, a few twice per hour. The scope includes widening existing railway lines from double to quadruple; a few additions like the Schuman-Josaphat tunnel; the creation or re-activation of stations just outside Brussels' city centre (Germoir/Mouterij and Arcades/Arcaden on the south-east, Brussels-West and Tour et Taxis/Thurn en Taxis on the west); and the acquisition of new rolling stock.