Brussels-North railway station
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Brussels-North railway station
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| Opening | 1952 |
| Telegraphic code | FBN |
| Railway line(s) | 0, 25, 27, 27D, 36, 36N, 161/2 |
| Platforms | 12 |
Bruxelles-Nord/ Brussel-Noord (Brussels North) is one of the three major railway station in Brussels. The other 2 are Brussels Central and Brussels South. The station's bilingual French-Dutch name is generally translated to "Brussels North".
Every regular domestic and international train (save for the Thalys) passing here also has a planned stop.
Brussels North also is the end point of the underground tram north-south axis and an important node of MIVB/STIB and De Lijn bus lines. More than 30 regional bus lines depart from here, as do international Eurolines coach services.
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[edit] History
The first station in Brussels was Groendreef/Allée Verte, where in 1835 the first train on a public railway departed on the European continent. This was replaced in March 1846 by the first Brussels-North station, designed by F. Coppens and situated on Rogier Place. It had 27 tracks.
In 1952 a new Brussels-North station was built to link with the North-South Connection. The old station was razed in 1955.
[edit] Now
The station has 200,000 passengers per week, mainly commuters. It opens up to the Noordruimte/Espace Nord business district and is a starting place for inner-city visits.
Just like the other bigger stations in Brussels, Brussels-North is characterized by late maintenance and old-fashioned design. Meanwhile, there are plans to renovate the building, platforms and pedestrian subways. These long-due works should start at the end of 2008, when the renovation of Brussels-Central will be finished.
[edit] Surroundings
The station is in the middle of the Noordruimte/Espace Nord business district, with several corporation headquarters (Belgacom, Dexia and others), government offices and Flemish ministries.
Just next to the station is Aarschot Street, an area of prostitution "behind windows".
[edit] Rail lines
Brussels North has 12 platforms. These passenger lines join in the station:
- Line 0, the Brussels North-South connection
- Line 25 and 27 to Antwerp Central station
- Line 36 to Liège-Guillemins
- Line 50 to Gent-Sint-Pieters
- Line 161 to Namur
Few trains originate from Brussels North. Instead, most trains through Brussels depart from Brussel South, some from Schaarbeek.
