Kortrijk Station Project

Kortrijk Station, with 8,200 daily boarding passengers, is the second-largest station in West Flanders. It serves as a hub for public transportation within West Flanders and to the inland. In December 2020, an additional IC connection to Brussels was introduced, and starting from December 2025, two IC connections will run every hour between Kortrijk and Bruges during the weekends.

NMBS aims to attract 30% more passengers and expand train services by 10% by 2032. The development of stations as fully accessible, multimodal hubs supporting seamless transitions between different modes of transportation is crucial to achieving this ambition.

New stations are designed to be future-proof, built for the next 60 years, and sized for expected passenger growth, allowing for smooth transfers in a compact space.

The preliminary design includes a new station hall beneath the tracks and platforms under a canopy. This hall functions as a 19-meter wide and 100-meter long pedestrian corridor connecting two bike sheds and linking bus and train platforms. The new underground parking is logically connected to the station hall.

To ensure optimal accessibility, escalators and elevators are provided for all eight platforms. On the east side, the existing passage under the station will be transformed into a technical duct. The current western passage will be retained as an additional entrance to the platforms, particularly from the underground parking areas.

Preservation of heritage elements

The bas-relief sculpture by artist Maurits Witdouck, an allegorical representation of travel and transport currently adorning the front of the existing station, will find a new location on an elevator shaft. Rogier Vandeweghe's mosaic will be placed in the new wide corridor.

Elevated platforms with 17-meter high canopy

The platforms themselves will be raised by 45 centimeters, reaching a height of 75 centimeters above the tracks for easy boarding and alighting. A canopy over the tracks provides shelter while waiting, finished with wood and high-quality transparent plastic (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cushions). It spans 80 meters and reaches a height of 17 meters above the ground level of Stationsplein.

The visual link between both sides of the station is essential, reinforced by the design of the new station and the layout of the public space. A new bus station will function as a loop parallel to the tracks on both sides of the station.

Different transportation modes (pedestrian, bicycle, bus, train, taxi, car) are well-coordinated. With the new station, passengers will smoothly transfer between bus and train, from the underground parking or bike shed to the station. The new station will be optimally accessible for children, seniors, travelers with strollers or luggage, and persons with disabilities. The bike sheds will be underground, providing nearly 3,000 spaces, over 850 more than the current capacity.

Construction timeline

The initiation of the master plan for the new station dates back to late 2009, with the first sub-project already in progress. In late December 2022, the federal government provided the necessary budget approval for the new Kortrijk station. The goal is to obtain environmental permits in 2023 to commence construction by the end of 2025.

Preparatory works will start in the fall of 2025, with platforms 7 and 8 being the first to undergo renovations in spring 2026. It will take approximately 8.5 years to renew all platforms and canopies. The opening of the new station is scheduled for 2034.

Cost

The estimated cost for the final phase of the station works, shared by all partners, is €89,000,000 (excluding VAT).