Works started on the new Visé station, with the aim to improve comfort, accessibility and intermodality

Work has started on the new Visé station, in conjunction with SNCB and Infrabel, to improve the site's comfort, accessibility and intermodality. The new building will be functional and modern, with enhanced passenger comfort.

The Visé station project, carried out in close collaboration with the City of Visé, includes the construction of a new passenger building, the creation of a footbridge to access the platforms, the construction and fitting out of a new platform, the landscaping of the surrounding area and the creation of a bicycle parking area.

Following on from the construction of the new platform, SNCB is now starting work on the building and footbridge. The first few days of construction will involve setting up the site area, transporting materials, earthworks and laying the foundations for the station building.

The project, which will take around two years to complete, will be carried out while keeping the current station operational, so passengers will still be able to catch their train at Visé station, guided by temporary signage. A budget of 6.4 million euros, 75% financed by SNCB and 25% by Infrabel, has been earmarked for this project.

A modern building

The current building, which no longer meets comfort and energy standards, will be replaced by a new, modern and sustainable building. Covering an area of 176 m2, it will include a reception area with a counter, a waiting room and toilets, plus technical facilities.

The new facilities will be functional and accessible to people with reduced mobility. The wood-framed building will meet "near-zero energy" standards. It will be insulated and equipped with efficient heating and ventilation systems, solar panels, rainwater harvesting and a green roof. It will be modern, with wood cladding and a lightweight structure, as well as modular and easy to maintain. A canopy providing shelter from the rain will open up the building to the district.

A footbridge to the platforms

In the same spirit as the building, the covered footbridge is designed with contemporary, dynamic architecture. Made of concrete and steel, it will also be finished with a wooden railing. It will provide quick access to the platforms via staircases and three lifts.

A new platform

The existing platform giving access to tracks 1 and 2 has already been raised to 76 cm to make it easier for passengers to board the trains. A new 250 m-long side platform will open in early December 2023. It is currently equipped with shelters, benches, a public address system for station announcements, clocks and guiding lines for people with a visual impairment. Multifunctional lighting poles are installed to give passengers maximum space on the platform. These lighting masts with tilting system allow maintenance without a platform being decommissioned, as well as the easy mounting of security cameras, loudspeakers, clocks and signage. The new platform will facilitate rail services around Liège for connections with the Netherlands, or during work on the line.

An intermodal hub

The new building, located on Place des Déportés, will improve intermodality around the station. It will be much closer to the bus station and car park and make it easier to switch from one mode of transport to another. There will also be a convenient drop-off and pick-up zone.

In total, SNCB will create a 2,000 m2 forecourt with the dual objectives of creating a user-friendly space and facilitating circulation in the vicinity of the station for people with reduced mobility, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. This development will ease traffic congestion in the immediate vicinity of schools and the station.

A lift will connect the platforms, the car park and the square. Benches will be installed, and plants will make the area greener. An access-controlled bike park will also be built in the extension of the station to accommodate 40 bikes and 5 cargo bikes, compared with a total of 22 previously.

Located on train line 40, Visé station links Liège-Guillemins and Maastricht stations. A train connects these two cities in 15 minutes every hour, in each direction.