Life in the station: when stations also become real meeting places

Discover how SNCB-NMBS is giving certain available spaces in its stations a new purpose, in line with the needs of passengers and local communities.

What if a station was much more than just a place to pass through?

Every day, stations welcome not only passengers, but also local residents, people working nearby and visitors. They occupy a central place in our cities and municipalities, and their role is evolving in line with society’s changing habits, needs and expectations.

At SNCB-NMBS, this evolution is reflected in a clear ambition: to make stations more open, more useful and better integrated into their surroundings.

This is precisely what the “Life in the station” programme is all about.

The programme in video

In these videos, Caroline Denis, Expert Commercial Activities – La Vie en Gare at SNCB-NMBS, and Diederik De Bruycker, Senior Manager Commercial & Temporary Activities at SNCB-NMBS, explain how the “Life in the station” programme is transforming certain available spaces in stations.

👉 Watch the video in French with Caroline Denis

👉 Watch the video in Dutch with Diederik De Bruycker

Giving available spaces a new purpose

Over time, certain spaces in station buildings have become available, particularly in smaller stations. Rather than leaving them unused, SNCB-NMBS wants to give them a new purpose.

The “Life in the station” programme aims to reactivate these places by hosting projects that are useful for passengers, but also for local residents. These spaces can accommodate shops, services, social or cultural initiatives, hospitality concepts, workshops or activities linked to mobility.

The projects are developed in cooperation with cities and municipalities through calls for projects. The goal is to offer activities that meet local needs while improving the station experience.

Concrete projects across the country

In practice, this approach takes many different forms. Spaces that once served other purposes are given a new function and become fully integrated into neighbourhood life.

In Lede, a space now houses a bicycle shop. In Jambes, creative workshops are organised in the station. In Rochefort-Jemelle, a guinguette brings new energy to the location. In Brussels-Chapelle, a ceramics workshop has moved in. In Court-Saint-Étienne, a local and sustainable restaurant contributes to neighbourhood life. In Ternat, a concept combining a barbershop and a tavern brings a new dynamic to the station.

Beyond these examples, the diversity of the projects can be seen throughout the country. In Diksmuide, a welcoming place combining food and short-supply-chain products has been developed, with particular attention paid to the inclusion of people with autism. In Harelbeke, a fair-trade shop has been present in the station for several years, while in La Hulpe, a recently opened postal point responds to everyday local needs.

The programme also highlights the local and sustainable economy, with a food offer based on local products in Opwijk and an artisanal shop in Mont-Saint-Guibert. In Mechelen-Nekkerspoel, a children’s bookshop offers a welcoming space, while in Liedekerke, nutritional guidance contributes to well-being and health.

Some stations are also becoming real meeting places. In Walcourt, a third place offers local activities and regularly brings residents together. In Pépinster, a model railway club is bringing former station spaces back to life, while even preserving certain elements of the railway past.

Each project is different, but they all share the same ambition: to make the station livelier, more useful and more welcoming.

A concrete impact for passengers and neighbourhoods

By diversifying activities and strengthening the presence on site, these initiatives help improve the overall station experience. The spaces become livelier, more pleasant and safer.

But the impact goes beyond passengers alone. By opening up to local projects, stations also play a role in the vitality of neighbourhoods. They become meeting places where people cross paths, exchange ideas and sometimes take the time to stay.

Gradually, they are establishing themselves as essential places in local life, at the crossroads of mobility, services, the local economy and social connection.

Building the stations of tomorrow

The “Life in the station” programme is part of a collective approach. It is based on cooperation between SNCB-NMBS, cities and municipalities, as well as a wide range of local partners.

Many projects have already been launched, and others continue to emerge across the country. This dynamic reflects a long-term vision: stations that are open, adaptable and fully integrated into their surroundings.

With “Life in the station”, SNCB-NMBS is supporting the evolution of how stations are used and giving them a new place in the daily lives of both passengers and neighbourhoods.