In November, we installed water taps in 6 major train stations in Belgium. In this way, NMBS-SNCB also contributes to our impact goal to avoid packaging and transporting water as much as possible.
By the end of next year, train passengers will be able to fill their drinking bottles with filtered tap water free of charge at around a hundred stations. This has already been possible in six stations since today, and it will be further expanded in the coming months. By eventually offering this service in a hundred stations, 80% of all train passengers will have access to free drinking water.
The water taps will be located in an easily accessible location in the stations. They have been available since today at the stations of Bruges, Brussels-Luxembourg, Ghent-Sint-Pieters, Kortrijk, Ostend and Liège-Guillemins. In the coming weeks, the stations of Charleroi Central and Ottignies, among others, will also follow.
Each water tap is also wheelchair accessible. For this purpose, an extra low button has been placed, which can be used to operate the device. A recess is provided at the bottom of the water tap so that a wheelchair user can move smoothly.
Reducing the amount of plastic waste
By offering travelers the opportunity to fill their water bottle free of charge, NMBS wants to contribute to reducing the plastic waste mountain. It also fits in with the vision of SNCB, which offers the ideal sustainable means of transport by train and thus plays an important role in reducing our country's ecological footprint. Travelling by train produces up to six times less CO2 than by car.