Track Walker Hit by Train in Torhout Survives

A man walking illegally on railway tracks in Torhout, West Flanders, was struck from behind by a passenger train late Saturday evening but survived with non-life-threatening injuries, according to VRT NWS. The incident, which could have been far more tragic, has prompted renewed warnings from Belgian rail authorities about the extreme dangers of walking on tracks.

The Incident

Around 22:30 on Saturday, 23 May 2026, three men were walking along the railway tracks on the Schavelarestraat in Torhout — a location where trespassing on the rail corridor is strictly prohibited. One of the three was caught from behind by a train traveling toward Ostend (Oostende) and was struck. The train was carrying 22 passengers at the time.

Emergency services responded quickly to the scene. Despite the force of the collision, the victim’s injuries were assessed as non-life-threatening, and he was transported to the hospital in Roeselare. As a safety precaution, train traffic between Roeselare and Bruges (Brugge) was suspended for the remainder of the evening. Passengers on the affected train were transferred to replacement buses to reach their destinations.

Police conducted an initial investigation, but the precise circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear.

A Known Danger Spot

The Schavelarestraat area in Torhout is locally known as a shortcut for pedestrians, despite being extremely dangerous. The location sits on railway Line 66, which connects Bruges and Roeselare, and is near a level crossing. A previous rail incident occurred at the same level crossing in August 2022, when a train without air conditioning struck an object, forcing the evacuation of 150 passengers.

A Persistent National Problem

The Torhout incident is far from isolated. It is part of a persistent and deadly pattern across Belgium’s railway network. According to Infrabel, the Belgian rail infrastructure manager, track walking — known locally as “spoorlopen” — remains a serious safety concern.

In 2025, Infrabel registered 583 reports of track walkers nationwide, causing up to 4.5 hours of train delays per day. More tragically, nine people died in 2025 as a result of walking on railway tracks, and three others were seriously injured, as VRT NWS reported in an earlier investigation.

“We continue to raise awareness that walking on tracks is prohibited. It is life-threatening. And yet such accidents keep happening,” said Thomas Baeken, spokesperson for Infrabel. “In 2025, a total of 9 people died this way.”

Infrabel has identified 102 “hotspots” across the country where track walking frequently occurs. The phenomenon is increasingly happening within stations themselves. On the Brussels North-South connection — the busiest rail corridor in Belgium — Brussels-Noord recorded 19 track-walking incidents in 2025, Brussel-Zuid 18, and Brussel-Centraal 15. A single incident at Brussels-Noord caused 117 trains to be held, resulting in 15 hours of total delay.

Countermeasures Underway

Infrabel has implemented a range of countermeasures to combat the problem. These include physical barriers and fencing at the ends of platforms, AI-powered camera surveillance systems for rapid detection of track walkers, and “stumble mats” designed to deter access. The infrastructure manager also collaborates closely with police and runs public awareness campaigns, including partnerships with popular Flemish media such as the soap opera “Thuis” to highlight the issue.

At Brussels-Noord station, a test project combining physical fencing with AI-driven camera surveillance has been deployed. “A physical closure and a virtual one, with a camera system powered by artificial intelligence to detect track walkers even faster,” Baeken explained.

What’s Next

The Torhout incident serves as a stark reminder that despite these efforts, the problem persists. The fact that the victim survived is fortunate, but authorities warn that the outcome could easily have been fatal. Questions remain about whether additional safety measures will be implemented at the Schavelarestraat location and whether charges will be filed against the survivors for trespassing on railway property.

As Infrabel continues its awareness campaigns and technological upgrades, the message from rail safety officials remains unequivocal: walking on railway tracks is not a shortcut — it is a potentially deadly risk that no journey is worth taking.