High-Speed Rail Works Liège-Louvain Done for 2026

Commuters traveling by train between Brussels and Liège can breathe a sigh of relief: the major renovation works on the high-speed rail line between Louvain and Liège have been completed for this year. Train traffic returned to normal on Thursday morning, August 6, after more than two weeks of intensive construction work on the LGV 2 line.

The works, which ran from Monday, July 20 at 23:00 until Thursday, August 6 at 05:00, caused between 20 and 25 minutes of additional travel time for passengers during the construction period. According to RTBF, the resumption of normal rail traffic marks a significant milestone in the ongoing modernization of this strategic infrastructure.

A Strategic Line for National and International Traffic

The LGV 2, also known as the “ligne à grande vitesse de Louvain à Ans,” is a 64 km high-speed railway line connecting Louvain (Leuven) to Ans, near Liège. Officially put into service on December 15, 2002, it was the second high-speed line built in Belgium and carries an average of 80 trains daily at speeds ranging from 200 to 300 km/h.

“This construction site proceeded according to the established schedule and rail traffic on this high-speed line resumed as announced this Thursday morning, August 6,” said Marco Docquier, press attaché at Infrabel, the Belgian railway infrastructure manager. “This is a strategic site for both national and international traffic. This high-speed line dates from 2002 and on average we have 80 trains circulating at speeds ranging from 200 to 300 km/hour.”

The line serves as a vital corridor for Thalys trains operating between Paris, Brussels, Liège and Cologne, as well as ICE trains connecting Brussels to Frankfurt and SNCB InterCity services linking Ostend and Eupen.

Second Phase of a Major Renovation Project

The recently completed works represent the second phase of a major renovation project on the LGV 2 line, which was first launched in summer 2025. As La Libre reported, the works aimed to prevent any speed reduction on this strategic railway line.

Between Louvain and Hoegaarden, 24 km of concrete sleepers (40,000 in total) were renewed. The works ran 24/7 thanks to the rotation of several teams. Infrabel also used the traffic interruption to perform maintenance on catenary systems, bridges, tunnels, and service roads between Louvain and Hoegaarden.

“To maintain its optimal performance, we must carry out this vast renovation project which will continue again during the different summers between 2028 and 2031,” Docquier added.

The total investment for the complete renovation project through 2031 is approximately 59 million euros.

Impact on Rail Users

During the construction period, rail traffic was adapted between Louvain, Liège and Welkenraedt. As DHNet detailed, weekday services saw reduced train frequencies between these cities, with fewer stops at Louvain, Landen and Waremme.

On weekends, IC trains between Ostend, Brussels and Eupen were diverted between Louvain and Liège-Guillemins, adding 20 to 25 minutes to journey times. IC trains between Knokke, Brussels and Liège-Guillemins were rerouted via Louvain and Ans, adding approximately 20 minutes to those journeys.

Passengers were advised to consult the SNCB online journey planner, which accounted for all schedule adaptations during the works.

A Broader Modernization Program

The LGV 2 renovation is part of a broader program to modernize Belgium’s aging high-speed rail infrastructure. The renovation began with LGV 1 (Brussels-French border) in 2024, and continued with LGV 2 in summer 2025. As L’Avenir noted, the first phase of the LGV 2 works took place from August 2-17, 2025, during which 24 km of concrete sleepers were renewed between Hoegaarden and Pousset using a specialized Austrian factory train.

The LGV 2 line features the longest viaduct in Belgium (2,790 meters) near Waremme, built on piles due to poor geotechnical conditions, and a tunnel at Bierbeek (758 m) marking the start of the high-speed section. According to Wikipedia, the line is double-tracked, electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz, and equipped with ETCS Level 1 signaling.

What’s Next

With this year’s works now complete, train traffic on the LGV 2 line has returned to normal. However, rail users should plan for further disruptions in the coming years. The next phases of the renovation project are scheduled for the summers of 2028 through 2031, as Infrabel continues its efforts to maintain the line’s optimal performance for both national and international rail services.

For now, commuters and travelers on the Brussels-Liège corridor can enjoy uninterrupted high-speed service for the remainder of the year.