Waterbus returns to Brussels on 1 May

The Brussels Waterbus returns to service on Friday 1 May, taking passengers consisting mostly of tourists along its canal route between Place Sainctelette and the centre of Vilvoorde.

The Waterbus, which is subsidised by the Brussels region, has been operating on the canal since 2013. This year, it will operate on weekdays from 1 May until 31 October, and also on weekends from 1 July to 15 August.

“New this season is the use of different vessels, which provide extra comfort and an even more pleasant travel experience,” the organisation announced.

A ticket costs €3.50 and advance booking is always required.

While the Waterbus is promoted as a way to avoid traffic jams, it takes almost an hour to cover a 10km route.

In 2024, the municipalities of Vilvoorde, Brussels-City and Machelen requested that the service be expanded so that commuters could use the boat for their journeys to and from work. The request was not acted upon at the time.

Its relaunch this year sparked more questions about expanding the service or speeding up the route to attract more passengers, but mobility minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) emphasised that, for the time being, there are no plans to use the Waterbus for commuting and it remains primarily a means of transport for tourists.

“The train is faster anyway,” Van den Brandt pointed out, noting that it covers the same route in just eight to 12 minutes.

“The Waterbus is useful for tourism development. There are no plans to persuade large numbers of people to use it for daily commuting. That is a completely different model, requiring investment in additional boats and jetties.”

However, “given its tourist-oriented nature”, Van den Brandt is considering integrating Waterbus tickets into museum tickets.

The Waterbus already advertises excursions that include popular tourist destinations and museums such as Belgian Beer World and Train World.

Passenger figures peak in the summer months of July and August and usage is at its lowest in October, its final month of operation.

Last year, the Waterbus carried just under 27,000 passengers, fewer than in 2023 (41,000) and 2024 (46,000).

This decline can be explained, among other things, by the fact that services were reduced in 2025 due to the lack of a Brussels government. For a long time, it was uncertain whether the Waterbus would set sail at all last year.