Belgian royal railway history: marking 100 years of NMBS/SNCB
In Belgium, trains are such a familiar part of everyday life that we rarely stop to think about the history travelling with us. We take the train to work, to school, for a day out or perhaps to begin a journey abroad. Yet those railway tracks tell a story stretching back almost two centuries. And in 2026, there is an extra reason to look back. The National Railway Company of Belgium, better known as NMBS/SNCB, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. For me, this anniversary has a personal connection too. I am an avid train traveller myself and whenever possible, I love discovering places by rail. But there is another reason why this anniversary deserves a place on All About Royal Families: Belgian railway history also has a fascinating royal side. A century on the rails Belgium has always been a railway pioneer. As early as 1835, the first public railway on the European continent connected Brussels with Mechelen. The NMBS/SNCF itself was established in 1926, taking over the railway lines...
