Brussels-Luxembourg rail link criticised by Greens

(CS) The Intercity between Brussels and Luxembourg takes around three hours to travel the 220 kilometres between the two cities, the same amount of time as it did in the 1950s.

And, with refurbishments delayed until 2018, the journey is not likely to improve any time soon.

This was the pessimistic outlook of Luxembourg's Green Party, who presented their findings at a press conference in the historical Pavillon Grand-Ducal at the central station.

Their message – when Grand Duchess Charlotte travelled to Brussels after the war, she took the same amount of time as travellers do today.

Delegate Claude Turmes said that according to the CFL, the refurbishment of the rail link between the Belgian capital and Luxembourg, which would have taken some 20 minutes off the journey time, is likely not going to begin until 2018. The works were originally planned to start in 2013.

The Green Party stated that EU subsidies worth 23.5 million euros had been lost due to the delays, prompting fears that the EU might withdraw the full 60 million euro investment proposed.

On the whole, the refurbishment runs at an estimated cost of 600 million euros on the Belgian side of the rail link and 400 million euros for the Luxembourg part.

Green parliamentarian Josée Lorsché said she fears that Luxembourg will only play a bit part in the international city connections. With 35,000 commuters from Belgium and around 10,000 EU officials travelling regularly between the two countries, good links were a necessity.

The Green Party now intends to address minister Claude Wiseler to ensure a better quality service on the line, with trains running on time and wireless services onboard.