1869 – 1953: from horse tram to trolleybus

The first horse tram in 1869 marks the very beginning of public transport in Brussels. From then on, progress was quick: Five years later, the company “Les Tramways Bruxellois” is created. From1894, they gradually replace horses with electricity. Horses can only work a few hours a day, require great care and are expensive because of their farriers and stable hands. Besides, nobody really appreciates their excrement on the streets... At the same time, Les Tramways Bruxellois also receive a concession to operate the network until 31 December 1945.

1954 – 1959: STIB-MIVB is born

On 1 January 1954, the State of Belgium, the province of Brabant and 21 Brussels communes join “Les Tramways Bruxellois”. STIB-MIVB is created. The government owns half the capital, and the other half belongs to “Les Tramways Bruxellois”. 

In 1955, STIB-MIVB inherits “Les Autobus Bruxellois”. At the time, some 60 tram lines, 1 trolleybus line and 3 bus lines operate the 246-kilometre-long network. As Brussels grows, so does STIB-MIVB: new lines and 60 new buses are added to connect the new peripheral neighbourhoods to the city centre. The World Expo in 1958 also boosts the STIB-MIVB network: it results in new tram stations and separate tram lanes, as well as the first tunnel for trams. 

1960 – 1979: Brussels gets a pre-metro and a metro

To compete with the success of private cars in the 1960s, the city invests in an underground track for trams and metros. Construction begins in 1965. Four years later, King Baudouin cuts the inaugural ribbon of the six first pre-metro stations on the east-west line. On 20 September 1976, crowds gathered for the inauguration of the first metro line in Brussels. This 11 km line, comprising a shared section from De Brouckère to Merode, split into two branches beyond the Parc du Cinquantenaire to serve the south-east (Beaulieu) and north-east (Tomberg) districts. Forty-five trains were commissioned for the occasion.  

And although 40 kilometres of tram tracks disappeared, we continue to invest in new trams and bi-directional vehicles. During this period, we also replace 400 outdated vehicles with 480 brand-new buses. At the same time, we set about automating our services: ticket vending machines and external sales outlets are introduced. In 1978, the State of Belgium acquires the remaining shares of “Les Tramways Bruxellois”: STIB-MIVB is now fully state-owned. After that, we immediately launch a minibus service for people with reduced mobility.

1980 – 1989: the metro is the way to go

The 1980s are the years of disco and metro. Over a nine-year period, the metro network expands all around: new lines are created, and they become longer. 19 new metro stations open their doors. While the metro network grows, the tram network shrinks due to cuts implemented by the State: from 150 to 134 kilometres. However, 1989 brought good news. The institutional reform of January makes the 3 Regions responsible for organising public transport. This means that the Brussels-Capital Region is now free to organise urban and regional transport on its territory as it sees fit.

1990 – 1999: a customer experience to remember

In the 1990s, the STIB-MIVB brand identity is born: an innovative transport company at the service of its travellers and their living environment. We introduce 360 new buses, modernise the tram tracks and experiment with buses running on compressed natural gas. The T2000, the first low-floor trams with large doors and great passenger comfort, are also in it to win it.

During the 1990s, people can recognise STIB-MIVB vehicles by their typical light-yellow colour and letters in a blue rectangle on a red dot. We chose these colours for a reason: yellow and blue are the colours of the Brussels-Capital Region, on whose behalf we have operated public transport since 22 November 1990. At the same time, we work on improving our traveller experience. Trams run much more frequently during peak hours, and dynamic ‘Infodyn’ boards with real-time info on metros and a website are being introduced. The latter includes the mandatory regional reference ‘IRISnet’.

2000 – 2009: STIB-MIVB turns 50

In the 2000s, we lay the foundations of our service as you know it today. We introduce the ​​MOBIB card, the ​​Airport Line, the Noctis ​​night buses, the ​​CHRONO lines, the ​​GO vending machines, etc. All these services give a strong boost to travellers' comfort and accessibility. 

The 2000s are also marked by ‘​​the green switch’. Our fleet becomes much more modern, comfortable and eco-friendly. The new Citaro buses in particular help us to improve the living environment of Brussels residents, with fewer emissions and less noise. By combining this new generation of buses with an eco-friendlier driving style and the largest order of low-floor trams, we can significantly reduce our CO2 emissions in the short term.

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2010 – 2019: the era of eco-awareness, digitalisation, and user-friendliness

Between 2010 and 2019, the number of travellers on our network continues to grow. This is why we are constantly working on a greener, more digital and high-performance network with more vehicles and new tickets and season tickets. As such, hundreds of new trams, metro trains and buses gradually replace their predecessors. New tracks, (extensions of) lines and connections are also introduced so that every Brussels resident can travel on the STIB-MIVB network. A higher frequency allows for shorter waiting times. The new tickets and season tickets enable all travellers to find a ticket that suits their needs. 

At the same time, we also invest in our buildings and vehicles. Many parts of the STIB-MIVB infrastructure have been in use for years and require more than just the occasional coat of paint. We are installing entrance and check-out gates, waiting time displays at stops and an audio announcement system on all trams, metros, and buses. Our digital infrastructure is also being upgraded: the online shop MyBOOTIK, the STIB-MIVB app and Wi-Fi in all stations. 

Last but not least, we are fully committed to innovation and are constantly testing new technologies, such as hydrogen buses, hybrid vehicles and self-driving buses. As a result of successful tests, we order almost 400 new hybrid buses and undertake major steps towards a ​​hybrid and electric fleet. And on 1 May 2019, our tram network celebrates its 150th anniversary!

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2020 – today

We start 2020 with a bang: we are Top Employer for the sixth time in a row! And we are also awarded this certification in the four years that follow. The celebration carries on into 2022, when we blow out an impressive 105 candles: 15 for Noctis, 40 for the Tram Museum and 50 for line 71, the busiest bus line on our network.  

Although some services and products have been successful for years, we are also open to innovation. We therefore invest in creating an even more modern, comfortable, and accessible network. For instance, LED lighting is installed in all stations, and many stations are getting wider platforms and new lifts. At the same time, the fully underground Erasme/Erasmus metro station is being built, and work is starting on the Toots Thielemans station and ​​metro 3. 

Thanks to the addition of new bus, tram and metro lines and new vehicles, your journey is even more smooth and comfortable. The introduction of the Tram New Generation means a staggering 10,000 more seats on the tram network. We are also increasing the capacity of our metro network by 8,000 seats per hour with the arrival of the new M7 metro trains. Meanwhile, turning our network green also entails a number of challenges. We are investing in new electric buses, for which we are equipping our network with charging poles at terminuses and depots and giving extra training to all technical colleagues and drivers. 

The focus is on digital convenience. New ​​GO vending machines are installed on the network, ​​contactless payment by bank card or smart device is introduced as well as a digital ticket via the app. With the ​​Floya multimobility app, you also have all of Brussels mobility in your pocket. To be continued... 

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