Validate with MOBIB

What is a validator?

A validator is a machine which validates your MOBIB card. This machine allows you also to consult the remaining balance and the validity of your transport tickets on your MOBIB card. The validators are located at the entry of each metro station, at the gates and on each bus and tram.

What is a connection?

For STIB, a connection is a change of line / vehicle within the hour of the first validation. No new journey will be taken into account within this hour. As soon as the hour has passed, the validation is considered as a new journey and one journey will be taken into account.

Why validate my MOBIB card every time?

To activate your transport ticket and be allowed to travel on the STIB network. Don't forget to validate your MOBIB card!

If you do not validate your card but have a valid season ticket, you could get an administrative fine. If there is no valid season ticket on the MOBIB card, the basic tariffs in terms of infractions will be applied.

Thus, validating your MOBIB card has a big advantage: it allows us to collect very reliable and precise data about the passengers fluxes, without this data being linked to the identity of the traveller. Moreover, we can adapt our offer and improve the timetables and connections, use bigger vehicles where it is necessary, etc.

The MOBIB card also opens the gates in the (pre)metro stations.

How do I have to validate my MOBIB card?

1. It is very simple: hold your card in front of the validator.
2. Your card is validated when you hear a bip, when a “√” appears on the screen of the validator and when the green light lights up. > Listen to the validation bip
3. If your card is not validated, a symbol "no entry" or a cross on a red font appears on the screen and the red light lights up.
   > Listen to the non-validation bip
4. In case of connection, hold your card again in front of the validator. The validator will then make a different bip as the one for the validation. The mention “Connection” appears on the screen.
   > Listen to the connection bip
5. If the validity of your transport ticket almost comes to an end, the validator will make a different bip. Moreover, the green light lights up longer. The number of remaining days or journeys of the transport contract appears also on the screen
   > Listen to the "warning" bip
• For season tickets, the validator makes a bip when there are only 5 days left before the expiry date.
• For the 10 journey cards, the validator makes a bip when there are only 3 valid journeys left.
• For the tickets 24h, the validator makes a bip when there are only 3 hours left before the expiry date.

Example 1: I have purchased a monthly season ticket which ends on 25 April. When I validate my season ticket as from 21 April, the validator will make an "end validity" bip.

Example 2: I have purchased a ticket 24h which ends at 10 PM. From 7 PM onwards and at each validation, the validator will make an "end validity date" bip.

You do not have to take your MOBIB card out of your wallet or (side pocket of) your purse to validate it. Hold your MOBIB card in front of the validation zone, which you will recognize with the big |O| in the middle. You do not have to put your ticket in the validating machine. You immediately hear a bip and see a green light confirming the validation of your MOBIB card. In order to validate easily, hold your card in front of the validator (moving or rubbing or even "folding" it against the validator would only have the opposite effect) and wait until the card is validated.

Therefore, do not forget to validate your MOBIB card when you board a tram or bus or enter a metro station even if you are connecting. In some metro stations, you also need to validate when you leave the station.

Not validating your MOBIB card is considered an infraction.

How can I validate for several people?

How can you validate your MOBIB card for yourself and the people travelling with you?

1. Hold your card in front of the validator to validate your own journey.
2. Your card is validated when you hear a bip, when a “v” appears on the screen of the validator and when the green light lights up.
3. Repeat step 1 and 2 according to the number of people accompanying you.
4. Repeat this action at each connection.

You should thus load a transport ticket of one or more journeys on your card beforehand for the people accompanying you. U must be in possession of your MOBIB card (Perso or Basic) and the people travelling with you should stay with you during the entire journey.

At each connection, this action should be repeated according to the number of persons.

Therefore, do not forget to validate your MOBIB card when you board a tram or bus or enter a metro station even if you are connecting.

Which ticket is validated first?

If you have loaded several transport tickets on your card which are prioritized as follows:

1. In the case of a transfer, the already validated transport ticket, if still within the valid period.
2. Brupass XL- or Brupass season ticket (If both season tickets are valid on the same card, the subscription that expires first will be validated first)
3. STIB-MIVB season ticket
4. Brupass 1 day
5. MIVB 75 journeys
6. Brupass XL 10 journeys
7. Brupass XL 1 journey
8. Brupass 10 journeys
9. Brupass 1 journey

Example : If you have a BRUPASS XL 10 journeys and BRUPASS 10 journeys on your card, BRUPASS XL 10 journeys will be validated first.

If the user immediately validates again, STIB considers this to be a trip for an additional traveler and an extra trip will be validated.

For journeys departing from Zaventem (Brussels Airport) to Brussels, when the user presents his/her MOBIB card at a STIB validator, the validator will automatically select and validate the ticket in the following order of priority :

1. Airport line season ticket
2. Airport2City 10 trips
3. Airport2City 1 trip

The validator does not work?

If a validator does not work, please find another validator. All vehicles and stations are equipped with several MOBIB validators.