Mobility: Pairi Daiza Invests in New Train Station Project
(f.l.t.r.): Benoit Gilson (CEO Infrabel), François Desquesnes (Minister for Mobility, Wallonia), Éric Domb (President & Founder Pairi Daiza), Sophie Dutordoir (CEO SNCB) & Jean-Luc Crucke (Minister of Mobility, Belgium). Photo: Pairi Daiza
© Benjamin Brolet
(eap) With more than 2.6 million visitors per year, Pairi Daiza – located in the municipality of Brugelette (Hainaut Province) – ranks among the most visited zoological facilities in Belgium. In order to optimize its connection to the national rail network and make train travel more convenient for both visitors and staff, the zoo, in cooperation with infrastructure company Infrabel and SNCB (National Railway Company of Belgium), has launched a major redevelopment project for the nearby Cambron-Casteau railway station. Until now, visitors arriving by train have had to walk a distance of 1.2 kilometres – about 15 minutes on foot – from the station, which lies along the Ath–Jurbise railway line, to reach the park’s entrance. This situation is set to change, as the complete reconstruction of the station is planned to take place between 2026 and 2028.
As part of the project, the platforms are to be shifted 320 metres towards Jurbise and extended by around 20 metres to accommodate a higher number of passengers in the future. In addition, a 3-metre-wide and 2.5-metre-high underpass is planned, connecting the platforms and equipped with stairs and ramps (for persons with reduced mobility). Furthermore, Pairi Daiza will create a second entrance on the southern side of the park, located less than 150 metres from the underpass.
The overall investment volume of the redevelopment project amounts to 4.8 million euros – of which Infrabel will contribute 2.6 million euros for the platform relocation and underpass construction, SNCB will invest 1.8 million euros for total station equipment, and the zoo itself will contribute 400,000 euros. Pairi Daiza also plans to invest an additional ten million euros in the construction of the new park entrance. A building permit for the project was submitted in October. The aim of the infrastructure measure is to promote the use of environmentally friendly modes of transport and to increase both station and train capacity utilization. ■
