Metro 3: project frozen for 10 years, replaced by tram

Government agreement: what changes

The agreement of 12 February 2026 seals the most structural decision for Brussels public transport in decades:

• Metro 3 frozen for 10 years — the project as conceived (Albert — Bordet extension, ~5.2 billion EUR) is suspended
• Replaced by a tram completing the loop of the existing network
• Ongoing construction sites (Constitution, Palais du Midi) are continued
• Tram 15 (Gare du Nord — Tour & Taxis) is maintained

This decision redirects billions of euros in investment from underground metro to surface tramway.

Palais du Midi controversy

The continuation of tunnel works beneath the Palais du Midi (Zuidpaleis) has triggered a sharp controversy. The building is to be largely demolished — only the facades will be preserved — to allow construction of the tram tunnel.

The ARAU association (Atelier de Recherche et d'Action Urbaines) called the decision "urban planning and political nonsense", arguing that the tunnel merely "duplicates the existing tram service".

The Council of State had suspended the demolition permit in December 2025. An engineering report from 10 February 2026 revealed that 90% of the building's floor zones do not meet current load-bearing standards, adding a structural argument to the case.

Inherited context

The Metro 3 project aimed to extend Brussels' north-south metro line, connecting Albert station (Forest) to Bordet (Evere) via the city centre. It was the largest public transport infrastructure project in the Brussels-Capital Region, co-funded by the Region and the federal government through the Beliris cooperation agreement.

The project's cost had ballooned: initial estimates were under 1 billion EUR, later revised to 3.2 billion, before the Court of Audit put the total cost at 4.76 billion EUR — a +477% overrun. The report, which highlighted a 15-year delay and concluded that the project's financial sustainability was "seriously compromised", directly led the negotiators to freeze the project.

What was blocked (June 2024 — February 2026)

In the absence of a fully empowered regional government, major budgetary decisions were frozen:

• New multi-year budget allocations
• Arbitrations on cost overruns related to inflation
• Renegotiation of the terms of the Beliris agreement

Preparatory works continued in part, but phases requiring new financial commitments were blocked.

Progress on the southern section (March 2026)

On 11 March 2026, STIB announced that the structural works of the Toots Thielemans pre-metro station are completed. The structural shell beneath Stalingrad Avenue is finished, but fit-out works (tiling, wall cladding, escalators, fare gates) remain to be carried out.

Immediate consequences:

• The redevelopment of Stalingrad Avenue can begin in autumn 2026 (pedestrian promenades on both sides, permit obtained by the City of Brussels)
• The Toots Thielemans station, paired with the Lemonnier station, will enable the doubling of tracks in the pre-metro tunnel between Gare du Midi and Bourse, increasing service frequency

Missing link (Palais du Midi):

The civil engineering works for the remaining 120 metres of tunnel beneath the Palais du Midi will take a further four years. They could begin in 2027, subject to the rejection of the heritage listing application and the granting of a planning permit for the interior demolition. The building, dating from the 1970s, contains asbestos and does not meet current load-bearing standards (engineering report of 10 February 2026: 90% of floor zones non-compliant).

Sources: VRT NWS, BRUZZ, La Libre (11 March 2026).

Parliamentary hearing: SM Toots consortium (12 March 2026)

On 12 March 2026, engineers from the SM Toots consortium were heard by the Brussels Parliament's special Metro 3 commission. Three officials testified: Geert Versweyveld and Gaëtan Lamaille (management committee) and François-David Jonard (project director).

Key findings:

• The Palais du Midi should have been evacuated much earlier to enable thorough soil investigations. The cellars were partially inaccessible, preventing a full assessment of the underground conditions
• The jet grouting technique (water-cement injection to form watertight walls) proved unsuitable: the soil contained stone deposits and unexpected heterogeneity
• The clay layer was found to be much deeper than anticipated in some locations, requiring piles of 24 metres rather than the initially calculated depth
• The contract was "build only" (execution only): the consortium had to carry out predetermined plans without having participated in the design phase

The consortium defends its choices as "logical" given the available data, but acknowledges that soil information was insufficient at the start of works.

Source: BRUZZ (12 March 2026).

Parliamentary hearing: Mayor of Brussels-City (24 March 2026)

On 24 March 2026, the Mayor of Brussels-City was heard by the Metro 3 inquiry commission of the Brussels Parliament. He joins the list of political leaders already heard as part of this parliamentary inquiry: former regional minister-presidents, former federal ministers and former mayors.

The commission continues its investigation into the financial overruns (+477%, from under 1 billion to 4.76 billion EUR according to the Court of Audit), the inconsistent decision-making process, opaque management and uncertain viability of the project.

During the hearing, the Mayor also announced a partial reopening of the Palais du Midi (Zuidpaleis) for basketball matches from June 2026, despite ongoing tunnel works beneath the building.

Tram works on Stalingrad Avenue continue in preparation for the preliminary operation of the southern section. The missing link (Palais du Midi) — 120 metres of remaining tunnel, four years of civil engineering — could see works begin in 2027, subject to rejection of the heritage listing application.

Sources: DH (23 March 2026), BX1 (24 March 2026).

Issues to monitor

• Conversion: the future of infrastructure already built or under construction for Metro 3 (tunnel, stations) must be defined
• Replacement tram: the route, timeline and budget of the replacement tram are not yet known
• Beliris: the impact on the federal cooperation agreement must be negotiated between the Region and the federal government
• Northern mobility: the northern Brussels municipalities (Schaerbeek, Evere) that were expecting the metro will need to be served differently
• Budget: the savings from Metro 3 could be reallocated to other regional priorities