Today, 04 May 2026, De Lijn starts the renovation of the Antwerp pre-metro tunnels. The oldest section of the tunnel dates back to March 1975, making it 51 years old and well overdue for a major overhaul.

So what exactly is happening underground? The tunnel is being completely stripped back to its bare structure. Fire-resistant coatings will be removed, 6000 cubic metres of ballast evacuated, and 6 kilometres of existing track broken out.

Once cleared, the tunnel will receive 2,250 cubic metres of new concrete, 6 kilometres of new track and 6 kilometres of new overhead lines. De Lijn has chosen to replace the existing ballast bed with a concrete slab track, a method that offers clear advantages in terms of maintenance and durability for decades to come. The result will be a tunnel that is safer, more reliable, and significantly easier to maintain.

This is exactly the kind of real-world challenge that the ITA World Tunnel Congress 2027 is all about. Asset management. Tunnel renovation. Urban mobility. Societal impact. It is all happening right here, beneath the streets of Antwerp.

In April 2027, the global tunnelling community will come to Antwerp. This renovation is targeted to be complete by then, and delegates will have a unique opportunity to see the results with their own eyes.

⏰Abstract submission deadline 24 May 2026 23:59 CEST

Photo credit: Erwin Joris