Belgian railway signalling is the signalling in effect on the Belgian rail network currently operated by Infrabel.
There are in Belgium two types of train movement:
The change from one movement to the other is done by signals (main stop signals) or a written order.
The first movement (which is always executed as minor movement) happens in the following situations:
Within major movement, there are two regimes, linked to bi-directional operation on double track lines:
The most common way of regime change is by the display of a chevron (V-shaped) sign on a main stop sign (single or combined).
In minor movement, all signals are to be obeyed, both those of the left hand track and the right hand; signals controlling only minor movements are placed on the left. In counter-flow operation, some signals (light or otherwise) are specifically dedicated to minor movements and therefore are ignored by the trains travelling in major movement.
The lights are designed and arranged to be visible from a distance (up to two kilometers on a clear day). For this they are equipped with lenses to focus light rays emitted by the bulb, which can be selected and reasonable power. That is why the lights do not seem very intense when viewed from the side while they light up sharply in normal line of vision i.e. in the direction of arrival of the train.
Note that the yellow lights often are orange in reality.
The red aspect requires a halt for both major and minor movements. It can be opened for major movement (green when the track gives access to a mainline, or double yellow in stations) or minor movement (red + white). It gives no information about the aspect of the next signal.
A white number below the main aspect restricts the speed (from the first switch or track junction after the signal).
Above the main aspect, the signal can show a chevron (to change the regime), or a "U" (when the train is led towards a dead end).
It can be mounted on a mast or gantry (above the track).
Warns of the aspect of a following main stop signal: <br /> It can show a green aspect (the next signal is open without restrictions), double yellow (the next signal is at the stop aspect), green-yellow horizontal (the next signal requires a speed reduction) or green-yellow vertical (double warning in the case of a short section between the next signal and the signal after that, which has a red aspect or imposes a speed restriction).
It may also present a yellow number above the signal with the main aspects green-yellow horizontal and green-yellow vertical and thus the speed (in tens of km/h) with respect to the next signal.
Serves as both a stop signal and a warning signal and can therefore, according to the needs of the position, present aspects of both a plain stop signal and a warning signal. This type of signal is the most common one on the mainline network.
It can either be placed at ground level or elevated (on a post).
It is placed on the ground.
An older version of the small stop signal has the appearance of the simplified signal above, but with a purple instead of a red light.
The Completed operations indicator is a system composed of a set of switches (activation) and light signals (display) on platforms of most stations and allows the guard to announce to the driver (conductor) that the procedure for boarding is completed and the train can start.
Where the system is installed, the yellow aspect (or white on older systems) is a prerequisite for the departure of passenger trains.
Additional panels (special triangles, for example) are used to indicate that only certain types of trains are affected: e.g., "HKM" means the sign only concerns freight trains .
Other signals complement the fixed signs:
Since the end of 2025 Belgium is completely covered by ETCS levels 1 Limited Supervision, 1 Full Supervision and 2, with the exception of high speed line 1 to France.
TBL1+ is still used by some older trains but the use of ETCS will be compulsory by the end of 2027.
The TBL1+ system was designed in 2006 by the Belgian subsidiary of the Alstom Transport group. This became the new standard for Belgian signalling, and was deployed on all lines equipped with conventional signalling. The signals are the same as classic ones, but they are combined with automatic train control and cab signalling.
The trigger for developing this system was the Pécrot disaster in March 2001 when two trains collided head-on because a driver had passed a red signal, drawing attention to the fact that on the majority of lines, no system prevented the train from passing a stop signal. It was therefore decided to invest in such a system.
At the time, however, the existing TBL1 system offered this feature of automatic stop at red lights, but only a few main lines were equipped (or approximately 13% of signals). NMBS/SNCB decided therefore to abandon this TBL1 system and modified to make it compatible with the new European ERTMS standard in terms of ground infrastructure, becoming the system TBL1+.