Métro Léger de Charleroi | Ugliest metro in the world | Grand travail inutile | Premetro | Belgium

[@questionmark3219]

Charleroi for some reason gives me the vibe of a North American city that lost all it's glory.

[@imaginox9]

It's exactly that. Just like the "rust belt" cities in the USA, Charleroi was once the center of the coal mining industry. The two world wars already damaged some of it but the final nail in the coffin was when the coal mining industry closed in the 60's. Since then this city has become poorer and poorer and is now often joked about in Belgium as the country's "most depressing city".

[@speedzero7478]

Liège too

[@cardenasr.2898]

It's like a Belgian Detroit eh, the industrial decay but on a European landscape

[@Drago1995]

it's called the Detroit of Belgium for a reason

[@tfoudrare]

I was about to comment the same thing lmao​@@Drago1995

[@imaginox9]

This system is in a better shape than in 1991 when the vicinal trams company closed and the TEC herited from it. Basically the vicinals refused to invest anything in Charleroi after around 1985. And yes that meant not even maintaining the trams that were then brand new (they were put into service between 1980 and 82, some went to the Belgian Coast Tram, others to Charleroi). When the TEC was formed and took over the service, they managed to restore about 15 trams rusting in some sidings, but that also meant they couldn't form multiple units as the trams were all rewired differently. They also managed to open 2 of the 3 never opened lines. After 30 years of restoring the system to at least a functioning state, funding from the EU and the construction of a new hospital near the last never opened line finally started the work needed to restore that last line. And Alstom is completely rebuilding the 1980's BN tram from scratch basically (since this tram have a very unique loading gauge and any change would make the tram not be able to pass some spots). Although the new design choice by Alstom isn't very good looking, this and the new line will still finally bring some life back in this system. Personnally I think this tram network is quite bad looking and you can feel very insecure in those stations, especially when you know that Charleroi is one of the cities with the highest crime rate in Belgium. It is in great need for those improvements.

[@filipetpilif]

Salut🤣🤣🤣🤣XD

[@imaginox9]

@@filipetpilif Salut ^^

[@michaelpoole587]

I find it very interesting. I like the potential to extend and open the line to the new Hospital .Stayed at the Ibis by the Station last time

[@valerylegasov86]

Wow that's depressing. Tho you have to say, some stations look atleast ok or have an interesting design. But seeing this low ridership and single car trains with station platforms six times the length of it...

[@Frahamen]

they have to sell their marketing as "ugliest city in the world"

[@nielsleenknegt5839]

aparently thats due to when TEC took over from MIVB in 91, Multiple trams were left out to rust due to no maintenance since '85 (the first prototype of this tram was delivered in 1980!) and they had to fix each tram is some different way. I know didly scot about theese, its just what i read in the comments here

[@OpenbaarVervoer2D]

That diamond crossing in the tunnel is kinda cool.

[@troll2161]

Compare this to ,for example, the stadtbahn system of Bielefeld in Germany (which is also a relatively small city). That's a night and day difference.

[@saptarshichowdhury9138]

Bielefeld has one of the best rolling stock i have ever seen

[@homesinternational8015]

Exactly ! Same population size, equally un-touristic industrial cities (except a much higher employment rate in Bielefeld), roughly same amount of lines, same gauge, same principle of tunnels under city centre,... But the Bielefeld stadtbahn is lightyears ahead.

[@Rizzyonroblox]

Such a smooth turn 1:27

[@stogieguy7]

1) Belgium is an awesome country with pretty blah railway infrastructure to begin with (with a couple of notable exceptions); 2) I believe that most of this system dates from the 1970’s, which is the ugliest decade in the history of architecture; 3) Charleroi is one of western Europe’s most distressed cities so they’re obviously struggling to make improvements. At least it’s not dangerous as some US systems are.

[@Je_Existe]

I prefer the 70s architecture than today’s architecture which is more uglier. Today’s architecture look so bad and it looks very depressing. 70s and 80s architecture looks very beautiful.

[@cardenasr.2898]

I agree with the 70's architecture point, it's awful around the world. Lots of concrete and square shapes, I call it the "shoe box architecture"

[@leonpaelinck]

Belgium used to have one of the most extensive rail network in the world. Today the rail network is still surprisingly dense compared to neighboring countries. Even though it's a shell of it's former self...

[@patrickscott838]

I don't think this is ugly at all, I like it!

[@qui585]

Same I live at Charleroi

[@vselenautika]

@@qui585 I was there last week :)

[@ijsselstadt]

It once was a great tramwaynetwork which I had the pleasure of riding in the early 80's, then the industry closed and this metro came...

[@leonpaelinck]

It's not even a real metro...

[@QuarioQuario54321]

If this was a proper metro would would there be more coverage and standard gauge tracks? Did they plan on this being pre metro to eventually become a true metro?

[@imaginox9]

No this one was planned as a German-style "Stadtbahn" system. It used the same meter gauge tracks and trams as the vicinal tram network (a once nationwide interurban tram network, nowadays only the Belgian Coast Tram and the Charleroi Light Metro remain of it). The thing is that this system was built in one of those cities that were once rich industrial cities then these industries (mining in the case of Charleroi) closed and the city went from rich to poor very quickly

[@homesinternational8015]

putting "plan" in a question about Belgium kinda gives you the answer :D

[@leonpaelinck]

Not this one I thinkg. The pré-metros in Antwerp and Brussels were built to be converted to a proper metro. But the one in antwerp will probably never be converted

[@alexben3397]

My nephew loves this tramway and the landscapes surroundings ❤ it’s absolutely not depressing it’s just an old industrial city still living

[@trainluvr]

I hope he sees my presentation of the metro in a more positive light, though this video too is well done.

[@buzzukfiftythree]

At least Charleroi has a tram system still. In the UK most urban tram tracks were ripped up in the 1930s onwards. Some systems (Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield etc.) have been built or rebuilt since, but few smaller cities or towns have them now. In the Medway Towns in Kent (population in excess of 200,000) where I grew up and lived until about 15 years ago, there was once a fairly extensive tram network. But it was destroyed prior to World War 2. Now the place is clogged up with cars and smelly diesel buses.

[@leonpaelinck]

Belgium once had once of the greatest rail network in the world. Both local (buurtspoorwegen) and intercity. Almost all of its trams are torn down and the rail line is a shell of its former self...

[@nielsleenknegt5839]

@@leonpaelinckindeed: and if it not were for some oilcrisis in the mid 70's, we wouldn't be talking about this railnetwork either. They would have thorn out the coastal tram by the sea most likely and the BN's never would have been build. (Politics at the time ment that any investment for flanders must be counterd by the same investment (money wise) for wallonie)

[@theamesingfgyh]

Welkom in charloroi waar wij een metro bouwen omdat het kan

[@GarudaLeader]

Wallonië is zo arm geworden dat ze niet eens normale infrastructuur kunnen betalen en charloroi is zo leeg omdat veel mensen Zijn verhuisd naar Vlaanderen omdat de infrastructuur en de omstandigheden beter zijn daar.

[@leonpaelinck]

Het is niet eens een metro. het is een tram met extra stappen...

[@JaapFilius]

It looks sad....especially the pre-metro stations. But at the moment signs are sort of in the good direction: some station are being refurbished, a line M5 is to be opened in reasonable time and the almost 40 years old trams, which are giving a very smooth ride, are undergoing a renovation so they can run at least 5-10 more years. Time will tell if this all is enough to safe the system in the future.

[@luckerhdd3929]

We should really start separating the words "ugly" and "neglected". Just because we let something fall into disrepair doesn't make it ugly.

[@geralddemeulemeester4961]

They are working before the train station so the tramways don't turn around the city center till next year. They are turning back in station Vilette and station Tirou on the other side. By the way, all the tramways will be refurbished one by one in the coming months.

[@speedzero7478]

This is similar to Liège, where the steel mill closed. It makes me sad to see, these industrial regions laid to waste, I wish there was a way to get them up and running again, bring the wealth back in.

[@dirkbaeke2935]

In january 2025 the tram is back in Liége, passing the main station of Liége Guillemins

[@saptarshichowdhury9138]

I think is quite good compared to something like the vologograd and Philadelphia premetro/metotrams

[@asdsdjfasdjxajiosdqw8791]

Oh, yeah, it's still way better than most North American systems. Although NA's public transport is so atrocious or non existent that that's obviously not saying much.

[@Clavichordist]

@@asdsdjfasdjxajiosdqw8791 I live 50 km north of Boston and used to ride that system often. The city once had an extensive system that was cut back due to temporary "cost-cutting" measures which meant the lines were never to return. Even when lines were left intact with a promise to return, this hasn't been the case. In the 1980s, two lines were mothballed, the tracks were maintained, the catenary upgraded, and so was the signaling system just like the rest of the system. The lines sat idle with promises of service to return soon(tm). Eventually, people got tired of waiting, and the management fought back in court. The transit authority kept stalling against the restoration because the management was in favor of buses and soon NIMBYs also came out in favor of buses instead of the trams. There were accusations of payoffs by the management to fight against the restoration which proved true later, but sadly after the court ruled in favor of the management who couldn't wait to rip up the tracks and everything else. Today, the streets are clogged with traffic and the people get stinky buses that breakdown.

[@VoilaBarti]

I think you’re exaggerating, it’s not that ugly and definitely not the ugliest in the world

[@ijsselstadt]

In the end the result of 'Waffle iron policy' between Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels

[@aufstiegundfall]

That's a lil uncool to coin it the ugliest network They are not very affluent but had and still have good intentions to make public transit available to the people and with the advent of the extensions are making the most out of a difficult situation

[@ijsselstadt]

Nope, Belgium build An underground tram in Antwerp so the same amount of money needed to be spend in Charleroi. It was about equal investment, not about the riders (most stations were build pretty far from the residents, where the tramroutes they replaced drove along the frontdoors. (Belgium is a funny country)

[@lv5272]

What is the difficult situation? They could have not neglected it 🤣. Just keep it nice. And up to date. But they decided not to do that!

[@wietzebraem]

toppie !! daar reden er was oude kusttrams die eerst reden aan de Belgische kust en dan naar Charleroi gingen , top!! there were old coastal trams that first drove on the Belgian coast and then went to Charleroi

[@Je_Existe]

I love the stations especially the underground ones! And the BN LRVs too

[@joev53]

BN LRV 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@huxleypiguk]

There is an English word for how this looks - grim! It is good to see some effort has been made at some stations but the whole thing needs some work. Everything just looks dated.

[@SuperUnbenannt]

Well, many things come together when you talk about Charleroi and its infrastructure. In general, the city suffered and still suffers from false decisions, political arguments and economic decline. For example: waffle iron politics made Wallonia build infrastructure in and around Charleroi, that is does not even need - for example the R9 highway ring road around the city, but also the metro stations that sometimes are so far away from buildings and neighborhoods, that nobody uses it - as you can see. There are some exceptions like the relatively newly built M3 service to Gosselies-Faubourg, following the Main Street from Charleroi to Gosselies. But yeah, it's an infrastructure for a million-metropole city with old, edgy, mini-trams that appear "lost" in this heavy beton viaducts and bridges. They might have thought in the 60s and early 70s that the City is about to shine due to the success of coal and steel industry - but this was not true, as we know now. The results: 25 % rate of unemployment, environment and skyline-destroying oversized viaducts and an entirely ugly, dirty city. But hey, at least there is Rive Gauche now...

[@cardenasr.2898]

What does "Rive Gauche" mean in Belgium? Is it a slang for left-wing politics?

[@SuperUnbenannt]

@@cardenasr.2898 no, its actually a shopping mall, so literally the opposite of left wing politics 😂 Rive Gauche practically means “left bank of the river” which is the Sambre river in this case.

[@KingHayabusa384]

That first station looked like it was abandoned.

[@Sgmm36]

Mooie video 👍

[@shckg]

Damn, the rails are loud!!!

[@tfoudrare]

0:27 of course the escalator doesn't work

[@michaelpoole587]

Not true, cars with one person on average in each vehicle taking up vast amounts of space are far more ugly

[@Rizzyonroblox]

I agree I don’t like it like that

[@lavillenouvelle]

The only metro that closes at 7pm.

[@trains4248]

Finnely someone kan make en nice video of charleroi metro

[@TheMexxodus]

Charleroi where they 'M' stands for 'Misère' instead of 'Metroline'. One positive: the TEC livry colours is much more attractive and vibrant than the dull almost colourless white-black-grey-yellow of De Lijn.

[@bradcapello6875]

🤨

[@tommycscat]

This is the system with the infamous line M5 that is just about fully built, but never opened. The stations on that line "Chét" and "Pensée" are actually accessible to anyone willing to take the risk of urban exploring. These are fully built, then immediately abandoned stations with platforms, escalators, and even signage in a few spots. Apparently line M5 is supposed to be touched up and opened by 2026. Unsurprisingly, work hasn't started yet, so we'll see... It's odd that the line was even rescheduled for opening again given that the city's population is still declining. Bonus points for anyone that looks up another of this system's oddities. On the east side of the system, (line M4 and the ghost line M5) the tracks switch. Look up why for another laugh, lol 😂

[@nielsleenknegt5839]

Apparently there is a new hospital being build near the old M5, or so ive read here

[@SLVR03M]

Cool

[@jimmytraveller2970]

Looks Nicer than a lot of American System's

[@ThePianoBoy_]

The jingle😍

[@thevoid5503]

Hello, Charleroi ? The 1980s called. They want their urban decay back.

[@matthewsmith9624]

I think this is called brutalist!

[@hape635]

Immernoch dieses schnelle zoomen,wo einem schwindelig wird 👎

[@SkylarPurefallSSO19]

My Godmother lives in Charleroi, some stations are really depressed of the metro and the train stations, I'm lucky I don't have to take the metro when I go to my Godmother.

[@Фёдор-м6к]

и тут я понял,что Кривой Рог не безнадёжен....

[@MrJuju06700]

Certaines stations sont vraiment pourries et j'espère que depuis la vidéo ils ont fait des efforts sur les escalators

[@mamasoukieyendiaye2799]

Smart people should work for the city i can live without them

[@tatiananichiforov2869]

En dire un tram

[@lv5272]

The titel is true. This "metro" system is terrible. They have built it... and neglected it! And I can say that. Because I was there.

[@ijsselstadt]

They did not even finish it (as in: they build several lines to near completion in the mid-80's but at that moment not opened them and left them as they where. Some are opened now, others are not yet)

[@imaginox9]

@@ijsselstadt The last ghost line will open, Charleroi got benefit from EU investment and that's their top priority with this new money source

[@fanchette122]

Bienvenue à Chicago sur sambre

[@icefahrer]

The hole City of Charleroi is so uglie...😵

[@homesinternational8015]

FAKE, this was actually filmed in Mariupol after the Russian invasion

[@user-xl2rp8eq7t]

une ville socialiste quoi

[@imaginox9]

Sans vouloir être méchant, Bruxelles aussi est socialiste et a bien mieux réussi. Et Anvers est de droite et est la poubelle de la Flandre, le Charleroi flamand. Le truc avec Charleroi, c'est que c'était une ville dédiée à l'industrie du charbon et que dès que tout ça a fermé, ils se sont bien cassés la gueule

[@egyptiendeter6097]

@@imaginox9 Pourquoi Anvers la poubelle de la Flandres ?

[@imaginox9]

@@egyptiendeter6097 La criminalité qui est assez élevée, avec des attaques à la grenade dans des boutiques par exemple

[@egyptiendeter6097]

@@imaginox9 m’ouais ok après parler de poubelle de la Flandre je trouve le terme un peu fort

[@imaginox9]

@@egyptiendeter6097 Comparé à d'autres villes flamandes comme Gand, Hasselt, Bruges ou Ostende (ou même à d'autres villes du pays à part Charleroi ou certaines communes bruxelloises) oui c'est un peu la poubelle de la Flandre