SNCB M4 Review: The Old-School Peak Train!

[@benjaminfinck2477]

In 1st class, it's really comfortable. I take these kind of train almost every day. I love it. So charming and relaxing in 1st class.

[@benjamintery7847]

Glad to see European trip reports again! Great job Benjamin, awesome video. Stay safe :)

[@youri2451]

Coming from the Netherlands myself, I have to say that I personally love the stations in Brussels more than in my own country. While in NL these are all refurbished, modern and quite boring, in Brussels they still have some sort of old-school train vibe.

[@GoogleGebruiker]

Amsterdam, Maastricht, Enschede are all old school stations...

[@youri2451]

@@GoogleGebruiker True, of course, there are exceptions

[@jarmodebeus5602]

Vergeet haarlem niet

[@denjo3131]

Ik ben van België, en eerlijk, om vele stations schaam ik me. Ik hou wel van Brussel Zuid, maar meer het leven. Perrons mogen dringend aangepakt worden, volledige overkapping etc. En dan andere middelgrote stations zoals Dendermonde en Denderleeuw, schandalig. Maar ook Gent-Sint-Pieters, wat ze daar aan het uitspoken zijn is eigenlijk een aanslag op erfgoed, de overkapping gaat in 2 stijlen zijn. Er zijn nog veel werkpunten. Andere stations zoals Mechelen, daar lukt het om 1 of andere reden wel (420 miljoen in totaal voor het project), ze hadden beter iets soberder gedaan, en meer aandacht in andere grotere stations gestoken. Een paar stations lopen met de eer weg, wss veel politieke invloed... Anderen zoals Ottignies zijn de dupe, terwijl ze nochtans meer reizigers verwerken. Idem Mons, 324 miljoen euro al, 12 miljoen meer dan Luik, terwijl er andere grotere stations meer nood hebben aan zelfs eenvoudige modernisering. Ik zou zeggen, krijg eerst de basis in alle stations (perron op 76cm, verhard en degelijk verlicht met modernere schuilhuisjes, ook rolstoelvriendelijkere toegangen en veilige gebruiksvriendelijke tunnels/doorgangen naar perrons en degelijke droge fietsenstalling) op een degelijk niveau, en doe dan verder met de monumenten. Als steden dan een monumentaal station willen zolang niet elke station een degelijke standaard heeft, moeten ze zelf maar betalen. Je helpt er meer mensen mee door alle kleinere stations aan te pakken en comfortabel te maken, dan alleen maar een paar megaprojecten die het merendeel van de budgetten opslorpen.

[@Bananaman-hk6qw]

Isn't modern stations a good thing?...?

[@larsmees4952]

I've been waiting so long for a good video of these coaches. I love the mirrors inside they create a real relaxing atmosphere imo!

[@denjo3131]

That's the reason they're called 'de spiegeltrein' (the mirror train)

[@sanderrobenek]

As a SNCB/NMBS train conductor i like them more than M5’s sad that they are gone soon. But M7 is much better and more luxury like an airplane :). As you can see it was a IC train but at Peak hour, they drive with M6 aswell on this line. The I11 at Namur came from Luxemburg. Good review and you’re always welcome onboard! 😄

[@tonguepiercing]

Just some extra information : - part of the Brussels south station has still not been renovated. But with the building of a new Belgian railways headquarters, this is finally being planned now. - the Brussels north station is indeed not a grant station, but the recently finished renovations ‘downstairs’ are quite nice - the line from Brussels to (halfway) Namur is being upgraded with 2 central tracks for through traffic at higher speeds, and 2 external tracks for the commuter network (the S network) - the facing seats are nice ... we should all communicate more with our fellow travellers - 2 thirds of Flanders is quite flat, amd 1 third of Wallonia. The rest is hilly, but generally < 600m high

[@truckerallikatuk]

Brussels Nord has some nice Art Deco style features that definitely should be kept. And yes, the South East (aka the Ardennes) are very hilly, especially near Luxembourg.

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

- Brussels south is a joke. Very confusing to use and old and new parts dont look good together. The new headquarters is also a very silly idea. Why not just throw out some bureaucrats. Trust me, they have enough space. Way back when, they had much less space and almost double the network. No problems then. The SNCB has a habit of spending money for unnecasairy things and not spending it where it would matter. - Brussels north (old main building) is very nice. The new one is horendous and the platforms look... Like they need some attention. - From Brussels to Ottignies isn't getting 2 extra track. SNCB decided that's too expensive after all. - Indeed. The old AM66 to 72 still have them. So lucky they still run between Verviers and Liege. - Flanders is very flat, wallonia not at all. Maybe that's why people in Wallonia are so lazy ;) Greetings from Liege :P

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

@@truckerallikatuk Liege to Gouvy is a very nice route. Goes through the valleys. Takes forever tough.

[@shirou9790]

@@cmrd_hdcrb Brussels to Ottignies is definitely getting 2 extra tracks (eventually), it's going slow admittedly but it's definitely not stopped (source: I commute on this line quite a bit and I can see what's being done).

[@TreinSpotterJessey]

I have traveled first and second class M4. Wasnt dissapointed, genuinely the best train i have ever traveled with.

[@spottingbe3154]

What's an honor to have a video of a trip in Belgium !

[@Brettski_1234]

Great staff makes the trip better and more enjoyable. We have great conductors on V/Line, my local and the regional train operator in Victoria, Australia

[@denjo3131]

The desiro's are quit good for local trains who stops very often (they ride pretty soft/quiet and accelerates very good, there are also some outlets). Bet they're less reliable unfortunately. Also, it would be nice if they separated first class on the desiro's with a door, and if there was a second toilet.

[@petercameleon356]

Classic EMUs are more comfortable that the desiros. There is a shelf and a larger bin than in the Desireos at each row of seats and there is one toilet per car versus a self-propelled toilet for the Desireo. There is no power outlet but as some travelers put the sound of the music or the movie so loud to the point of hearing at the other end of the cach, it is a bad thing for a good given the lack of respect of some travelers vis-à-vis other travelers.

[@denjo3131]

@@petercameleon356 An sich, I have no problems with Desiro's, they are ideal as lightrail around cities/hop on-hop off, with higher capacity/more seats. Problem is that sometimes they use the desiro's as IC, for what they're not build. Often people complain that the seats are bad, ok they aren't the best, but there are much worser seats on other trains (and most of the seats aren't face to face, very much people love this more). On each train you can have very loud people, it' s not only the problem with Desiro's. And as I said, there is only one (very wheelchair-friendly!) toilet. Better would be if the build a second smaller one. You have also more information on these trains about what the next stops are, delays, on which track you have a connection... And yes, the Desiro isn't the best train at all, but it isn't also that bad as some people say. It's ideal as a P/S-train. The train that I hate the most in Belgium is MW41.

[@petercameleon356]

@@denjo3131 It's my opinion, not the opinion of a person, i travel in this train and i make my opinion on this train, if i hate this train i don't say that i like the train when i don't like the train The desiro are not an ideal train as well for an IC, S, L, and P train. In Belgium, a P train is similar to an IC train between Brussels and the big regional town. The desiros are uncomfortable, no bins in each row of seats and when there are bins too small (there is a larger bin near the doors, but you risk having your personal effects stolen) , no power outlet in each row of seat, no shelf in each row of seat and when there are shelves are too small, a toilet by self-propelled instead of them by self-propelled for classic amps and sometimes we has back pain due to insufficient seat and probably uncomfortable due to its structure / design. A L train insuring in desiro is likely to take over passengers from an IC train, when the IC train is delayed or cancelled and there is no difference between those for the RER and those for insuring L trains in replacement of classic AMs. More place but less comfort, classic AMs are much more comfortable even on an IC train, and AM 86s which are built to provide service with many stops are more comfortable. AR/MW41 are also more comfortable that desiro. Information about the delays, track, connection is avalaible on the NMBS/SNCB app, also track can be change at the last minute or second, the screen above the corridor is sufficient to announce the next stops.

[@MrSvenovitch]

@@petercameleon356 These trains are fit for cattle basically, and even then. I wish them an extremely short life span.

[@daninio5004]

@@petercameleon356 MW41 more comfortable? They shake when they're stationairy in the stations, they're loud and unreliable... It's time they electrify all passenger lines and get rid of the Dieseltrains 🙊

[@TheA.K.]

Thanks for another great video and sharing your passion with the rest of us!

[@darrenchin_]

great work, Benjamin

[@juliendefreyne1942]

Trop beau train il est magnifique beau modèle M4 merci simpli railway pour ce voyage

[@denjo3131]

In Brussel there is one more beautiful and bigger railway station: Schaarbeek.

[@johansilwouden3403]

Which is also next to the beautifull Belgian railwaymuseum Trainworld!

[@denjo3131]

@@johansilwouden3403 Indeed 😀

[@daanriderrr164]

But also full of drugs.. watch your step there

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

​@@daanriderrr164 Walked once from Schaerbeek to Midi at 1 am. Not doing that again. On a side note: How on earth has Schaerbeek 13 Satation tracks? Like really? At least it looks nice :D

[@rientie4266]

@@cmrd_hdcrb If the North-South corridor is clogged up a lot of trains get redirected to Schaerbeek to pass the North-South corridor via another route

[@frhypeforfreedom]

...even after so long - I still like these ones!

[@pega17pl]

(6:35) The ergonomoic bead above the bench supports the lower backbone. Very comfortable for longer trips. - Greetings, Heinz

[@anonomia5535]

The Desiro trains are actually the most reliable trains currently. There were some startup problems, but those have been resolved now. They aren't too bad, I'd say, but are used too often on long journeys, for which they aren't made.

[@Hans-gb4mv]

glorified trams. That's what they are. Unfit for long journeys

[@anonomia5535]

@@Hans-gb4mv Agree, but besides the Oostende-Antwerpen and Charleroi-Antwerpen lines, they aren't generally used on true intercity connections anyway. Many so-called intercity routes in Belgium aren't really proper intercity routes, as you might know. And I find these Desiro trains quite fine for such

[@daninio5004]

@@Hans-gb4mv That should not be a bad thing... I use the Desiro often on the S-net around Brussels... Easy hop on and off, they accelerate and brake quickly and relatively quiet and comfort isn't a real problem when you're just a few minutes on them... But indeed... They should not be used on IC lines, but that should be solved once more M7's get delivered

[@MozzaBurger88]

The AM08/Desiro are/were meant to replace the old AM66 EMU used on omnibus routes that are still rolling to this day. Never as an InterCity rolling stock. Seats are narrow and not super comfy. On the other hand they're very easy to operate, they're quite obscenely powerful, great for short hops. They have AC, better accessibility, room for bikes, etc. They had lots of infancy issues but those are mostly gone. It's all computerized so there are a lot less possibilities to "work around" a pneumatic or electrical issue compared to older primitive equipment. But they don't normally have major issues. Certainly no overheating issues like HLE 21/27s are prone to these days 😅

[@Ksandur]

Actually not just as a P service. The M4 carriages are uses very frequently on IC lines between Charleroi and Antwerp

[@tecmons]

And the saturdays, you can see that also on some IC Brussels Airport Mons :)

[@jommegoovaerts9606]

Also between Gent-Sint-Pieters and Tongeren!

[@Hans-gb4mv]

Yes, many IC relations see the M4 being used. And we also won't see them completely disappear after this year. It will take years for M7 deliveries to replace these and even then I wouldn't be surprised they keep them running just to expand capacity.

[@Ksandur]

​@@Hans-gb4mv The M7s are destined to take over the i11's between Oostende and Eupen. That's why they are rated for 200mk/h. The i10 and i11s are then destined to replace the old stock, and the M4s. They told me they are aiming to have at least 50% of their old rolling stock retired by 2024, but that was before the pandemic offcourse.

[@Hans-gb4mv]

The M7 is part of a plan to get rid of a lot of old stock from the 70s and 80s including the M4 and M5. While they might replace I10, it will most likely be to phase out those coaches over time as well. No point in replacing an M4 with an I10 as they are of similar age and offer far less seating. When all M7s are delivered, they might actually replace everything up to the MS86 as well, including the MS80 break.

[@rezaalan3991]

Woahh full of classic. Liege Guilemins is beautiful modern station.

[@sebastienvoyer2824]

T'es video son magnifiques continues à nous faire rêver

[@danyy1923]

Great video! Very beautiful and interesting!! Greetings from Roumania!

[@KDR_FLT]

The M4 used to go to Lille (only possible with HLE12 loco) and Luxembourg (not possible anymore because of the 25kv overhead line now) There are already a lot of carriages out of service :(

[@osasunaitor]

7:28 Funny you say that! I've travelled a lot in Belgian trains, and the only time I took a Desiro (from Gent to Brugge) it was probably the worst experience of all. The train was overcrowded as a single EMU is shorter than the usual trains covering that route; there was only 1 WC onboard which had the floor all wet, the electric door obstructed and the toilet clogged D: Also, because the carriages aren't physically separated, the smell covered the whole train... A quite nasty trip. Even the old school AC-less trains seemed preferable in comparison!

[@Je_Existe]

It is sad to see the M4 and the HLE 21/27 going to scrap because they look alright in my opinion even though the M7 is good too i prefer the M4 because it has a 80s feeling which i love

[@elroysterckx242]

*Feeling a strong descent in Namur* boy you have not come in to Liége from Brussels

[@Benjamin0c]

We know ! We will publish a video on M7 between Liège and Brussels

[@sanderrobenek]

@@Benjamin0c You are always welcome to come and review a day with a trainconductor from SNCB/NMBS 😄 and i would like to see the M7 report from you guys! 😌 there is a peak our Train Bruxelles-Midi-Landen-LiegeGuill with 5xM7&4xM4 😄

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

@@toddlithgow Really? Never felt it strange.

[@DanielsUKT]

Interesting video on classic locomotive hauled stock coaches in Belgium and it is good your brother is covering european trips whilst you are in the US and covering trips there good combination

[@theobrattinga500]

Great video !!

[@sncblineas]

Petite précision, les M4 ne peuvent plus roulé aux Luxembourg 😉 elle pouvait quand c'était du 3 kV maintenant le réseau ferroviaire CFL est uniquement électrifié sous 25kv

[@SimplyRailway]

Merci pour la precision. :)

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

Pq ca? Les 3 ou 25 kV c'est pur la locomotive non? Si je me trompes pas, c'est transforme pour ce que les moteurs et les wagons utilisent.

[@MozzaBurger88]

​@@cmrd_hdcrb Les rames de M4 et M5 sont normalement encadrées par des HLE 21 ou 27 qui n'opèrent qu'en 3kV du coup elles ne sortent plus jamais du pays. Pour le Luxembourg on voit plutôt des rames de voitures I11 (intérieur copié-collé des AM96) tirées par des HLE13 ou 18 (polytensions 1.5kV=, 3kV=, 25kV~ )

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

@@MozzaBurger88 Ah oui, je vois. Ca c'est quand meme logique.

[@bradford8605]

Had one honk at me while it was stopped at a station in summer 2021

[@timstrainvideos142]

great video. not great comfort but classic character and its nice to have a window that opens to hear the engine and get some fresh air. some of the double decker stock in belgium i recall is not very comfortable as well. .

[@nicov1837]

The first generation double deckers (M5) used to have benches similar to these ones, but the M5 coaches were completely refurbished about ten years ago, and now have the same seats as the newer M6 double deckers.

[@ludwigvonkoopa4998]

9:02 Well Brussel Central and Brussel North do have a stunning main hall

[@kangaroo092]

Schaerbeek, close to Brussels have a nice station and a wonderful Train museum in it ! ... I definitively miss Brussels

[@petercameleon356]

It is a scenegraphy not a museum. The Brussels-North museum was better.

[@petercameleon356]

Lot of people who have been say it's a scenography and not a museum, I haven't been there because of the price and the photos I have seen don't make me want to go.

[@albawutz]

The same soap powder dispensers are also in use in the CFL double deckers from Bombardier, so German made. As the CFL has no own standard for that kind of equipment, I suppose that it’s the same onboard the DB Dostos, but I don’t remember. Unfortunately, I have been experiencing always empty dispensers on the CFL Dostos for the last months.

[@Benjamin0c]

Quel kiff !

[@karmesindryade]

Actually I like these hard and straight seats. They are much better for my back than the pseudo-ergonomic modern ones which are absolutely horrible when reclined.

[@Konenth]

The smaller door at 14:20 is to explain by the history of the coaches. If I am correct, there used to be a conductor/bagage area where you are standing.

[@leandert7421]

All first class coaches of the M4-stock have narrow doors, which has been a choice in the construction of the carriages.The doors are also at the end of the carriage instead of in the middle. Conductor/luggage area is normally in a second class carriage when it's a loco hauled train without control car. When it's a push-pull train it's mostly located in the control car (which is a first class carriage).

[@Hans-gb4mv]

That is incorrect. The placing at the end is to create a bigger inner area, basically the effect they tried to create with the mirrors in second class. These coaches had to look big on the inside. The reason the doors are narrow is that the door leading into the seating area is also narrow. In second class you can go left and right and so have people coming out of and going into 2 areas, hence the doors are wider so 2 people can get on/off at the same time. For second class, this isn't required.

[@Konenth]

@@Hans-gb4mv I didn't know that myself and I use those trains daily. Thanks for telling though.

[@imaginox9]

Basically all Belgian trains up until the AM 86 had narrow doors on 1st class sections, don't know wht though. The AM 86 is the first train to have the doors of the same size everywhere (also, their doors are wider than on most other stock)

[@thearnausian6940]

It's going to be sad to see the HLE21s completely dissapear from the rail network. The HLE 21 and 27 are my favourite locomotives.

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

Yeah. Was a shame the 20's are gone too. It really is too bad that all railways now use "off the shelf" locomotives. 30 years ago, each country had it's own style. That's globalization for ya...

[@MozzaBurger88]

Fast forward to 2022 and HLE 21s are still rolling ^^ Same with the old AM66 EMUs that were supposed to be retired as far back as 2013. Still there ^^

[@A_Canadian_In_Poland]

Many of those locomotives are now in Poland...

[@aviathal2816]

3:53 It was a beautiful shot :D

[@marvsslu]

Enfin, un documentaire plus réaliste .....

[@conormcshane1656]

Deadly to think 1st class in that train is now 2nd/coach/economy class on most intercity trains nowadays. Also amazing that such old-school trains like that are still operating in Western Europe, it looks more like like what you might expect to see in Eastern Europe.

[@elroysterckx242]

Belgium tends to behave like Eastern Europe sometimes....

[@Bananaman-hk6qw]

@@elroysterckx242 sometimes?.... 😂

[@elroysterckx242]

@@Bananaman-hk6qw Most of the times and not just on public transport

[@antejl7925]

If you take the Luxembourg - Liege train from Luxembourg ville to Troisvierges the last village in Lu, you can ride the SCNB Eurofirmas compartment carriages for free! They used to be orange in the 80s now refurbushed silver.

[@yvesc.3181]

I usually take the IC-train from Ghent to Hasselt, composed with these train cars. Although it's not comfortable in 2nd class but I still like them 😍.

[@JeremiCzarnecki]

At 8:06 you can catch a faint glimpse of the Pullman Brussels Midi, one of the few remaining Pullman hotels actually at a train station - Pullman Hotels were originally created by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits, a company founded by Georges Nagelmackers, a Belgian who brought the American concept of the Pullman car (a sleeper) to Europe. CIWL had a virtual monopoly on sleepers - and pretty much all long-distance international trains - until Mitropa was founded in the 20th century, not only in Europe. It operated the famous Orient Express, as well as the first Trans-Siberian railway, extending their reach as far as Beijing in Asia and Cairo in Egypt, where they had hotels as well. The current operator of the Pullman Hotels brand, Accor, acquired CIWL in the late 20th century. Interestingly, none of the original CIWL hotels remain Pullmans or even operated by Accor - many were destroyed in wars and fires, and a few were even torn down as outdated (!), the Pera Palace in Istanbul is a rare surviving example (though operated by Jumeirah). The Pullman in Brussels is actually located in an all-new annex to the Brussel-Zuid station, so it had little to do with Nagelmackers' original designs on dominating the world by train, but it still is a very convenient property for anybody arriving to Brussels on and/or departing it by train, or planning on exploring Belgium by train (highly recommended!) And if you are wondering why SNCB trains are seldom late, just take a look at the timetable - they run an absolutely staggering number of trains on each and every line, the headways are close to a metro or tram operation. Locals use their Intercities to commute much like people take the bus in countries with less railways per sqm (which is pretty much every other country but the Vatican). Should any train be late, the cascading effect would revebrate through the system for hours - which I witnessed sometimes during short trips to Belgium, when a disruption to the schedule in the evening was due to some incident someplace totally else on the network in the morning. To witness why SNCB still needs to operate this old material - and they would probably run a garden shed if they had one - just stand for a quarter on one of the platforms at Brussel Centraal to see that a platform rarely sits empty for longer than a minute...

[@dutchyandergaming7139]

I have been many times on this. This is also called the "Spiegeltrein" and that means in English: "Mirrortrain"

[@tjoeker680]

about the doors: many operators in Europe were experimenting with moving the doors to the middle of the coach. This avoided bunching on the platforms. (coupling two coaches with the doors at the far ends means you put 2 doors right next to eachother) The downside however was that you lost more space for seats in the coach with a set up like this. I believe this middle door set up was not chosen for 1st class as the doors didn't require the same throughput. (you can also see these doors only allow 1 passenger at a time as opposed to 2 for 2nd class) Doing this they can have a higher capacity on 1st class coaches.

[@atharhashemi5065]

Wow , you know a lot about rails .

[@Rondjeom]

Welkom in het spiegelpaleis!

[@davidnielson9139]

I remember these old coaches from when they were relatively new, back in the late 70s; I found them just as uncomfortable back then. And even back then, I loved the Antwerpen Centraal station; even though it hadn't been refurbished yet.

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

Refurbished isn't fitting. A new coat of paint after having had half your inner organs removed might be closer.

[@kristofkellens3264]

if you've taken this train after december 13th it's the depot of hasselt that is the onboard trainstaff (my depot :) )

[@johnthomas5966]

Always enjoyed my journeys on M4s. Proper trains. I would let a double decker go if I knew the next one was an M4

[@daninio5004]

The new M7's are nice tho... Comfortabele, quiet and info screens :)

[@detreinreiziger]

Nice trip report! These coaches look a bit like the N coaches of the DB (Silberling). Like the M4, they also have their doors in the middle of the coach

[@jopu7004]

You should do a trip report in Finland of train 235 or 230. These are Z trains to and from Kouvola. 230 leaves from Kouvola at 6:27 to Helsinki and 235 leaves at 16:35 to Kouvola from Helsinki. They only run between Monday and Friday. They are also the only locomotive-hauled commuter services in Finland!

[@ceylonrailfans9331]

Fantastic video bro.. greeting from sri lanka 🇱🇰

[@Z20900]

Nice video! Those coaches are so incredibly loud. They're charming to travel on, but with an open window it's nearly impossible to have a conversation in my experience haha!

[@denjo3131]

On the other hand, windows who can open are becoming very rare 😔. Itns something that every train lover will miss in the futur.

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

Haha have you ever done 200 km/h with open windows? Don't know why they were open but at least there were free seats XD

[@jorisvanhandenhove5865]

the M4 sadly also operates on the tongeren - ghent line ic train togheter with M6 and M7 coaches

[@RealConstructor]

I only had one experience by train in Belgium and it wasn’t good, but to be fair, it was bad luck. I had the train from Rotterdam to Brussels, but never arrived at Brussels. We had a change of loc in Antwerp after a 15 min delay, I think it was broken because we arrived too late at Antwerp and the train didn’t have much speed after we crossed the border into Belgium. Then we came to a standstill, between Antwerp and Mechelen because of an overhead power cable breach, for more than an hour. We were towed by another train and brought to Mechelen station. There we had to wait for another train that had to come from Brussels. After almost an hour it came, but by that time I couldn’t make it on time for my meeting and I decide to wait for the first train back to The Netherlands instead. The following times I took the car, but that wasn’t a succes either. Brussels may be a car city, but is a nightmare to get out of the city between 15.30 and 19.00h. On the away trip I drove just under three hours from my house to Brussels center, the return trip started at 15.30 and ended at 21.10h at home. At about 18.00h I was out of Brussels. It took two and a half bloody hours to get out of Brussels (about 5 km) and get on the highway! Good God! And the ring road of Antwerp is also a disaster, full of traffic jams. Sorry wrong phrase. It is one giant traffic jam. The next time, after my meeting ended, I took a sightseeing tour around the city center, by myself, had an early dinner in Brussels and started my trip out of Brussels by 19.00 and was home at 21.20h. Almost the same time as the previous return trip. And it was so much more relaxed. There is something strange and unfamiliar about the Belgium highway system, besides the poor state it’s in. I was on a three lane highway on the outer left lane (I just merged/weaved from the left), when the highway again merges with another two lane highway, and immediately there is the sign of my exit to another highway, but it is on the outer right lane and I have only about a 1km to get from the outer left lane to the outer right lane, while cars are hardly moving in rush hour. It would even be a challenge if cars were moving at normal pace. This is so illogical in my opinion. I made a few Belgian car and truck drivers angry, because I steered my car (used my direction indicator) in the smallest void between cars, but I made it to my exit without accidents. But seeing this video I will try the train again next time. I live close to Schiphol Airport, but I refuse to fly for such a short distance. Haven’t even checked if it would be faster or slower than by train or car.

[@barbaralcharles]

In the immortal words of Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, Belgium was "invented so that Britain and Germany could have a place so sort out their differences."

[@headslash55]

The electronic units inside the m4 are such a bitch to repair, you wouldn't believe it if I say that all ABS units inside those couches are repaired by one guy.

[@Skinksalladen]

Belgium really has some excellent railway staff, both on trains, in ticket sales offices, and station managers. Coming from Sweden (where you rarely, if ever interact with any staff, either on trains or in stations) and living in the Netherlands - where they have the typical dutch attitude.

[@Bananaman-hk6qw]

Don't know where you went in the Netherlands but train staff are one of of the best in my opinion. And im Dutch myself so....

[@TheDragonGuyYT]

Very interesting a brother recording

[@pega17pl]

(9:22) Antwerp is one of the greatest railway cathedrals in Europe and was built with that intention. - Cheers, Heinz

[@Hans-gb4mv]

And almost demolished in the 90s

[@jropeways]

This is a very nice trip report! I never had a chance to ride the M4 myself! Also how long is that train!?....

[@tekosalverda3021]

You might have mentioned the 3-2 configuration in the 2rd class. Possibly, this was done in order to distinct from the 1st class 2-2 configuration!

[@Drago1995]

i got to travel on one of these quite recently

[@kristofkellens3264]

i hope you enjoyed them because they will be selling these carriages. As the new M7's enter service more and more of the older rolling stock will be terminated or sold

[@osasunaitor]

Is that why they don't even clean the nasty graffiti anymore?

[@kristofkellens3264]

@@osasunaitor they do try and clean the graffiti from the carriages but they get sprayed Faster than they can remove it and these carriages don't have a special coating on them to make it easier to remove.

[@osasunaitor]

@@kristofkellens3264 Damn, that's heartbreaking :( I thought such things only happened in shithole countries like mine

[@nanderv]

@@osasunaitor I think Belgium doesn't put enough fences around their railway yards.

[@tobi-toaster480]

Those first class seats looks almost identical to the 2nd class seats of Abellio Mitteldeutschland (they are operating many routes in central and east Germany) in their Talent 2 (EMU) trains

[@graythewolf6096]

Speaking of the Alstom Coradia series... *giant shiny bean*

[@lucallegra]

Actually, Brussels Centraal is quite a good station! May not look good from the outsider, but i loved it inside. Also, Leuven is good! Might have used this service to go to Charleroi. Still remember the heat inside.. Time to retire them!

[@Prabhakarprabhakar-op2hb]

best ❤️

[@jakubradosta2384]

We have this engines too in czech republice. It is 365

[@belgiantrainspotter4886]

They are similar except you guys bought our HLE12(only 12 made of that type). This one in the video is different.

[@VolorousMP]

If you want to see really uncomfortable seats, try polish EN57 with original plastick benches. Spine demage and sliding in standard price. Sometimes it can burn your shoes with heater located just under the seat. :D

[@christophegregoire6386]

You brought me back to m'y childhood. Really you should consider being paid by SNCB (NMBS) for your videos

[@Andrewjg_89]

Which is the best trains to ride on in France. I probably do like the older metro trains in Paris.

[@nicoanker1343]

I can not wait to travel with the train again and of course with NMBS.

[@lilikyunianti962]

Hopefully,i can be there and enjoying the train

[@Trains-of-Europe]

Its a HLE21 not a HLE11 as mentioned in the description.

[@petercameleon356]

The M4 coaches, run on P train and IC train. The train that you take isn't a peak hour train. The M4 coaches were refurbished from September 1996 to end 2002. The HLE 11 are scrapped except the 1187 who is preserved by NMBS-SNCB Holding. The HLE 12 has been sold to CZ Loko in 2013 and his again in service except the 1210, 1211, 1212 who arent refurbished they can be used as spare parts for others, iniatly CZ Loko, had to buy also the class 11 but that does not know fact. The HLE 12 refurbished is used by CER Cargo, IDS Cargo, PZS as and CZ Loko. Currently the M4 coaches can't go in France since that the HLE 12 have been sold to CZ loko who refurbished after test on the Velim circuit, only the class 12 not renovated (I don't know if this is still the case after modenization by CZ Loko) can supply electricity to M4 coaches under 25kv The NMBS/SNCB SNCB offers 500 M4 coaches for sale, for companies of scrap or for private for use as office, restaurant, etc... M4 coaches may be interest Railcoop if it's not necessary to remove the remaining asbestos (M4 coaches has been refurbished from 1996 to 2002) before use the coaches and if the HLE 12 not refurbished can be purchased at CZ Loko . The table is more small in the Desiro, when he has got table (only places for 4 people) and the bin is also more small that M4 coaches. The table on the SABENA EMU (scrapped today)is more big that the desiro, same thing for the 86 EMU which are also built to ensure relationships with a lot of stopping. The table is more small in the Desiro, when he has got table (only places for 4 people) and the bin is also more small that M4 coaches. The table on the SABENA EMU (scrapped today)is more big that the desiro, same thing for the 86 EMU which are also built to ensure relationships with a lot of stopping. If I had to make a choice between traveling in M4 or in Désiro I would definitely travel in M4. Desiro never replace M4 and others trains build by BN/ACEC and Bombardier/Alstom. There will no longer be a cathedral-type station like Liege Guillemins which is expensive, the last cathedral-type station will be Mons. If a station is stunning or refurbished in Brussels, it's will be Bruxelles-Midi because it's the more big station of the network, Thalys, ICE, TGV, Eurostar, and IC train Brussels-Amsterdam stop at this station.

[@holygooff]

Ah yes, another train from the old stock. This is the one with the weird mirrors. It's noisy, dirty and hot in summer. It has style though and the seats are great.

[@maxster_8989]

👋 Benjamin

[@dirk6001]

Trains 🧡👍

[@sergioagostinho72]

There are few things i can agree with you, the train schedules in Belgium, let me say, all the transports in general are suitable, i find them friendly and always help you if you need it, it is a small country, but good to live, i say that with experience. Next time try please the polish railways, i believe there is a lot of good things to learn there, if possible take the train from the airport Chopin to the Wschodnia station, you'll surely go thru Zachodnia and Central station too, it must be amazing.

[@Bjorn-Del]

The Doors of the first class are separated because in second class you need to entry en exit the train qs fast as possible, when in first class There are not such a crouds and it needs to be confortable for the traveler & they expect longer first class rides 😉 I live in Belgium btw 😜 the best second class trains are the i6, I10 & i11.

[@marcinklimas2670]

Cool. Try 120A cars service in Poland.

[@sncb7020]

Some m4 trainsets have been decommissioned and sent to scrap dealers for several months, others will follow

[@ChrisWong-q6l]

For some reason that locomotive feels like WAG-7 in India... Both the design and the maintenance...

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

Huh. They do indeed. The break on the nose is a bit higher up tho. But damn. That green yellow livery on one photo had me for a second. Small world ;)

[@kevinavindra6732]

I think you must try the economy class trains in Indonesia. It have 90 degrees seats without reclining and layout 3 - 2 on an intercity service with more than 12 hours. Noted that Indonesian railways is only 1.067 mm. But the price is the cheapest with government subsidiary.

[@allanegleston4931]

really upsets me that people have to ruin railway equipment with their message . thanks for the report.

[@maxart3392]

There's no message whatsoever. Only vandalism.

[@Abnerbandanovotempoinscrito1mi]

Boa viagem ai simply lindo trem gostei boa tarde ai

[@veloqx88]

We like the Desiro in Germany 😅

[@islunse]

Sad to see all the old real trains go away and getting replaced by bigger 'trams'

[@vaughnwilliams1208]

Only in Belgium do you get a train going to the south of the country from Brussels South that has a next stop of Brussels North

[@cmrd_hdcrb]

Fun fact: The north-south tunnel is the busiest railway tunnel in the world. Might also be the one that took the longest to finish. Two world wars might have hold it back "a little"

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

At least the seat backs have the bulge where it is supposed to be - in the small of the back unlike British trains where it is at the hips and pushes you off the seat. I was last in Namur back in 1963 so it was nice to see it in the 21st century.

[@oslo162]

quite interesting as always but with this stupid pandemic COVID-19 doing some traveling is becoming complicated and honestly right now i'm starting to miss it hope to get back my luggage out of my wardrobe for doing some fun out of my country

[@lespoteurbelge2790]

À 9:14 on voit l'I11 Telecom ;)

[@Benjamin0c]

Exactement ! J’ai oublié de le préciser

[@WaynoGur]

Were you the only passenger on the train?

[@randomchark2183]

I live in alken in the back of sint-ruiden

[@PlanesTrainsEverything]

I have seen graffiti on most rail systems (apart from Russia, China and Vietnam), and I've always thought Belgium was particularly bad. What is the worst country in Europe for rail graffiti?

[@edisonz2006]

There are a lot of train carriages in Eastern Europe covered in graffiti.

[@antejl7925]

Greece suprisingly

[@ilan1236]

The desiro does indeed suck!

[@yanminho9686]

when you can travel 70km in 1h and you realise that it cost you nearly an hour to travel 10km for school ARGH being a student isnt a really good thing... btw 5:28 a typo, should be "there" instead of "trhere"

[@helloworldstein]

I feel like I got tetanus just looking at the outside of the train haha