Train+ and Flex Subscriptions: Making Sense of the New NMBS/SNCB Tariffs for Hybrid Commuters

From 15th of October 2025, NMBS/SNCB is simplifying its fare system.
All previous discount schemes — youth tickets, senior tickets, half-time passes, and so on — will be replaced by two streamlined formulas.

In essence, there will be two main ways to benefit from discounts:

• Train+ – a personal discount card that caps your ticket price and adds reductions for off-peak travel.

• Flex Subscriptions – tailored subscriptions for employees who commute regularly, but not every day.

Understanding how both work — and when each makes sense — is key to designing a cost-efficient and sustainable mobility policy.

Train+: a discount card for occasional and long-distance travelers

Train+ is a personal discount card linked to your MOBIB profile or digital NMBS/SNCB account.
It’s not a subscription — employees still buy individual tickets, but enjoy two major benefits.

1. Maximum price per trip
Adults pay a maximum of €14 per trip in second class.
Youth and seniors pay a maximum of €5.50 per trip.
This means that no matter how far you travel, the price per ride is capped.

2. Simple monthly or annual plan
Adults can purchase Train+ for €6 per month or €48 per year.
Youth and seniors pay €4 per month or €32 per year.

3. Extra off-peak benefits
Train+ also provides an additional 40% discount on off-peak rides, weekends and public holidays.
For hybrid workers who can shift travel hours — for example, leaving after 9 a.m. or returning after 6 p.m. — that discount can lead to significant savings.

In short, Train+ creates price certainty for long-distance trips and extra savings for flexible schedules, without the commitment of a full subscription.

When is Train+ worth it?

Let’s look at a few realistic examples.

Case 1: Leuven ↔ Brussels (25 km)
A standard day ticket costs €11 for a return trip.
The Train+ card costs €6 per month.
When used for off-peak travel, the ticket drops to €6.60 per day instead of €11.

That means Train+ pays for itself after just three to four off-peak rides per month — roughly two return trips. Every additional trip after that generates savings.

Case 2: Ostend ↔ Brussels (116 km)
A standard day ticket for this long-distance route costs €41.80.
With Train+, the price is capped at €14 per single journey, or €28 per day for a return trip.
The savings per day amount to €13.80.

Even for occasional long-distance commuters, Train+ pays for itself after just one or two return trips per month.
For intercity or cross-regional travelers — such as Ghent–Liège, Ostend–Brussels or Antwerp–Namur — Train+ becomes a no-brainer.

Flex Subscriptions: structure for regular hybrid commuters

Flex Subscriptions are built for predictable hybrid patterns — typically two to three commuting days per week on a fixed route.

Available options:

• Flex 6
  Valid for one month and includes six travel days.
  Ideal for one to two commuting days per week on a short-term basis.

• Flex 10
  Valid for one month and includes ten travel days.
  Ideal for two to three commuting days per week.

• Flex 80
  Valid for twelve months and includes eighty travel days.
  Ideal for roughly two days per week, spread across the year.

• Flex 120
  Valid for twelve months and includes one hundred and twenty travel days.
  Ideal for three days per week, year-round.

Each travel day allows unlimited trips on your chosen route.
Unused days, however, are lost — which makes understanding the break-even point essential.

Real-world comparison (2nd class, 2025 tariffs)

To give an idea of the cost differences:

• A standard return ticket for Leuven–Brussels costs €11 per day.

• Gent–Antwerp costs €21.40 per day.

• Ostend–Brussels costs €41.80 per day.

With Train+, those prices drop significantly:

• For short distances like Leuven–Brussels, the off-peak discount reduces the price to €6.60.

• For long distances like Ostend–Brussels, the price is capped at €28 per day.

Flex subscriptions have fixed prices:
For example, a Flex 80 for Leuven–Brussels costs around €770 per year, and a Flex 120 costs €1,019 per year.
For Ostend–Brussels, the Flex 80 costs €2,088, and the Flex 120 costs €2,762.

Break-even thresholds

In simple terms:

• For short trips such as Leuven–Brussels, Train+ pays off after three to four off-peak rides per month.

• For medium distances like Gent–Antwerp, the Flex 80 becomes cheaper than individual tickets from around sixty-five travel days per year.

• For long distances like Ostend–Brussels, Flex 80 already pays off after about fifty travel days per year, while Flex 120 makes sense from around sixty-six travel days per year.

If employees travel less than once per week, Train+ remains the most flexible and economical option.
From two to three days per week, Flex subscriptions start to bring better value.

What this means in practice

Here’s how to decide which formula works best:

• If someone travels once a week or less, Train+ is the cheapest and most flexible option.

• If someone commutes about two days per week, Flex 80 offers structured savings.

• For three days per week, Flex 120 becomes the best fit.

• Beyond four days per week, a full standard subscription remains the most economical.

In short:
Train+ equals flexibility and price certainty.
Flex equals structured savings for hybrid commuters.
Vaigo equals automation and compliance for HR.

Vaigo’s policy recommendation

For HR and mobility teams, the new NMBS/SNCB structure makes it easier than ever to align costs with real commuting patterns.

• Keep Flex subscriptions for employees coming two to four days per week.

• For less frequent travelers, stick to standard tickets — it’s simple

• If an employee travels long-distance (more than seventy-five kilometres) or can shift their commute to off-peak hours, then reimburse a Train+ card. It reduces total spend without adding complexity.

NMBS/SNCB’s new tariff model is a step in the right direction: it brings clarity for employees, predictability for employers, and with Vaigo, full automation and control over your mobility policy.