Belgium‘s national railway operator NMBS / SNCB is preparing to permanently withdraw its nearly 50-year-old I6 coaches from service, bringing an end to a fleet that has been running since 1977. I6 coaches were (are) laid out in a corridor + compartments set-up. A cosy and romantic design philosophy which is nowadays very rare.

The retirement is expected around the end of October, according Mobilithib by Thibault Lapers, with the information confirmed by NMBS / SNCB. A possible farewell journey is reportedly being prepared, potentially on a route mainly in Wallonia.

Built by La Brugeoise et Nivelles (BN) between 1977 and 1978, the I6 fleet originally consisted of 20 first-class coaches and 60 second-class coaches. They formed part of the Eurofima standard coach family ordered by several European railways. The coaches are 26.4 metres long and most have a maximum speed of 160 km/h, while eight were designed for 200 km/h.

In 1989, 15 second-class I6 coaches were converted at the Mechelen (Malines) workshop into couchette coaches, each with 60 berths. These were used on international night trains, including the Treski services between Brussels and Austria.

The I6 coaches have had a remarkably varied career. Since 1987 they have been used alongside I10 coaches, while I6 and I10 sets were also occasionally deployed on the Benelux service between Brussels and Amsterdam. Six I6 coaches were leased to Hamburg-Köln-Express in 2013 for services between Hamburg and Cologne.

They also became a familiar sight on trains to Luxembourg. In 2018, a trip from Antwerp to Arlon (Aarlen) and Luxembourg used an I6-I10-I11 formation on the Brussels–Luxembourg section. The modernised I6m coaches featured refurbished interiors with moveable headrests, power outlets and seats that could be adjusted into a bed.

The I6 even had a royal assignment. On 15 October 2019, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde travelled by a special NMBS / SNCB train from Brussels-Luxembourg station to the Grand Duchy for a state visit. The five-coach first-class train included I6, I6M and I11 coaches and carried around 100 passengers. The coaches remained standard railway stock, but Belgian royal-coat-of-arms stickers were placed on their windows for the occasion.

Replaced by M7 coaches

The withdrawal is part of NMBS / SNCB’s ongoing fleet renewal, particularly the introduction of 751 M7 double-deck coaches built by Alstom. Some 655 had been delivered by the end of 2025, and the operator expects the final vehicles to arrive by the end of 2026.

The I6 coaches disappeared from the regular timetable in June 2026 but have continued to appear occasionally on peak-hour P trains between Ostend and Schaarbeek / Schaerbeek.

NMBS / SNCB spokesperson Vincent Bayer said the withdrawal formed part of the operator’s continuous fleet renewal. He added that the railway company would communicate about a possible farewell journey if and when one is organised.

The future of the remaining I6 coaches is uncertain. NMBS / SNCB put 23 of them up for sale during the first half of 2026, comprising 20 second-class and three first-class coaches.

The I6 retirement follows the withdrawal of several other older vehicle types, including the AM66 Classic multiple units in December 2024, NS ICR coaches in April 2025, Class 21 and 27 locomotives in December 2025 and the M4 coaches in January 2026.

The I6 fleet had already been reduced to just four coaches in standard use by December 2025, all of them 200 km/h variants. A modernisation programme launched in 2017 had targeted 42 I6 coaches for refurbishment, with intended use on services to Luxembourg and Amsterdam. The couchette coaches were excluded from the programme and offered for sale.

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