Pride rides: SNCB rolls out its Trainbow for Brussels Pride and IDAHOBIT

For Brussels Pride Week and IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia) on 17 May, Belgium’s national railway company SNCB/NMBS is going full rainbow. The company is using the moment to reaffirm its commitment to inclusion, diversity and respect, not just in words but with a series of visible actions across the country.

It’s the kind of initiative that matters in a Pride season where public space is contested more than ever. When the trains and stations you use every day take a clear stance, it changes how it feels to move through the country as a queer or allied person.

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All aboard the Trainbow

The star of the announcement is, of course, the Trainbow. For 2026, SNCB is sending out a version with a new livery in the colours of diversity, freshly wrapped in its Mechelen workshop. The idea is simple and effective: a train that doesn’t just carry passengers, but also carries a message every time it pulls into a station or crosses the landscape.

For queer travellers – and for everyone who likes their rolling stock a little camp – spotting the Trainbow on a platform or from a station café is a small but real joy. It says: you exist in this network, you are not an afterthought.

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Stations lighting up for Pride

Beyond the Trainbow, SNCB is also queering up several stations for Pride Week and IDAHOBIT:

• Bruxelles‑Central / Brussel‑Centraal and Tournai / Doornik are being illuminated in rainbow colours, turning key mobility hubs into visible Pride landmarks.
• Rainbow flags are being flown in a number of stations across the country, making diversity literally part of the daily commute.

In the capital, Bruxelles‑Central also becomes a “Change Station” on Pride Saturday: a welcoming point for Pride participants, with a focus on hospitality and visibility right where many people arrive and leave for the festivities.

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More than symbols? That’s the real challenge

In its message, SNCB insists that “the train connects cities, but above all it connects people,” and that connecting people in a climate of trust, respect and safety is essential – for both passengers and staff. The ambition is to make SNCB an environment where everyone can be themselves, freely, and where diversity is recognised as a strength that “moves us forward every day.”

For Ket’s readers, that kind of statement is welcome, especially in a context where queer people still face harassment on public transport and where visibility can be a risk. Pride trains, rainbow lights and flags are not the end point; they’re a starting point. What comes next is:

• concrete measures against harassment and hate incidents in trains and stations
• inclusive HR policies that protect and value LGBTQIA+ staff
• ongoing collaboration with community groups like Trainbow Belgium, the internal network of LGBTQIA+ employees and allies that keeps pushing from within.

When big institutions step up during Pride Week, they also open themselves up to being held accountable the rest of the year. And that’s a good thing.

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How to make it part of your Pride

Practically, this means your Pride Saturday might look like:

• catching a Trainbow or a decorated train into Bruxelles‑Central,
• passing under rainbow flags and Pride lighting on your way to the Pride Village and Rainbow Village,
• using Central as your meeting point and, why not, your selfie backdrop before marching.

It’s a small, concrete way of feeling that the city and its infrastructures are, at least for a moment, aligned with what the community is celebrating and fighting for.

KET Magazine is a community‑driven, non‑profit magazine run by volunteers based in Brussels. Get in touch to share your thoughts or tell us about your activities. You can also promote your events on our website or support our work with a donation. Contact us at Info@ket.brussels.