Sustainable Airport Mobility Plan (SAMP)
The Sustainable Airport Mobility Plan (SAMP) is Brussels Airport’s strategy to make travel to, from, and around the airport more sustainable and efficient. It focuses on improving mobility for passengers, employees, and businesses, while reducing environmental impact. Key principles of the SAMP include integration, participation, and ongoing evaluation.
The Brussels Airport SAMP follows a ten-step cycle across four stages. The SAMP is designed as a continuous and cyclical process, with regular monitoring and evaluation to stay on track and achieve its objectives. Actions can be adjusted based on monitoring and evaluation.
Taking into account the baseline data, the implementation of the various measures and actions will contribute to achieving the objectives.
In addition to measures and actions initiated by Brussels Airport Company, partners within the ecosystem are encouraged to take action at their own level. In close collaboration with the surrounding municipalities, the SAMP seeks synergies with regional and local mobility plans.
The SAMP is a project within Stargate, an EU Green Deal initiative led by Brussels Airport. Through a wide network of partners, Stargate showcases how a more sustainable aviation sector is both achievable and necessary.
In its first year (2023), the building blocks of the SAMP were developed:
- Baseline: a snapshot of current mobility and accessibility, identifying key challenges.
- Future Scenarios: projections of future needs.
- Objectives & Goals: what the SAMP aims to achieve.
These building blocks were developed in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders through workshops and continuous alignment. This early involvement ensured buy-in and set the stage for future collaboration on transport, logistics, and mobility. The workshops, using diverse participation methods, helped assess the current situation, identify trends, and pinpoint problem areas.
The SAMP considers four key groups:
- Passengers
- Airport Commuters (staff and airport community)
- Visitors
- Airport logistics
Taking these groups into consideration, a set of specific actions was selected and proposed for adoption by the broader airport community.
Brussels Airport’s goal is to offer "comfortable, reliable, smart, and sustainable transport options to and from Brussels Airport for everyone."
The SAMP has 3 objectives:
- Improve hub connectivity: improving quality of the Brussels Airport network for passengers and freight, increasing accessibility & ground transport connectivity.
- Improved Transport & Accessibility: Enhancing transport and mobility to, within, and around the airport, including more efficient goods movement. Ensuring easy access to key destinations and services for all users (passengers, staff, visitors, etc.) at any time.
- Enhanced Safety & Security: Improving safety and security on airport roads and across all transport modes.
- Better Travel Experience: Improving the overall travel experience for both passengers and employees.
- Reduce CO2 emissions: supporting an environmentally sustainable transportation system, reducing traffic volumes and car dependency.
- Climate Action: Contributing to EU greenhouse gas reduction targets and reducing noise and air pollution.
- Realise a modal shift: stimulate a shift to increase accessibility and reduce congestion.
By implementing this plan, Brussels Airport aims to reduce its environmental impact, improve air quality, enhance passenger experience, and contribute to broader sustainability goals. The plan is part of a larger, ongoing cycle of mobility improvements, stakeholder engagement, and increased sustainability carried out by the airport and its partners.
The SAMP uses Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure its success in achieving its goals. Three main objectives have been chosen to align with Brussels Airport's overall vision:
- Hub Connectivity:
- Elevate the availability of sustainable transportation services to and from Brussels Airport for the convenience of passengers and daily commuters.
- Expand (public) transportation options between Brussels Airport and major cities across Belgium.
- CO2 Emissions Reduction:
- Actively work towards reducing the airport's CO2 emissions in terms of tonnage, contributing to a greener environment.
- Encourage transport providers to invest in green vehicles, thereby curbing their own CO2 emissions when servicing routes to and from Brussels Airport.
- Modal Split (modal shift)
- Promote sustainable modes of transportation, aiming for a significant shift from car usage to alternative modes.
- Global modal split target:
- By 2027: 40% sustainable transport / 60% cars (private + rental car)By 2032: 45% sustainable transport / 55% cars (private + rental car)By 2040 (long-term vision): 50% sustainable transport / 50% cars (private + rental car)
Monitoring SAMP
Sustainable transport initiatives 2024
| Measure | Description | Status 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Construction of footpaths at BRUcargo with specific attention to the connection between public transport stops and companies. | Mapping missing links, addressing priority points immediately, tackling less urgent points according to Asset Management planning. | Mapping of missing links: planned for 2025. |
| Construction of pedestrian facilities around the terminal to increase safety and comfort. | Priority action 2023–2024: pedestrian safety at the drop-off zone. | Safe pedestrian crossing at the drop-off zone has been realized. |
| Securing crossing facilities (e.g. by installing winged zebra crossings, lighting and appropriate signage). | Adapt zebra crossings where necessary to improve safety. | Zebra crossing at the Delhaize stop (Brucargo) was made safer through improved lighting. Zebra crossing at the DHL bicycle parking was made safer through lighting and was also turned into a rainbow crossing. |
| Measure | Description | Status 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Construction of bicycle paths (missing links) at BRUcargo. | Construction of missing links based on research by the cycling manager. The investments and planned actions for cyclists are included in the ‘cycling roadmap’. | Bicycle paths have been constructed at BRUcargo Central. At the same time, several bicycle crossings were made safer (e.g. near DHL). |
| Investing in bicycle parking. | Installation of bicycle parking facilities (BRUcargo and new public transport stops near Korenberg parking, Technics North). | The bicycle parking at the terminal side is part of the renovation project P5–P20 and will be installed in 2025. |
| Installation of showers and lockers. | Install lockers and showers when renovation projects for office buildings are launched. | Lockers have been installed in office building 706 in the cargo zone. |
| Construction/connection of cycling highways | FR20 / F201 / extension of F3 | Preferred route F3 to terminal to be adjusted to current reality: planned for 2025–2026. |
| Campaigns and incentives to encourage cycling | Cycling campaigns, Bike Test, Cycling Community, World Bike Day | In 2024, 160 people participated in the Bike Test. The Cycling Community was launched and currently has 99 active members. |
| Cycling manager to encourage all companies to implement a cycling policy. | A cycling manager is appointed as a measure within the Stargate programme. The goal is to raise awareness of cycling within the airport community. The cycling manager is responsible for developing a cycling roadmap with priority actions to promote cycling to and from the airport. | In 2024, the cycling manager presented the cycling roadmap, which includes various measures (prevention, campaigns, infrastructure) to be implemented. |
| Bike leasing and cycling allowance. | Introduce bike leasing and cycling allowance within the airport community. | For BAC staff, bike leasing has been available since 2024 year-round, and not just as part of the cafeteria plan. |
| Measure | Description | Status 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated bus lane for the Ringtrambus and tunnel at Korenberg parking | Separate bus lane as part of the ‘SPI.R0’ Works on the Ring project. The bus lane and tunnel at Korenberg parking are initially being constructed for the Ringtrambus. The project is fully financed and managed by De Werkvennootschap. | The SPI.R0 project was launched in 2024. Construction of the bus lane and tunnel is scheduled for 2025. |
| Airport tram | The Airport Tram provides a direct connection from the airport to NATO, Eurocontrol and Brussels North. This project is funded by the Flemish Government and managed by De Werkvennootschap. | The permit has been approved. The first phase of works was tendered in 2024. |
| Better alignment between public transport and flight schedules through close cooperation with various transport companies | Regular contact and consultation with public transport providers and other shared mobility operators. | The Passenger Mobility Services department holds recurring meetings with the different transport organisations. |
| Improving the capacity and accessibility of the train and bus station by increasing vertical circulation capacity | Development of a new intermodal hub with vertical circulation, designed to accommodate the growth in passengers, staff & visitors and to support a modal shift. | The preliminary designs have been approved and the development of the detailed designs has started. There is ongoing consultation with various transport providers regarding the design, usage and capacity of the intermodal hub. |
| Train promotion | During Mobility Week, companies and their employees were invited to try out a free trial subscription for commuting. | In 2024, 29 BAC employees participated in the NMBS trial subscription. After the test period, 7 of them applied for a subscription via HR. Additionally, 54 employees used the trial subscription from De Lijn. |
| Additional shared transport services | Launch of new bus or train destinations from the airport to better align supply with demand. | Since December 2024, Brussels Airport has been directly connected to Liège by train. Since mid-2024, intercity buses (Flibco, Flixbus) connect the airport to Lille, Breda, and Ghent. |
| Mobility wall | Centralising information and raising awareness about public transport use for arriving passengers. The "mobility wall" is a central location in the baggage hall where passengers can access transport information. | A Mobility Infopoint has been installed in the baggage reclaim zone, providing real-time information on trains, buses, Flibco, and Flixbus. Using QR codes, passengers can access a route planner to find the most CO₂-friendly or fastest route to their final destination. |
| Real-time information | Objective: to provide accurate and real-time travel information to passengers. | Real-time display boards have been integrated at various locations. The information includes intermediate stops to help passengers make sustainable travel choices: e.g. trains to Knokke or Braine-le-Comte now also show stops in Brussels. |
| Measure | Description | Status 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Focus on a shared mobility system (in collaboration with local authorities) for both employees and passengers. | Objective to set up a bike-sharing system to make remote parking more attractive. | In 2024, BAC launched an RFP to develop a pilot project with shared bikes. The contract will be awarded in 2025, with the pilot project starting that same year. |
| Expanding the shared mobility offer (currently including Poppy, Miles Mobility). | Explore possibilities to further expand shared mobility — both in terms of providers and users, such as employees. | The use of shared cars is increasing, even though the number of providers has decreased. |
| Measure | Description | Status 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Carpool app available for multiple companies | The goal is to make carpooling known and accessible to everyone across different companies. | The app was introduced and carpooling is promoted among colleagues through various campaigns. In 2024, the "Carpool Café" served as a low-threshold campaign to encourage participation. |
| Combined mobility (parking at NMBS parking lots) | Promotion of combined mobility for employees to lower the barrier to alternative transport options. | Offered to BAC staff through the mobility budget and cafeteria plan. |
| Electrification of the entire company car fleet | Objective to have a fully electric fleet of BAC company vehicles by 2025. | 96,2% of BAC company vehicles is fully electric. |
| Mobility budget (Skipr) | Goal to encourage employees entitled to a company car to make a modal shift through the mobility budget. | In 2024, 72 employees chose the mobility budget instead of a company car. Another 38 employees opted for a combination of the mobility budget with a downgraded company car. |
| Charging infrastructure for buses and/or trucks. | BAC is currently exploring its role in providing charging infrastructure for buses and/or trucks. For trucks, hydrogen solutions are also being considered. | Based on a survey conducted with De Lijn, MIVB and the federation of bus companies, it was decided not to provide charging facilities in the intermodal hub. In 2024, BAC submitted a project proposal to the Flemish Government (under VIAVIA) for a truck parking area with charging facilities. This proposal was not accepted. |
| Carpool parking spaces | The goal is to encourage carpooling to work through dedicated carpool parking spaces. | On each staff parking lot, the 2 to 4 "best" parking spots were designated as carpool spaces. A total of 34 carpool spaces are available for staff. |
| Installation of additional charging stations | The goal is to install additional charging stations at staff and passenger parking areas. Over the next 10 years, a total of more than 1,000 charging points will be installed, with 850 of them in the next 5 years. | Staff parking managed by BAC: *In 2024: 164 charging points installed. *Total number of charging points: 312. Staff parking managed by Interparking: *In 2024: 200 charging points installed. Passenger parking: *In 2024: 500 charging points installed. *Total number of charging points: 551. |
| Greening the taxi fleet | The objective is to electrify the taxi fleet as much and as quickly as possible. | In 2024, BAC studied the installation of fast chargers for taxis as an incentive to green the fleet. |
Modal split
|
Transportmodus |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Auto |
59,9% |
57,7% |
55,9% |
|
Trein |
20,9% |
22,3% |
22,9% |
|
Bus - Lokaal |
4,5% |
4,8% |
4,5% |
|
Bus - Intercity |
0,0% |
0,0% |
0,0% |
|
Fiets |
0,5% |
0,6% |
0,5% |
|
Step |
0,0% |
0,0% |
0,0% |
|
Te voet |
0,2% |
0,3% |
0,1% |
|
Carpool |
0,2% |
0,0% |
0,0% |
|
Motorfiets |
0,6% |
0,6% |
0,6% |
|
Combinatie van modi / Andere |
0,1% |
0,6% |
2,1% |
|
Taxi / Besteld vervoer |
10,3% |
9,6% |
10,4% |
|
Georganiseerd vervoer |
0,3% |
0,8% |
1,2% |
|
Huurauto |
1,6% |
1,9% |
2,0% |
|
Hotel shuttle |
0,7% |
0,8% |
0,0% |
The graphs show the results of sustainable vs. non-sustainable modes based on the definition used in the OVG (Onderzoek Verplaatsingsgedrag Vlaanderen).
- Staff
- 2023: total 148
- 2024: total 512
- 2025: 289 planned
- Target 2033: total 1500
- Passengers
- 2023: total 51
- 2024: total 551
Staff BAC: 96%