Authorisation to organise cross-border regular services

If you want to organise cross-border regular services for more than 9 people, you require an authorisation issued by the Flemish Minister responsible for passenger transport. This authorisation is valid for maximum 5 years, but can be extended for 5 years at a time.

Conditions

‘Cross-border regular services’ means regional transport:

that is organised at specified intervals along specified routes;
with passengers being picked up and set down at predetermined stopping points;
that is open to all, subject, where appropriate, to reservation;
that extends beyond national borders for maximum 25 kilometres (maximum 50 kilometres return or 25 kilometres one way).

Non-cross-border regular services with a route that does not leave Flanders are organised by the Flemish Transport Company De Lijn.

Cross-border regular services that extend beyond the regional borders are governed by a cooperation agreement between the Flemish, Brussels-Capital and Walloon Regions. De Lijn, MIVB and TEC have exclusive rights to provide those services.

The federal government is responsible for issuing authorisations for international regular services. International regular services extend beyond 50 kilometres on return trips across national borders.

Procedure

Fill in the application form for an authorisation for cross-border regular services. See ‘Geregeld vervoer en bijzonder geregeld vervoer (in Dutch)’
Submit the form to the Policy Division of the Department of Mobility and Public Works.
The Minister will decide on the issuance of authorisation within a period of 4 months. You will be informed of the decision no later than 10 days after expiry of that period.
The authorisation is valid for maximum 5 years. The Minister can extend it for maximum 5 years at a time.