100 Years of Belgian Railways (NMBS / SNCB)

At the centre, the anniversary numeral '100', its zeros forming an infinity symbol — representing continuous movement, connectivity and an unbroken journey. From the logo, a 1926 locomotive and a 2026 double-deck M7 electric multiple unit emerge. Along the upper edge, the railway company's logo — designed in 1935 by illustrator Jean De Roy — flanked by the years '1926' and '2026'. Along the lower edge, the country code 'BE', together with the mint marks of the Koninklijke Nederlandse Munt and the current Belgian mint master Giovanni Van de Velde.

As one of the oldest public railway companies in Europe, the Belgian state railway played a decisive role in shaping the development of rail transport on the continent. In 1835, Belgium opened the first state railway line on mainland Europe — the connection between Brussels and Mechelen is regarded as the founding moment of an infrastructure that has held the country together in almost every respect ever since. Building on this foundation, the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Belges (SNCB), in Dutch Nationale Maatschappij der Belgische Spoorwegen (NMBS), was established as an independent state company in 1926. It took over a dense rail network that was exceptionally extensive for a country of Belgium's size and became one of the central pillars of industrial and economic integration between the country's language communities.

Today, NMBS/SNCB operates one of the most heavily used rail networks in Western Europe relative to population density. The shift from steam locomotives through electric traction to modern double-decker multiple units — such as the M7 rolling stock, which has defined the image of Belgian trains since the 2010s — reflects a hundred years of technological change that the company has actively helped shape. NMBS/SNCB is also a hub in international high-speed rail traffic: Brussels offers direct Thalys and Eurostar connections to Paris, London, and Amsterdam. To mark the 100th anniversary of the Belgian state railway in 2026, Belgium honours this chapter of national infrastructure history with a 2-euro commemorative coin.