Belgium is a vital transport hub in the heart of Europe, allowing travellers to connect seamlessly with other parts of the continent.

Trains regularly run to Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

The number of people travelling by rail has increased, with a whopping 244 million recorded last year.

Belgian authorities have sought to modernise rail infrastructure, including stations, to encourage even more travellers to travel by train.

Last week, Mons opened its station to the public after an extensive upgrade and refurbishment was finally completed.

The futuristic new design cost an eye-watering €480 million (£397m) and was carried out by the Santiago Calatrava company of architects and engineers.

Mons station is undoubtedly an important international hub with 57,000 passengers a week and 189 trains a day.

Modern, accessible and at the city’s heart, the station and its new footbridge offer even greater intramodality.

People can access the bus station, Kiss&Ride and take a cab directly from the new station.

There are five covered platforms, two parking lots and 350 bicycle parking spaces, while the new footbridge houses 14 retail and service areas.

The station has been designed to enable all passengers to travel barrier-free and independently.

The new walkway has 12 elevators, raised platforms and pedometers for the visually impaired.

Although already operational, an official inauguration will occur on 31 January 2025 during the “Mons en lumières” festival.

The latest design is the fourth iteration of the Mons train station, which first opened its doors in 1841.

The original station was part of the Midi-line connecting Brussels and the French border via Quiévrain to Paris.

This first building was replaced in 1874 by its successor, who was nearly 200 metres long.

The second station was destroyed by American bombs on 10 May 1944 and was replaced by a third structure in 1952.

The third station closed to passengers in March 2013 and was demolished three months later as part of the modernisation plans.