Schaerbeek Tram Extension Drives 12% Surge in Apartment Prices

The Brussels-Capital Region opened the final section of the Schaerbeek-Haren tram line on 12 March, connecting Place de la Reine directly to the new Haren depot with four new stops. Property records show median sale prices on adjacent streets have risen from €3,850 to €4,310 per square metre in the four months since service began.

The project forms part of the 2022-2027 Regional Mobility Plan and addresses long-standing gaps in north-east public transport. Residents previously relied on overcrowded bus routes or lengthy walks to Gare du Nord. The new 4.2-kilometre line cuts journey times to the European Quarter by up to 18 minutes, according to STIB timetables released in April.

Local impact on streets and parks

Values have climbed fastest on Rue de la Poste and Avenue Jules Bordet, where developers have submitted 11 planning applications for mixed-use buildings since February. Agents at local firm Immo Schaerbeek report viewings for two-bedroom flats now average 22 per listing, up from nine last autumn. The line also skirts the southern edge of Josaphat Park, where the regional environment department opened a new pedestrian entrance in May to handle increased foot traffic.

STIB data released last week records 28,400 daily passengers on the extension, exceeding the original forecast by 3,200. City planners attribute the surge to workers at the European Commission’s new logistics hub in Haren, which began operations in January.

Price evidence and buyer patterns

Notarial statistics compiled by the Brussels federation of estate agents show 147 residential transactions within 400 metres of the new stops between March and June, compared with 92 in the same period last year. Average transaction values reached €385,000, with cash buyers from Etterbeek and the EU district accounting for 61 percent of purchases. Two converted warehouse buildings on Rue Royale Sainte-Marie sold at €4,650 per square metre in late June, the highest recorded price on that street since 2019.

Buyers should check the latest STIB service updates and review the Brussels-Capital Region planning portal before committing. Several sites within 300 metres of the stops still carry pre-extension asking prices, offering a narrow window for early movers ahead of the next wave of listings expected after the summer holidays.