CW Lease and the Belgian national railway company have agreed on a partnership for 'chain mobility', marketed as 'CW Rail'. Lease car users are entitled to a beneficial fare on any route between Belgian railway stations. It is the first initiative of its kind in Europe.

In the first phase, CW Rail will target drivers who need to reach urban centres, especially on the route from Antwerp to Brussels. In the second phase, formulas for complementary (public) transport or transborder routes with Eurostar and Thalys might be envisaged.

Antoine Martens, deputy general manager of Belgian Rail says: 'CW Lease analysis show that 30% of car users are interested in public transport. The railway and the car are complementary means of transportation. In order to convert CW Lease customers into railway customers too, we have developed special beneficial fares and undersigned an exclusivity contract with CW Lease for one year.'

Aernout van der Mersch, managing director of CW Lease Belgium, said: 'We want the monthly lease fare to include more than just the price of a car. We want to transform it into a package of mobility solutions for an entire month.'

Through their fleet managers, companies can order a minimum of 25 train tickets, to be calculated in the monthly lease fare and valid for one year. Ticket prices cover the train trip only - but not the parking space in major stations such as Antwerp-Berchem or Brussels 'Midi'.

Initially, CW Lease is targeting customers who want to reach the centres of Antwerp and Brussels, but who face traffic jams and high car park fees. CW Lease's latest project to enhance general mobility is called CW Rail. It completes three other available projects.

  • CW Desk: a flexible, fully equipped office centre near Aartselaar, nearby the A12 and E19 motorways from Antwerp to Brussels. CW Desk offices can be rented to avoid traffic jams in the morning, between two appointments or for regional meetings.
  • CW Shuttle: a shuttle service (with or without driver) to transport your staff between public transport junction points or carpool car parks to the company and back.
  • CW Mobicenter: a logistics solution to help companies avoid losing time while staff are collecting replacement vehicles or picking up lease cars, for instance before and after maintenance and repairs.
  • Philippe Quatennens is general manager of Fleet Management, Belgium's leading fleet publication. (August 2000)