North–South connection
Shortly after opening, both stations were handling large volumes of commuter, regional and international passengers, but through journeys required disembarking and a street-level transfer through the city's old town, a distance of over 3 km (1.9 mi).The idea of an underground railway line linking the two stations was first suggested in the 1860s, as part of a proposal for the covering of the Senne,[2] although it was never implemented.The combination of a city-centre location and numerous services to diverse destinations led to Brussels-Central becoming the busiest station in Belgium.All regular national (inter-city and local) trains that use the line stop at North, Central and South stations.The same year, the construction of Brussels-Central was entrusted to his son, Maxime Brunfaut, following the death of the architect Victor Horta.