The influx of approximately 180,000 people to the Belgian coast due to favorable weather on Labour Day led to significant travel disruptions. Ostend's city center was temporarily closed to incoming traffic due to overwhelming crowds and congestion. This was announced by the Flemish Traffic Centre and local police.
The high number of visitors, including both day-trippers and overnight tourists (with hotel occupancy at 85%), created substantial traffic jams. Authorities closed the Ostend city center to incoming traffic to ensure emergency services could navigate the area effectively, diverting traffic at Vuurkruisenplein near Mercator.
Adding to the travel chaos, a train heading towards the coast experienced technical issues near Affligem, resulting in the evacuation of around 1,000 passengers under police supervision. Seven passengers required medical attention due to the heat. The incident temporarily blocked two railway tracks, causing further disruptions on the Ghent-Brussels line before being cleared.