Brussels Metro line 2 in the context of "Congress Column"

The Brussels Metro (French: Métro de Bruxelles [metʁo də bʁysɛl]; Dutch: Brusselse metro [ˈbrʏsəlsə ˈmeːtroː]) is a rapid transit system serving a large part of the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. It consists of four conventional metro lines and three premetro lines. The metro-grade lines are M1, M2, M5, and M6 with some shared sections, covering a total of 39.9 kilometres (24.8 mi), with 59 metro-only stations. The premetro network consists of three tram lines (T4, T7, and T10) that partly travel over underground sections that were intended to be eventually converted into metro lines. Underground stations in the premetro network use the same design as metro stations. A few short underground tramway sections exist, so there is a total of 52.0 kilometres (32.3 mi) of underground metro and tram network. There are a total of 69 metro and premetro stations as of 2011.

The Brussels Metro was planned at the beginning of the 1960s to become a fully underground network. The original network, running between De Brouckère and Schuman, was inaugurated on 17 December 1969 as premetro tramways, which were later, in 1976, converted into the common section of the first two metro lines. These lines were then considered a single line with two branches, between De Brouckère and Tomberg and De Brouckère and Beaulieu. On 4 April 2009, with the completion of the "loop" of line 2 connecting Delacroix and Gare de l'Ouest/Weststation, the Brussels Metro was significantly reorganised.

Line 5 is a rapid transit line on the Brussels Metro in Belgium operated by STIB/MIVB. It connects Herrmann-Debroux in the south-east of Brussels to Erasme/Erasmus in the south-west via the city centre. It has existed in its current form since 4 April 2009, when the section of former line 1A between Beekkant and Roi Baudouin/Koning Boudewijn was replaced by the section of former line 1B between Beekkant and Erasme. Starting from Herrmann-Debroux, the line crosses the municipalities of Auderghem, Etterbeek, City of Brussels, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Koekelberg and Anderlecht. It serves 28 metro stations and has a common section with line 1 between Gare de l'Ouest/Weststation and Merode, and with lines 2 and 6 between Gare de l'Ouest and Beekkant. At Arts-Loi/Kunst-Wet, the line also connects with lines 2 and 6. Railway connections are possible at Brussels-Central, Brussels-Schuman, Merode and Brussels-West.

The first section of this line was built in the late 1960s between Schuman and De Brouckère, but was served by trams. The first metro was brought into service on 20 September 1976, and the existing underground section was extended up to Tomberg on former line 1B, and up to Beaulieu on former line 1A. Line 1A was further expanded eastwards, to Demey in 1977 and to Herrmann-Debroux in 1985. The line was also expanded westwards, to Sainte-Catherine/Sint-Katelijne in 1977, to Beekkant in 1981, to Bockstael in 1982, to Heysel/Heizel in 1985 and to Roi Baudouin in 1998.

Line 1 is a rapid transit line on the Brussels Metro in Belgium operated by STIB/MIVB. It has existed in its current form since 4 April 2009, when former line 1B, which ran between Stockel/Stokkel and Erasme/Erasmus, was shortened to Gare de l'Ouest/Weststation. The section between Gare de l'Ouest and Erasme is now served by line 5. The line serves 21 metro stations, and has a common section with line 5 between Gare de l'Ouest and Merode, and with lines 2 and 6 between Gare de l'Ouest and Beekkant. At Arts-Loi/Kunst-Wet, the line also connects with lines 2 and 6. Railway connections are possible at Brussels-Central, Brussels-Schuman, Merode and Brussels-West. The line crosses the municipalities of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Koekelberg, City of Brussels, Etterbeek, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre and Woluwe-Saint-Lambert.

The first section of this line was built in the late 1960s between Schuman and De Brouckère, but was served by trams. The first metro was brought into service on 20 September 1976, and the existing underground section was extended up to Tomberg on former line 1B, and up to Beaulieu on former line 1A. Line 1B was later expanded westwards, to Sainte-Catherine/Sint-Katelijne in 1977, to Beekkant in 1981, to Saint-Guidon/Sint-Guido in 1982, to Veeweyde/Veeweide in 1985, to Bizet in 1992 and finally to Erasme in 2003. The line was also expanded eastwards, to Alma in 1982 and to Stockel in 1988.

Line 6 is a rapid transit line on the Brussels Metro in Belgium operated by STIB/MIVB. It connects Roi Baudouin/Koning Boudewijn in the north-west of Brussels to Simonis/Elisabeth to the north-west of the city centre, then performing a counterclockwise "loop" around the centre up to Simonis again. During this loop, the line runs under the Small Ring (Brussels' inner ring road), from Porte de Hal/Hallepoort to Yser/IJzer. It has existed in its current form since 4 April 2009, when it replaced former line 1A between Roi Baudouin and Beekkant. It serves 25 metro stations and has 26 stops, metros on that line stopping twice at Simonis. The Simonis-Elisabeth loop is also served by line 2. The line has also a common section with lines 1 and 5 between Gare de l'Ouest/Weststation and Beekkant. A connection with those lines is also possible at Arts-Loi/Kunst-Wet. Starting from Roi Baudouin, the line crosses the municipalities of the City of Brussels, Jette, Koekelberg, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Anderlecht and Saint-Gilles.

Delacroix (French pronunciation: [dəlakʁwa]) is a Brussels Metro station on lines 2 and 6. It is located in the municipality of Anderlecht, in the western part of Brussels, Belgium. It is an elevated station, running parallel to the Rue Léon Delacroix/Léon Delacroixstraat, and forming a bridge-viaduct over the Brussels–Charleroi Canal, with entries and exits leading to and from both banks of the canal. The station takes its name from that nearby street, itself named after Léon Delacroix, Belgium's 22nd Prime Minister.

The metro station opened on 4 September 2006 as the southern terminus of line 2. On 4 April 2009, the "loop" of line 2 was completed with the junction between Delacroix and Gare de l'Ouest/Weststation. Following the reorganisation of the Brussels Metro on that occasion, it now lies on the joint section of lines 2 and 6.

Brussels-West Station (French: Gare de l'Ouest; Dutch: Weststation) is a multimodal transport hub located in the municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, in the western part of Brussels, Belgium. It mainly consists of Gare de l'Ouest (French) or Weststation (Dutch), a Brussels Metro station on lines 1, 2, 5 and 6, as well as a tram and bus stop. Additionally, Brussels-West railway station (French: Gare de Bruxelles-Ouest; Dutch: Station Brussel-West) is a railway station operated by the National Railway Company of Belgium (SNCB/NMBS). It is served by the Brussels Regional Express Network (RER/GEN) service.

The original railway station was opened in 1872 by the Belgian State Railways; it was closed for passengers in 1984. The metro station opened on 6 October 1982 as part of the Beekkant–Saint-Guidon/Sint-Guido extension of former line 1B. Then, following the reorganisation of the Brussels Metro on 4 April 2009, it is served by lines 1, 2, 5 and 6. The railway station also reopened on that occasion.

The Avenue Louise (French, pronounced [avny lwiz]) or Louizalaan (Dutch, pronounced [luˈizaˌlaːn]) is a major thoroughfare in Brussels, Belgium. It is located in the southern part of the City of Brussels, on the border with the municipalities of Saint-Gilles and Ixelles, where it runs south–east from the Place Louise/Louizaplein [nl] to the Bois de la Cambre/Ter Kamerenbos, covering a distance of 2.7 km (1.7 mi). It is named in honour of both Queen Louise, the first Queen of the Belgians and wife of King Leopold I, and Princess Louise, King Leopold II's eldest daughter.

The Avenue Louise is one of the most prestigious and expensive avenues in Brussels, lined with high-end fashion stores and boutiques. It also houses many embassies and offices. The avenue is served by Louise/Louiza metro station at one end (on lines 2 and 6 of the Brussels Metro), as well as the tram lines 8 and 93, which run its entire length.