Brussels is the first city in Europe to introduce electric tourist carriages in place of horse-drawn ones. As charming as it may be to see horse-drawn carriages prancing between old buildings on cobblestone streets, they are becoming less and less common in modern times. Brussels has launched horseless electric carriages, managing to blend traditional elegance with contemporary technologies.
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According to the Belga news agency, the first electric carriage for tourism was unveiled on June 6th, making this city in Europe the first to employ them for this purpose. They kept their commitment to wait the full year after they were first announced, at the beginning of the phase-out of horse-drawn carriages.
After running the horse-drawn carriages for ten years, Thibault Danthine declared last year that he would be discontinuing the service. First, because of operational and logistical challenges; and second, because of animal welfare issues.
Logistically, things were getting more and more difficult. Finding a stable in the heart of the city that could hold four horses, manure, etc. is quite difficult, so I was going to have to move the stables anyhow,” he said to RTBF at the time. From the perspective of human resources, “finding people who can lead a horse around town and speak two or three languages is not easy either.”
A few months earlier, Brussels MP Victoria Austraet had brought attention to the fact that the horses were working in 29°C heat when the carriages were in use on the hottest summer days. Additionally, Danthine stated last year that “ethically speaking, things are changing.”
Everyone involved—including Danthine, who applied for and won the city’s tender—welcomed the solution of using only electrical models. Belga claims that he actually originated the concept of electric carriages and that he can now carry on with his business using a fresh strategy.
“The carriages are back, with an exclusive addition! Respect for tradition, 100% electric and a global innovation that replaces the old horse-drawn carriage. An important addition to the Brussels tourist offering”, Brussels Deputy Mayor for Economic Affairs, Fabian Maingain, wrote on X.
This year, there should be two additional electric carriages operating: one in the summer and one in the fall. There will be multiple paths available to tourists, all of which begin at the Grand Place. No matter how many passengers board, the cost of a carriage ride around the city’s historic center is fixed at €70. It is envisaged that the three carriages will be able to accommodate the 15,000 tourists who used the horse wagons annually prior to their discontinuation of service.