La Monnaie goes for soft mobility

Reading time: 4 min.

With its Green Opera programme, La Monnaie is committed to reducing its ecological footprint as much as possible. However, we cannot do this alone, as our carbon emission calculations show that the displacement of our audience also has a non-negligible CO2 impact. With the following initiatives, we hope to convince a growing number of spectators to opt for a form of soft mobility when making their way to our venues.

Mobility desk

The permanent info desk for everything to do with your mobility to and from La Monnaie! Booking a shared taxi, signing up as a Public Transport Buddy, asking questions or sharing suggestions … Our members of staff at the special counter in the entrance hall can help you with all that, before every opera performance and during the intermission.

Travel by train to La Monnaie at half price

Thanks to the BRAVO! ticket, you can travel to La Monnaie by train at half price on the day of your performance. All tickets for our productions now include an SNCB-NMBS discount code, which allows you to book a return trip (2nd class) to Brussels-Central from any Belgian station 31 days before the performance. Your return can also take place the day after.

Drive together to La Monnaie with Slinger

Carpooling to La Monnaie with other opera lovers? Besides being more sustainable, it’s nicer and cheaper than going alone! La Monnaie is the first cultural venue in Belgium to join forces with Slinger, a simple tool which allows you to arrange a ride with another spectator from your area in just a few clicks. On the right of this page, you can already easily offer a ride or reserve a seat for the performances of The Time of Our Singing. As a reward, on presentation of your Slinger confirmation email, you will receive a free parking ticket valid in the Ecuyer, Brucity or Grand Place Interparking car parks (worth €6).

How does it work?

Offer a ride

Select ‘Offer ride’ in the pop-up on the right of this page.
Choose the day you will be driving.
Enter your trip details, including departure city and time.
Indicate how many empty seats you have.
Enter your contact details and confirm your ride via the email you receive.

People looking for a ride will automatically contact you via email to ask if they can join you. Once you confirm via email, you can arrange a pick-up location and discuss any travel costs.

Ride along

Click on ‘Ride along’ in the pop-up on the right of this page.
Select the day of your performance.
Select a departure point.
Choose your seat(s).
Enter your contact details and leave a message for the driver.
Confirm your ride via the e-mail you receive.

The driver will receive your request and, if it is accepted, you will receive the driver's contact details and you can arrange further details with each other.

Public Transport Buddies

In the same spirit – together is better than alone –, we are also introducing ‘Public Transport Buddies’ for every opera performance this season. After the show, you can walk with other La Monnaie visitors to three Brussels transport hubs: Brussels-Central, De Brouckère (metro) and De Brouckère (tram). Before the opera or during the interval, drop by the mobility desk in the entrance hall, let us know which group you wish to join, and afterwards meet your buddies there at the signposted meeting point!

How does La Monnaie’s audience travel to the opera?

Our audience’s mobility accounts for 10 per cent of La Monnaie’s total CO2 emissions and, according to the latest data (figures from 2022), amounted to 532 tonnes of CO2. Between 30 and 35 per cent of spectators travel to La Monnaie by car.

Shared night cab at a mini price

Do you live in the Brussels-Capital Region? Thanks to Collecto, you can share a taxi home with other spectators after 11 pm for only €6. Good for your wallet and even better for the environment! The newest Collecto boarding point is situated in the rue Léopold, just behind the theatre. Drop by the mobility desk in the entrance hall before the performance or during the interval, and not only will our staff inform you on how to easily make a reservation with the app, you can also get an extra discount code from them until the end of 2024. On matinee performances, they will be happy to reserve a regular Taxi Vert for you.

Public transport timetables in real time

Forgot what time your tram leaves? Want to quickly check the track your train is leaving from? Two large screens in the entrance hall will provide real-time information about STIB-MIVB and SNCB-NMBS timetables.

Extra-early performances

Doesn’t an opera experience deserve a less stressful finale than having to rush out of the auditorium during the applause in a dash to catch your last connection? This season, we are experimenting with a number of performances that start extra early. Come and enjoy Carmen as early as 14:00 on Saturday 14 and Tuesday 24 June, and travel home by public transport unrushed.

Translation: Patrick Lennon