Vlaamse Vervoersmaatschappij De Lijn[1], more commonly known as De Lijn, is a state-owned enterprise run by the Flemish Government in Belgium to provide public transport with about 2240 buses and 399 trams. De Lijn was founded in 1991 after the public transport companies of Antwerp and Ghent merged with the Flemish part of the NMVB (Nationale Maatschappij van Buurtspoorwegen, or the "National Company of Local Railways").
Socialist politician Steve Stevaert of Hasselt implemented a policy allowing registered residents in Flanders aged 65+ to ride anywhere in Flanders free. This has since been changed to allowing inhabitants aged 65+ to purchase cheap annual passes which are valid throughout de Lijn. For 56 euros, senior citizens can now travel freely as often as they wish. Other incentives exist for people under the age of 25. De Lijn is viewed as an important tool in reducing heavy traffic congestion, together with the NMBS, Belgium's national rail operator.
In 2016, it transported more than 518.8 million passengers in an area with a population of approximately 6.5 million.[2]
De Lijn operates: