High-speed Thalys trains between Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam and the Eurostar service between Brussels and London are among those affected.

Eurostar trains have been starting and stopping in the northern French city of Lille, near the Belgian border.

German trains have been stopping at the border town of Aachen, with buses taking passengers on to Brussels.

Belgium's railway workers' union called the stoppage in protest at a restructuring plan under which 10,000 workers would be laid off by 2007.

Traffic jams

It began at 2200 (2000 GMT) Sunday and was due to continue for 24 hours.

The NMBS-SNCB railway company said the strike was expected to cost it three million euros ($3.4m).

The company says it needs to cut jobs and privatise its freight division to stay afloat or face estimated losses of around 10 billion euros ($11bn) by 2010.

An estimated 700,000 passengers, who use the train to get to work, were forced to seek alternatives.

Police in Brussels reported heavier than usual traffic jams.