Belgium: Essential Travel Tips

Fact file

Area: 30,520 sq km (11,780 sq miles)

Capital: Brussels

Population: 11 million

Languages: Flemish (Dutch), French and German

Highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 metres (2,277ft)

Religion: Roman Catholic (±50 percent), plus Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and others.

Time zone: CET/CEST

Currency: the euro (€)

International dialling code: 32

Transport

Getting to Belgium

By air

The main gateway to Belgium is Brussels Airport (tel: 0900-70000 from inside Belgium, 02-753 7753 from outside; www.brusselsairport.be) at Zaventem, 11km (7 miles) from the city centre. Among the many airlines that fly to Brussels are: Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus.com), Air Canada (www.aircanada.com), British Airways (www.britishairways.com), Brussels Airlines (www.brusselsairlines.com), Delta (www.delta.com), US Airways (www.usairways.com) and United Airlines (www.united.com ). From the airport train station, beneath the main terminal, four trains each hour run to all the three main Brussels rail stations (daily 6.30am–10.30pm; single fare from €7.60), and there are also direct trains to other parts of Belgium, and bus services.

Of the low-cost airlines, easyJet (www.easyJet.com) has flights to Brussels from Liverpool, Berlin, Geneva and several French cities, and Flybe (www.flybe.com) flies there from Scotland and Northern Ireland. Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) has flights from airports throughout Europe, including the UK, Ireland, Spain and Italy, to the smaller Belgian airport of Charleroi, also labelled “Brussels-South” (www.charleroi-airport.com). Charleroi is 46km (29 miles) south of Brussels: a shuttle bus leaves Charleroi Airport every 30 min daily, 4am–8.30pm, for Brussels-Midi train station in the city centre (single fare €13), and there are also direct buses to Antwerp, Luxembourg and Lille and to Charleroi train station, on the main Belgian rail network.

By rail

Brussels is a major hub of the European rail network, with Eurostar trains from London via the Channel Tunnel and Lille, and high-speed Thalys or ICE trains from Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne and other cities. International trains arrive at the largest city station, Brussels South (also called Brussels Midi or Brussels Zuid). It is connected by rail to the two other main city stations, Brussels-Central and Brussels-North, and to suburban stations. Bookings for long-distance and international trains can be made through Belgian Railways or www.raileurope.com.

By road

Buses: Bus services to Brussels with often ultra-low fares are operated by Eurolines (www.eurolines.com) and Megabus (www.megabus.com), from several points in the UK as well as Amsterdam, Paris and other European cities.

Cars: Brussels is the hub of as many European motorways as it is rail lines. Driving time to the city using major roads with no stops from Paris is about 3hrs 15min, from Amsterdam about 2hrs 30min, from Berlin 7hrs 20min. Motorways in Belgium are toll-free and, since the country is mostly flat, traffic moves very fast.

By sea

Passenger and car ferries operate regularly between the UK and the Belgian ports of Ostend and Zeebrugge. P&O Ferries (tel: UK 0871-664 2121; www.poferries.com) sail between Hull and Zeebrugge, and Transeuropa Ferries (tel: UK 01843-595 522; www.transeuropaferries.com) go between Ramsgate and Ostend.

Getting around Belgium

Belgium is small enough and the transport infrastructure good enough to make getting around the country pretty straightforward. The train is generally the best way to go by public transport, with the bus service being useful for short distances and for places not served by train. Excellent motorways and other fast roads criss-cross the country.

By rail

Belgium has extremely good trains that cover practically the whole country, operated by Belgian Railways (SNCB/NMBS; tel: 02-528 2828; www.belgianrail.be). From the three main Brussels stations there are frequent services to all the main cities (Bruges, Antwerp, Liège) and even to small destinations. As well as the standard European rail passes, Belgian Railways also offers its own useful discount passes, such as one giving 10 trips of any duration within Belgium for €76, and several other combinations and youth tickets. Full details are on the SNCB website. As well as by phone and online, train information is also available by mobile phone on SMS number 2828.

By road

Distances are relatively short, and motorways serve most of the country with the exception of the hilly regions of the Ardennes. All roads are toll-free.

Motoring advice: Drivers must have a red warning triangle and yellow reflective waistcoat in their car. Parking is restricted in Brussels and other major cities, usually with a “Blue Zone” system; in these areas, parked vehicles must display a blue badge with a type of clock, which you can buy from petrol stations, tobacco shops and automobile clubs. When you park, you should set the clock at your arrival time, and will then be allowed 2–3 hours parking time, indicated on signs nearby. In Brussels and some other cities there are also pay-and-display parking zones and large pay car parks. The blood alcohol limit for drivers is 0.5 percent.

Be aware that in the northern part of the country, road signs appear in Flemish – in the southern part, in French. Several towns and villages have two names, one in each of the official languages, but road signs only show place names in the language of that particular region. In case of accident, call the emergency numbers 100 or 112.

Brussels Transport Tickets: Tickets and cards must be inserted into machines on Metro station platforms, or on board trams and buses, which automatically authorise the journey and cancel the fare. Single- and multiple-journey cards permit unlimited transfers within a one-hour period, provided the card is inserted after each vehicle change.

Getting around Brussels

The excellent public transport network of Metro, trams and buses, operated by STIB (tel: 070-232 000; www.stib.be), is easy to use and tightly integrated. Tickets of different kinds can be bought in Metro stations, newsagents and several other shops, and at tourist offices and STIB information offices. A range of combinations is available: single tickets cost from €2, 5- or 10-journey cards €7.50–13, but you can also get cards valid for 1–3 days or the Brussels Card, which gives you unlimited access to public transport, reduced admission to many museums and discounts in some restaurants, bars and other venues. Cards can be valid for one, two or three days and cost €24–40.

Bicycles: Brussels is striving to become a cycle-friendly city, and cycle routes are increasing. Like Paris and other cities, Brussels has a public-access cycle scheme, allowing subscribers to rent a bike for an hour or more from bike stations around the city; for details see www.villo.be. Subscribing is easy online, and very cheap. For bike tours and rentals contact ProVelo, tel: 02-502 7355 (English spoken); www.provelo.org.

Buses and trams: Buses can be reduced to near-immobility in rush hours, but for short distances, the tram is usually the fastest way to travel.

Cars: Travelling by car in the city is not recommended. Trams and buses always have traffic priority, as, usually, do vehicles coming from the right, unless the road is posted with orange diamond signs.

Metro: The fast and modern Metro consists of four main lines, connecting the eastern and western parts of the city. The underground network is supplemented by two “premetro” lines, which run partly underground.

Trains: The suburban above-ground train service is also good, but is not so useful for tourists within the city limits.

Belgium A–Z

Accommodation

Because of its role as a centre of European institutions and business Brussels has a large number of functional business-oriented hotels, but there are also many more individual and relaxed options at different prices. Boutique-style hotels have appeared in Brussels and most other cities, and in cities and the countryside there is a wide choice of attractive guesthouses, bed-and-breakfasts and hotels in historic buildings. Extensive listings of all types of accommodation can be found on http://visitBrussels.be (for the capital) and on the separate websites for Flanders and Wallonia.

Arts and activities

In Brussels, world-class institutions like the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie (tel: 070-23 3939; www.lamonnaie.be) for opera and dance, and the Palais des Beaux-Arts or BOZAR (tel: 02-507 8200; www.bozar.be), which contains exhibition halls, cinemas and concert halls, are complemented by a large range of local museums, galleries and performance venues. Highlights include the Musée Horta (www.hortamuseum.be) for Brussels’s Art Nouveau heritage, and the Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée (www.comicscenter.net), which caters to the city’s obsession with comic-strip art.

The much-praised Royal Ballet of Flanders (tel: 03-234 3438; www.balletvlaanderen.be) is based at the Theater’t Eilandje in Antwerp, and presents an adventurous range of classical and contemporary dance.

Budgeting for your trip

Prices of comparable hotels vary considerably, and those of restaurants, clubs and museums to a lesser extent, from place to place around Belgium. Brussels and Antwerp tend to be the most expensive among the major cities, followed by Bruges, Ghent and Liège.

Accommodation: The starting rate for a double room is €50; for a decent mid-range hotel in most cities, expect to pay €100–200; above €300 is starting to get into de luxe territory.

Meals: Dining costs are €10–25 for a 2–3-course meal at a decent local restaurant, €25–60 at a fine restaurant, and €100 and beyond for Michelin-level cuisine. A glass of beer can cost as little as €2 and a glass of house wine €4.

Transport: A taxi from Brussels Airport to the centre of Brussels costs about €35. The Brussels Card, valid for 1, 2 or 3 days, and the similar Bruges City Card (www.bruggecitycard.be) give unlimited use of local transport and discounts on all the main attractions in each city, and so can be a handy way of cutting costs.

Children

In Brussels travel is free for children under 6 on all public transport, provided there are no more than four children per each paying adult. Children aged 6–11 can also effectively travel for free, provided they have a “J-Card”, available from the usual ticket outlets for a refundable deposit of €5. Similar concessions are also provided in other cities. There are reduced ticket prices for children under 12 on Belgian Railways, which also offers “B-Excursions”, combining train tickets with reduced-price admission to various attractions around the country. Many hotels offer special family rates and packages.

There are many places of interest for children in Belgium. The coast, the Kempen district and the Ardennes are especially rich in theme parks and other attractions. The country’s only regular zoo is the superb Antwerp Zoo, Koningin Astridplein 26 (www.zooantwerpen.be). In Brussels, a fascinating attraction is Mini-Europe, Bruparck (www.minieurope.com), with miniature replicas of buildings from across the continent. Bruges scores high with the dolphins and other marine creatures at the Boudewijn Seapark (www.dolfinarium.be).

Climate

Belgium’s climate is temperate and much influenced by its proximity to the sea, becoming noticeably colder the further inland you go towards the German border. The best weather is between April and October, and July and August can be quite hot, but rain is probable even then. Snowfalls are common in the Ardennes in winter, though temperatures rarely fall below freezing for long.

Disabled travellers

Like the rest of Europe Belgium has made major efforts to improve accessibility for all disabled people in recent years. In Brussels the airport trains are fully accessible and the local transport authority has a programme to improve access to all Metro stations, and provide assistance where this has not yet been done. Belgian Railways is also providing access to all its trains and stations, and free assistance is provided on request. Adapted taxis are available in Brussels from Taxis Verts, tel: 02-349-4949. Many hotels and guesthouses now have adapted rooms, and are listed on tourist authority websites.

Eating out

Belgium has plenty of regional cuisine and specialities, from the jambon d’Ardenne (smoked Ardennes ham) and salade liégoise (Liège bacon salad) of the French-speaking areas, to the waterzooï op Gentse wijze (a fish or chicken stew from Ghent) and paling in ’t groen (eel in a green sauce) of Flanders, and the moules/mosselen (mussels) and steak-frites (steak with French fries) that are popular everywhere. Vegetarian food is becoming ever more popular, both by way of dedicated restaurants and vegetarian options on menus. Belgium’s famous beers are just as good an accompaniment to a meal as wine, and Belgians like to linger over lunch and dinner in a restaurant.

Emergency Numbers

All Emergency Services: 112; it can be faster to call individual services directly.

Ambulances and medical emergencies and Fire Service: 100

Police: 101

Doctor (Brussels): 24 hours, 02-479 1818

Dentist (Brussels): 02-426 1026

Embassies and consulates

Australia: Rue Guimard 6–8, 1040 Brussels, tel: 02-286 0500; www.belgium.embassy.gov.au

Canada: Avenue de Tervuren 2, 1040 Brussels, tel: 02-741 0611; www.canadainternational.gc.ca/belgium-belgique

Ireland: Chaussée d’Etterbeek, 1040 Brussels, tel: 02-282 3400; www.embassyofireland.be

South Africa: Rue Montoyer 17–19, 1000 Brussels, tel: 02-285 4400; www.southafrica.be

UK: Avenue des Nerviens 9–31, 1040 Brussels, tel: 02-287 6211; http://ukinbelgium.fco.gov.uk

US: Boulevard du Régent 25–27, 1000 Brussels, tel: 02-811 4300 ; http://belgium.usembassy.gov

Festivals

March/April: Carnival, Binche, Sunday to Shrove/Pancake Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). Belgium’s most colourful pre-Lenten Carnival culminates in the parade of the fabulously costumed Gilles de Binche.

April/May: Heilig-Bloedprocessie (Procession of the Holy Blood), Bruges, Ascension Day (fifth Thursday after Easter). The bishop of Bruges leads a costumed procession bearing the Relic of the Holy Blood from the basilica in the Burg through the city streets.

July: Ommegang, Brussels, first Tuesday and Thursday in July. A spectacular costumed pageant in the Grand’Place re-enacts the “Joyful Entry” of Habsburg emperor Charles V into Brussels.

Gentse Feesten (Ghent Festivities). Ten days of street parties, music and cultural performances in July.

Gay and lesbian travellers

Brussels has a vibrant gay scene, focused just off the Grand’ Place, and which has a dedicated page on the VisitBrussels website. In Flanders, Antwerp has become one of Europe’s gay centres, with a huge range of venues and services and a big range of gay-centred events.

Health and medical care

Citizens of non-EU countries should ensure they have a travel and health insurance policy. EU citizens can use Belgian state health services with an EHIC card. A hospital in Flanders is a ziekenhuis (or AZ), and an emergency department is indicated with a sign for Spoedgevallen; in Brussels and the French-speaking south the equivalents are Hôpital and Urgences. In case of a serious emergency, call an ambulance on tel: 100.

Pharmacies close on Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday, but some pharmacies in each area stay open according to a rota, which will be displayed with details of the nearest on duty in all pharmacy windows. Alternatively, you can also find duty pharmacies by calling tel: 0900-1500, on www.servicedegarde.be or in local newspapers, where the current rotas will be listed.

Language

Three official languages are spoken in Belgium: Flemish, a variation of Dutch, in the north (Vlaanderen or Flanders); French in the south (Wallonie or Wallonia); and German in the east, by a small minority. In Brussels, the majority of people speak French, but the city is officially bilingual. Relations between the two linguistic communities are often tense, and each language disappears remarkably quickly when you cross from one linguistic area to the other. Nowadays each area has separate institutions in many areas of life, such as travel services.

One consequence of Belgium’s linguistic complexities for foreign visitors is that to avoid tensions the two communities often speak to each other in English rather than either of their own languages (especially in Flanders, where people commonly prefer to use English more than French). Consequently the level of English is very high and it is widely used, and websites and other information literature are automatically produced in English as well as Dutch or French.

Nightlife

The city of Brussels publishes Bru XXL, a free bimonthly guide to entertainment in the city. Information about scheduled events in Brussels and around Belgium is contained in the weekly English-language magazine The Bulletin.

Brussels and Antwerp are Belgium’s nightlife hotspots, followed by Ghent and Liège. Dining out and lingering in bars is more typical of Brussels life than nightclubbing, but in the last few years some more trendy venues have appeared such as The Wood (Avenue de Flore 4; www,thewood.be). For a guide to upcoming events throughout Belgium, see www.noctis.com.

Opening hours

Shops usually open Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, although some of them close on Monday. There are a few late-night shops in the city centre, and the neighbourhood corner store may stay open until 9pm. It’s best to ask around as to the best after-hours shops and chemists. Banks are open 9am–4pm or 5pm. On Friday, some larger stores and supermarkets stay open until around 9pm.

Postal services

Post offices normally open Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat 9am–noon. Smaller branches may close for lunch noon–2pm, close by 4 or 5pm and on Saturdays. Letterboxes are red and marked Post/Poste. In Brussels the main post office by Brussels-Midi (or Brussels South) train station, on Avenue Fonsny, is open Mon–Sat 7am–11pm, Sun 11am–10pm. Stamps can also be bought at newsstands and in many small shops.

Public holidays

On these holidays banks and most offices will be closed, and museums may be closed or operate Sunday hours. Some holidays are not observed throughout the country.

January: 1 New Year’s Day; March/April: variable Easter Monday; May: 1 Labour Day; May/June: variable Ascension Day, Whit Monday; July: 11 Flemish Community Holiday, 21 Independence Day; August: 15 Assumption Day; September: 27 Walloon Community Holiday; November: 1 All Saints’ Day, 11 Armistice Day, 15 King’s Feast; December: 6 St Nicholas’s Day, 25 Christmas Day.

Shopping

Belgium is noted for hand-beaten copperware from Dinant; crystal from Val-Saint-Lambert of Liège; diamonds from Antwerp; handmade lace from Bruges, Brussels, Binche and Mechelen; tapestries from Mechelen, Sint-Niklaas, Brussels and Ghent, and sporting guns from Herstal, for which Liège is world-famous. Credit cards are accepted everywhere, and many shops offer tourists special terms exclusive of VAT on certain goods.

Brussels

There are numerous areas in Brussels where you can shop to your heart’s content. In the Lower City go to Place de Brouckère, Place de la Monnaie, along Boulevard Anspach (predominately fashion and books), and Rue Neuve, including the City 2 shopping complex.

Rue du Beurre is good for food and gift shops. Rue du Midi is another well-known shopping beat, where there are quite a few art-supply shops and music stores. One of the best places for window-shopping is the glass-roofed arcades of the famous Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, which opened in 1847. Rue Antoine Dansaert is the place to find ultra-fashionable and expensive boutiques.

Fancy shops with internationally recognised designer names are concentrated in the Upper City. Streets to look out for include Avenue Louise, Chaussée d’Ixelles, Boulevard de Waterloo and Avenue de la Toison d’Or. The most chic arcades are also located here. You’ll find Galerie Espace Louise and Galerie Louise at Place Louise; Galeries de la Toison d’Or and the Galerie d’Ixelles are at Porte de Namur. Department stores generally open Mon–Sat 9am–6pm and stay open until 8pm on Friday.

The city has many markets:

Antique market: Grand Sablon, Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 9am–2pm.

Flea market: Place du Jeu de Balle, daily 7am–2pm.

Flower market: Grand’Place, Mar–Oct Tue–Wed and Fri–Sun 8am–6pm.

Food and textile market: Place Bara (South station), Sun 5am–1pm.

Telecommunications

Most public phones are operated by phone cards, which are available from post offices, newsstands and newsagents.

For local directory enquiries in English, tel: 1405. The international code for Belgium is 32, and the area code for Brussels 02, for Antwerp 03. When calling from outside the country, omit the initial 0.

Tipping

Service charges are included in most prices in Belgium (in restaurants, bars, hairdressers and many other businesses) so there’s no automatic expectation of a tip, even in taxis. It is quite common though to leave a little extra for particularly good service. Toilet attendants, however, will make your visit a misery if you pass their saucer without leaving a few coins.

Tourist information

Because of the federalised structure of Belgium, the country’s three sections – Brussels, Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia – each now have separate tourist information services, although abroad Brussels shares its promotion with Wallonia.

OPT (Brussels and Wallonia Tourist Board), Rue Saint-Bernard 30, 1060 Brussels, tel: 070-221 021; www.opt.be.

Toerisme Vlaanderen (Flanders Tourist Board), Rue du Marché aux Herbes 61, 1000 Brussels, tel: 02-504 0390; www.visitflanders.co.uk.

Visit Brussels, main information centres, Rue Royale 2, in the City Hall, Grand’ Place, and at Brussels-Midi train station, tel: 02-513 8940, www.visitbrussels.be.

Tourist offices abroad

UK: Brussels & Wallonia Tourism, tel: 020-7537 1132; www.belgiumtheplaceto.be; Flanders Tourism, tel: 020-7307 7738; www.visitflanders.co.uk.

US and Canada: Brussels & Wallonia Tourism, tel: 212-758 8130; www.visitbelgium.com; Flanders Tourism, tel: 212-584 2336, www.visitflanders.us.