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ABOVE: In Brussels, signs have street names in
both French and Flemish.
Public transportation is the best way to reach Brussels and to get around the
city once you're there. The city has a well-organized system of airport trains,
a Métro, trams, and buses, so you won't need a car unless you're spending a lot
of time in the suburbs or nearby towns.
If you must drive, be aware that Belgium didn't have drivers' licenses until
the 1960s and didn't require license exams until the 1970s--which may explain
why the accident rate is higher than in most European countries. Also remember
that, unless you see a white sign with a yellow diamond as you approach an
intersection, traffic entering from the right has the right of way. Roundabouts
(a.k.a. traffic circles or rotaries) intimidate many North American drivers, and
the city's complicated network of tunnels, ring roads, and boulevard can be a
nightmare at rush hour. My advice: Park your car and stick to public transport.
Tips on traveling in the
Belgium:
If you plan to drive in the Belgium, read my articles on
driving in Europe and
car rentals: when to rent, when to lease. For
train travel, consider a rail pass from our
partner, Rail
Europe .
(You can even get passes that combine rail travel with a rental
car.)
Airport
Brussels
International Airport
Check on flight schedules, duty-free shopping, and ground
transportation before you go.
Qpark Car Hotel
You probably won't need to park at the airport if you're a foreign tourist, but
if you do, here's a place where you can leave your car and take a shuttle to the
departure terminal.
Railway
NMBS/SNCB
Belgium's
national railway has plenty of information in English, including timetables.
Eurostar
europeforvisitors.com
My
article describes the Eurostar trains that connect Brussels with London in less
than three
hours via the English Channel Tunnel. (The article includes links to
related Web sites.)
Local Transportation
STIV-MIVB
The official Brussels transit site has information about the city's underground
railway, trams, and buses in Flemish and French. If you'd rather not wrestle
with the local lingo, see the unofficial
Brussels Subway and Planitram
transportation sites.
De Lijn
This Flemish (Dutch) site has timetables and other information for buses
throughout Flanders, including routes that operate within Brussels. The
route planner is
fairly easy to use even if you don't know Dutch.
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Durant
& Cheryl Imboden's
