Brussels Transportation
From "Brussels, Belgium"

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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