A->B Directions

One of the great things about Brussels is that it is very easy to get around. The city has a great public transport system including a metro system, trams and busses.

For help in finding your way from A to B in the city you can use the Journey Planner from the De Lijn (Flemish bus company), just enter the street address you are leaving from and your destination address and the website will do the rest for you. It will provide you not only the metro or tram you need to take but also shows you a map of your destination and departure areas to help you get to the metro or tram.

Journey Planner: http://www.delijn.be/en/index.htm

Public Transportation within the city.

The STIB or MIVB is the public transport company in Brussels. Unlike many other cities, STIB trams,
buses and metros form one and the same network. So you can switch easily from one to the other with the same ticket.

Most lines operate Monday to Sunday from 5am to midnight, however, some lines operate a night service from midnight to 3am on Friday and Saturday nights.

A single fare within the city costs €1,60, however there are many different options depending on how frequently you travel. Tickets can be purchased at a Bootik, kiosk, vending machine in a shop or on the bus. More frequent travelers can check the options and decide which one best suits their needs at the following site.

STIB: http://www.stib.be/acheter-kopen.html?l=en

Metro

There are four metro lines in Brussels providing good access in the downtown area and out to the suburbs.

Download a map of the metro system in Brussels

Tram and Buses

The STIB has an extensive over ground network of busses and trams. Unfortunately the company website does not have an easy to use network map so it is best to use the journey planner in the section A>B Directions.

Trains

Belgian railways (NMBS or SNCB) operate an extensive service throughout the country and connecting with rail operators in other countries. The trains are modern, safe and easy to use. You can plan your journey by entering your departure and destination city in the attached website

Rail Journey Planner: http://www.b-rail.be/nat/E/

You must have a ticket before you board the train and it is possible to purchase a ticket on line using the following site or at a ticket kiosk in a train station.

Ticket Ordering: https://buy.b-rail.be/eTicketing/ETicketOrdering/InitStrutsActionToWelcome.do?lang=3

International Trains

High speed international trains connect Brussels with many cities in France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. For example you can be in Paris in 1 hour and 22 minutes on the Thalys or London in less than 2 hours on the Eurostar. International trains leave from Brussels Midi train station. For more information and to book tickets visit the B-Europe webiste. http://www.b-europe.com/Travel where you will find more information on train times, fares and promotional offers.

Airports

Brussels has two airports; Brussels National Airport, which is the main international airport and Charleroi used mainly by low cost and charter airlines

Brussels National Airport

The airport is located 11km north east of the city centre.

For up to date flight arrival and departure times click on the following link http://www.brusselsairport.be/en/flightinfo/

Getting to the airport by Public transportation:

The airport train station is located below the terminal (basement level-1). Up to 4 trains an hour connect the airport to Brussels North, Brussels Central and Brussels Midi stations. Moreover there are direct train services to the East, South and West of Belgium.

• Gent - Wetteren - Aalst - Denderleeuw - Brussel - Brussels Airport
• De Panne - Diksmuide - Lichtervelde - Deinze - Gent - Brussel - Brussels Airport
• Quévy/Quiévrain - Bergen - Braine-le-Comte - Halle - Brussel - Schaarbeek - Brussels Airport
• Train to Leuven and Landen run twice an hour. If you change trains you can easily get to the provinces of Limburg (via Hasselt) and Liège (via Luik-Guillemins).

The journey into town takes 20 to 25 minutes and a one way ticket costs approximately €5. Information on the schedules of all Belgian and international train services can be found on the Belgian Railways website. Enter BRUXELLES NAT AIRPORT as departure station or destination.

http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/

Charleroi - Brussels South Airport

The airport is used by Ryanair and other low cost carriers. It is located about an hour south of the city and is best reached by airport shuttle which runs every half an hour from Brussel Midi train station. The shuttle is operated by Brussels City Shuttle, a one way ticket costs €13 and a return €22

For up to date flight arrival and departure information please click on the following link:

http://www.charleroi-airport.com/en/passengers/flights/index.html

Driving (incl. parking)

Getting around the city by car can be stressful if you do not know your way around. People tend to drive fast and relatively aggressively, additionally you need to be on the look out for cyclists, busses, trams which can make using public transport seem like an attractive alternative.

If you decide to park on the street you will need to pay for parking at one of the parking meters and display the ticket you receive in the car. Alternatively you can use one of the many multistory parking lots around the city.