Travel advice for Belgium
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Belgium
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UK travellers are spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding how to get to Belgium. There are flights to Brussels from London and a string of regional airports; Eurostar trains direct from London to Brussels; ferries from Rosyth and Hull to Zeebrugge, near Bruges, and from Ramsgate to Ostend; Eurotunnel services from Folkestone to Calais, a short drive from the Belgian coast; and frequent international buses from London to Brussels and Antwerp. Buses are usually the least expensive means of transportation, but the train is faster and often not that much more expensive, and there are all sorts of great deals on flights too.
For travellers arriving from North America, the main decision is whether to fly direct to Brussels – though the options are limited – or via another European city, probably London. Australians, New Zealanders and South Africans have to fly via another city – there are no nonstop flights.
Flying from Ireland, there’s much less choice, but Ryanair charges very reasonable rates for flights from Dublin to Brussels-Charleroi, while Aer Lingus links Dublin with Brussels airport, and Scandinavian Airlines flies from Dublin to Brussels.
Whichever route and carrier you choose, it’s hard to say precisely what you’ll pay at any given time – there are just too many variables. That said, flying to Brussels from the UK with one of the low-cost airlines, a reasonable average fare would be about £100 return (including taxes), though you can pay as little as £50 and as much as £400.
From the US and Canada
From the US, you can fly direct to Brussels from New York City (American, Delta or Continental from Newark), Philadelphia (US Airways), Atlanta (Delta), Washington (United) and Chicago (American), but you’ll often find cheaper deals if you’re prepared to stop once, either in the US or mainland Europe. Return fares to Brussels from New York can be found for as little as $800, but $1200–1500 is a more normal fare. From Chicago, fares can cost as little as $1000, but $1500 is more the average. There are no direct flights from the West Coast, but plenty of carriers will get you to Brussels with one stop, for as little as $1200 return.
From Canada, Air Canada flies nonstop to London Heathrow, with onward connections to Brussels. From Toronto to Brussels, return fares range from Can$700 to Can$2000, and about twenty percent more (Can$850–2400) from Vancouver.
From Australia and New Zealand
There are no direct flights from Australia or New Zealand to Brussels. Most itineraries will involve two changes, one in the Far East – Singapore, Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur – and then another in the gateway city of the airline you’re flying with (most commonly Paris, Amsterdam or London). You can get tickets to Brussels from Sydney or Melbourne for Aus$1500–2000 if you shop around, and from Auckland for slightly more.
From South Africa
There are no direct flights from South Africa to Belgium, but KLM does offer direct flights to Amsterdam, a short train ride away from Belgium, from both Cape Town and Johannesburg. Alternatively, South African Airways flies direct to London, Munich and Frankfurt, from where it’s a short hop onto Belgium and Luxembourg. Return fares with KLM from both cities direct to Amsterdam cost ZAR9000–10000.
If you’re visiting Belgium as part of a longer European trip, it may be worth considering a pan-European rail pass. There are lots to choose from and Rail Europe (wwww.raileurope.com), the umbrella company for all national and international passes, operates a comprehensive website detailing all the options with prices. Note in particular that some passes have to be bought before leaving home, others can only be bought in specific countries. For train travel within Belgium and Luxembourg.
Eurotunnel
There are up to four Eurotunnel shuttle trains per hour (only one per hour midnight–6am), taking 35 minutes (45min for some night departure times); you must check in at Folkestone at least thirty minutes before departure. It’s possible to turn up and buy your ticket at the toll booths (exit the M20 at junction 11a), though advance booking is advisable and usually much less expensive. Fares, which are levied on the vehicle (not the number of passengers), depend on the time of year, time of day and length of stay; it’s usually cheaper to travel between 10pm and 6am, and advance booking attracts substantial discounts. Book well ahead, and a week-long return ticket in June will cost £100–140 without any flexibility, £200 with flexibility.
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Belgium
written by Rough Guides Editors
updated 30.04.2021
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