Which means of transport to use Bruxelles - Brussel?

From the airport to the city centre Bruxelles - Brussel

Brussels Airport is the main and closestairport to the capital. Air France and Brussels Airlines land here. It is served by train and bus. You can connect the airport's SNCB train station with all Brussels train stations, including international ones. You can also take the STIB bus lines 12 (express in Brussels in 30 min. Beware, the price of the bus ticket is not the same as a regular bus journey, so if you have a STIB pass or multi-trip card, it will not be valid) or De Lijn 272, 620 (to Anderlecht, stop at Botanique or Yzer metro stations for the center) or R59 (ringtram to Roodebeek metro station). For more information, visit www.brusselsairport.be/fr/passengers.

Charleroi airport is the country's^2nd-largest airport, serving low-cost airlines such as Ryanair (flights to Marseille, Bordeaux, Biarritz, Nantes, Carcassonne, La Rochelle, Perpignan, Bergerac, Toulouse, Figari, Nîmes, etc.). A bus line (line A) links the airport to Charleroi-Sud station (€6 one-way). A bus + train ticket (bulk ticket) to any Belgian station can be purchased online.

Bus shuttles. The main line runs non-stop from Charleroi airport to Brussels-Midi station. The shuttle leaves from the intersection of rue France and rue de l'Instruction: follow the "Eurostar" exit at the station. One-way fare: €19.95. There are also direct shuttle buses to Ghent, Bruges, Mons, Arlon, Lille and Luxembourg. There's also a line between Brussels-National airport and Lille. Buy your bus ticket and check the timetable online, at a fixed price valid for the day, to avoid queuing at the airport ticket office (on www.flibco.com). A QR code to scan on your phone is sent by email.

Arrival by train Bruxelles - Brussel

By Eurostar , numerous departures to Brussels from Paris, Gare du Nord or Lille. You can get to Brussels (1h43) and other Belgian cities (with or without connections). For the best prices, book your journey as early as possible (few good last-minute deals), and choose the very first or last trains of the day. www.eurostar.fr.

The TGV INOUI also connects Brussels with Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, Strasbourg, Lyon, Aix, Marseille, Montpellier, Rennes and Nantes. www.oui.sncf

Arrival by boat Bruxelles - Brussel

Some companies (mainly Croiriseurope, www.croisieurope.com), make a stop at the Brussels Cruise Terminal, on the Willebroek canal. If you have not booked an excursion with the cruise company or a local service provider, you can always take bus 57, direction North Station, and change at the "Van Praet" stop for streetcar 3, direction Churchill, or at the terminus of the North Station for streetcar 3 or 4, direction Stalle. Get off at "Bourse" to get to the Grand Place. For timetables, see www.stib-mivb.be.

Public transport Bruxelles - Brussel

Buses, streetcars and/or the metro criss-cross Brussels, their efficiency depending on traffic congestion. The Belgian capital has a metro or pre-metro (a system where streetcars partially use tunnels in the city center). Public transport generally runs from 5.30 a.m. to midnight. You can travel with a single ticket (from €2.20 for contactless payment, €2.60 for a MOBIB card or e-ticket on the STIB app, and €2.70 for a paper ticket purchased from a ticket machine); a card including ten or so journeys (€18.60 if purchased via the app + €5 purchase fee if you prefer a MOBIB Basic card); a day pass (from €8 on contactless terminals to €8.50 in paper form). On Friday and Saturday evenings, the STIB operates Noctis bus routes from midnight. Walloon (TEC) or Flemish (De Lijn) buses enter the city in some cases, but the specific Brussels network is called STIB.

Also worth noting: the launch at the end of 2023 of the Floya app, a brand-new app that lets you plan, book and pay for different modes of transport in Brussels (bus, train, cab, scooters, car-sharing, etc.)

All-in museum and tourist pass for Brussels, the Brussels Card has further expanded its offer. For 24, 48 or 72 hours, it offers free access to 49 Brussels museums (including all the capital's stars), discounts at tourist attractions, on guided tours, and in shops, restaurants and bars. And as a bonus, a city map and a museum map. In addition to STIB public transport and Hop on Hop off tourist buses, the Brussels Card can also be complemented with a special discount on admission to the Atomium. All Brussels in one card, simply scanned at the entrance to the museum or when taking the bus, streetcar or metro.

STIB fares. A ticket will cost you €2.70 if you buy a paper ticket and €2.20 if you use contactless payment (with your bank card, credit card or smartphone, the gray or black terminals are located in front of the metro/pre-metro platforms and on STIB streetcars and buses). For ten journeys: €18.20. For one trip between the airport and the city center: €7 for contactless payment and €7.50 for advance purchase at the cash dispenser. Other formulas offer practical and financial advantages: the one-day formula can be used at will for 24 hours for €8.50 in presale, €8 in contactless payment. To take advantage of this option, simply swipe your bank card/smartphone each time you use the transport (always use the same means of payment), and you won't be debited for more than €8 over 24 hours.)

Train

The train is certainly not the preferred mode of transport for getting around the Belgian capital (wrongly, in some cases, as Brussels has many small stations that are accessible with the STIB day pass). But sightseeing in Brussels can make you want to explore other parts of the country. In that case, here are a few tips.

Smart plan. Book your ticket online on the SNCB website or app, and you'll receive an e-ticket by email or directly in the app. Prices are fixed by distance, and the ticket is valid all day like a TER in France (on www.sncb.be). If you buy a Youth Multi or Standard Multi pass (see below) via the SNCB app, you'll get an extra discount.

Fares. An idea of second-class fares: Brussels-Namur costs €10.80, Brussels-Antwerp €8.90 for 50 km, Brussels-Arlon €25.50 for 190 km. Below are the most economical formulas.

Youth Ticket and Youth Multi: Formulas for travelers under 26. Youth Ticket: Valid for a single journey at €7.50 or a return journey at €15 throughout Belgium. Youth-Multi: Card for 10 single journeys in second class, valid for a period of one year, at the fixed price of €62 (€60 if purchased on the SNCB app). Unbeatable for journeys over 70 km. It cannot be used before 8am Monday to Friday, except in July and August when there are no time restrictions. A Youth Multi can be used by several people at the same time (simply fill in the corresponding number of lines on the ticket).

Standard Multi: for people over 26. A 10-trip card valid for one year, at €102 (€99 if purchased on the app) for second class and €157 for first class (€154 on the app). Interesting for journeys of at least 100 km. No time restrictions.

Weekend ticket. Gives a 50% discount on the price of a round trip. Valid for the outward journey from Friday evening after 7pm to Sunday evening, ending at midnight; for the return journey from Saturday lunchtime to Sunday evening. Return trips are therefore possible on Saturday and Sunday.

Other options include B-Excursions, which offer attractive discounts on tickets combining round-trip rail travel and admission to selected attractions in various Belgian cities and tourist attractions. During the vacations, you can also take advantage of these two packages: "A day at the seaside" and "A day in the Ardennes". Day discount for a return trip to a station on the coast or in the Ardennes, during school vacations only. Same conditions as for weekend tickets.

Bike, scooters & co Bruxelles - Brussel

Brussels is a cycling capital. There are both independent and shared bike rental companies. The city has bike paths everywhere and plenty of bike parking.

Bike rental: Blue Bike is one of the most convenient and inexpensive bike rental addresses in the country (and, of course, in the capital), with key-operated vending machines (24 hours a day) in all stations. All you have to do is to use your card, which you'll have made up in advance. Then simply follow the signs to the bike point at the station. You can use the locker 24 hours a day, or go to the branch during opening hours. A single Blue Bike card allows you to rent two at a time. They are available at all 3 main stations in Brussels. Monday to Friday 7am-7.30pm, weekends 9am-10pm. Bikes available 24 hours a day. 3.50 per day, annual subscription €12.(www.blue-bike.be)

Shared bikes: the pioneering shared bike rental service is Villo! (one-day ticket at €1.50, ^1st half-hour free, €0.50 for the^2nd half-hour, €1 for the^3rd half-hour, and subsequent half-hours at €2 per half-hour). If you'd rather ride an electric bike, then Billy Bike and Dott.

On a scooter. Dott and Bolt share the electric scooter market in Brussels.

With a driver Bruxelles - Brussel

Brussels has been taken over by VTC companies Uber, Heetch and Bolt. They compete with the cab app Victor Cab or Taxis Verts. You'll find cab ranks near train stations, main squares and tourist attractions. Be sure to book in advance, as getting a cab takes time and they are often very busy, so it's not uncommon to wait 15 or 20 minutes for one to arrive. Hotel receptionists are used to this and can take care of it for you.

Another solution in the evening between 11pm and 6am is Collecto shared cabs. They operate 7 days a week between 11pm and 6am, with collection points at 200 STIB stops, €6/trip. (https://www.collecto.be/)

By car Bruxelles - Brussel

To drive your vehicle or rent one on the spot, your national license is enough.

Highways. An exceptional motorway network - and without tolls! - of more than 1,500 km ensures a direct and fast connection between all urban centers. Maximum speed limit: 120 km/h. Beware, many speed cameras have sprung up along Belgian roads and freeways.

Driving on the road. The speed limit is 120 km/h on freeways, 90 km/h in Wallonia and 70 km/h in Flanders on national roads and 50 km/h in built-up areas except... in Brussels which is a "Zone 30". If you are driving, be aware of the generalized right priority (except for a sign indicating that you are on a priority road).

Zone 30: The maximum speed limit in Brussels is now 30 km/h on all roads in the Brussels-Capital Region, except on major roads where the speed limit remains 50 or 70 km/h. Pay attention to the signs!

Parking. The parking lots in the center are very expensive and limited in time. Opt for the peripheral parking lots at a moderate price with the purchase of a public transport ticket. More information on parking.brussels/en/smart/park-ride-pr.

Since the establishment of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in the Brussels Region, some of the most polluting vehicles are no longer allowed. These are diesel vehicles without standard, Euro 1, Euro 2, Euro 3 and Euro 4 and gasoline Euro 1 and without standard (put into circulation before 01/01/1997). All vehicles registered abroad that can circulate in the zone must register (free of charge) via: https://lez.brussels/mytax/fr/registration. The registration is free and valid for 3 years.

Accessibility Bruxelles - Brussel

Unfortunately, Brussels is not a pioneer in terms of accessibility, but it is making efforts. Some fifty metro stations are accessible to PRMs, with or without assistance. All stations are equipped with Braille signage, but also with raised blocks to mark the path and safety lines. In wheelchair-accessible metro stations, there may be a difficulty in crossing the gap between the platform and the metro train. It is possible to call the assistance service without prior reservation by pressing the button on a contact point in the station. The service is available every day between 7am and 10pm. Most buses have a low floor for wheelchairs and pushchairs (and some trams). There are special seats for them. For more information, go to www.stib-mivb.be, in the "Accessibility" section.