• Transport In Belgium | How To Get Around

    Hotel des Monnaies Metro Platform

    Getting around Belgium from one city to another is easy once you get to know the train stations. There were quite a few times we asked for help as we were confused but we found how to get around eventually. Here is my guide on how to get around Belgium using the various transportation available.

    USING PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN BELGIUM // CHEAP AND EASY WAYS TO GET AROUND

    METRO 

    We used the metro to get around Brussels. Especially to get from the station nearest our apartment to get to Brussels Midi Station for the trains. It took a little bit to get used to the Metro and which ways the trains went but we managed. The Metro was super cheap. We even managed to find tickets that lasted 24 hrs so we bought less tickets and a great deal. The Metro was so retro and felt like we were back in WW2. You can see what the station platform nearest our apartment looked like above.

    The Metro in Brussels is made up of six lines, four of which are conventional and two are premetro lines (premetro are underground tramways).

    • Lines 1 and 5: Run between the east and west parts of the city. You’ll need to take these lines to get to Brussels Park and the Cinquantenaire.
    • Lines 2 and 6: These are circle lines. Line 6 runs to Brupark, the metro stop for the Atomium and Mini Europe.
    • Lines 3 and 4: Run between the north and south parts of Brussels. These lines are useful if you need to get from the Gare du Midi to the centre.
    METRO COSTS:
    • One-way Ticket: €2.10 (€2.50 when you buy it on a bus or tram)
    • Return Ticket: €4.20 (you have to use the return ticket in the following twenty-four hours)
    • Five Journey Ticket: €8
    • Ten Journey Ticket: €14
    • 24 hr Travel Card: €7.50


    TRAINS 

    We caught all of our trains from Brussels Midi Train station which we could get to from the Metro. It is connected to so many different train lines so we could go into the smaller cities in Belgium, into Paris, London St Pancras or even Amsterdam. We used this station to get to Brugge, Antwerp and Ghent which we explored on seperate days.

    It took quite a while to get used to which platforms we wanted as there was so many trains going out. We even had to ask the military guys there a couple of times to help us. It’s such a busy station as well so it’s super hard to stay out of the way of everyone else rushing around.

    JOURNEY LENGTH:
    • Brugge – takes about an hour from Brussels Midi
    • Antwerp – takes about 50 minutes from Brussels Midi
    • Ghent – takes about 40 minutes from Brussels Midi
    • Brussels Zaventem Airport – takes about 20 minutes from Brussels Midi
    Travel times are accurate as at 18.05.2019 using Google Maps and the Trainline App. Times are subject to change due to traffic and times of day. 
    TRAIN COSTS:
    • £14.63 via Trainline App (Brussels Midi to Brugge)
    • £8.68 via Trainline App (Brussels Midi to Antwerpen Centraal)
    • £10.15 via Trainline App (Brussels Midi to Gent)
    • €14.10 = £12.38 via the ticket booth (Brussels Midi to Brugge)
    • €7.40 = £6.50 via the ticket booth (Brussels Midi to Antwerpen Centraal)
    • €9.00 = £7.90 via the ticket booth (Brussels Midi to Gent)
      Prices are accurate as at 18.05.2019 using the Trainline App and SNCB website along with Google Currency Converter. Prices are subject to change. 

    TRAM 

    Sadly we didn’t get a chance to use the tram but it is a great way to get around. I had seen it quite a few times in Ghent and Antwerp so if you want/need to use it, I highly recommend it.

    TRAM COSTS:
    • One-way Ticket: €2.10 (€2.50 when you buy it on a bus or tram)
    • Return Ticket: €4.20 (you have to use the return ticket in the following twenty-four hours)
    • Five Journey Ticket: €8
    • Ten Journey Ticket: €14
    • 24 hr Travel Card: €7.50


    RIVER BOAT TRIP

    There are plenty of places to catch the river boat cruise in various different cities in Belgium including Brugge, Antwerp and Ghent. This is perfect on a hot sunny day like when me & Amy visited and caught the boat in Brugge. The boat takes you up and down the rivers whilst your driver gives you so many pieces of history and interesting information whilst you take in the sights and beautiful architecture.

    RIVER BOAT COSTS:
    • €10 per person – they do not accept card so make sure you have enough cash before you start queuing.


    WALKING 

    Walking is the perfect way of getting around as you always see things you never normally see. It’s a great way of seeing things from your perspective rather than from a train window or the back of a taxi. Walking is also FREE so it’s the best inexpensive way of getting around. We tried to walk as far as we could before hopping on a Metro or Train to get to where we needed to go.

    TAXI

    We didn’t use the taxi when we travelled around Belgium but they are available should you need to use them, this includes metered taxis and Ubers. I am unsure on how much they would be but be sure to ask around or check out the Uber app if you prefer using Ubers.

    RENT A CAR 

    You can also rent a car as there are various car rental offices around Belgium if you’d prefer to drive a car yourself. Make sure you check how much the car hire would be before you travel to get a rough idea for when you land or book it in advance. We didn’t drive so I wouldn’t know how much car hire would be.


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    Are you planning on exploring Belgium? What is your favourite mode of transport to use when travelling? Let me know in the comments below.