Kingdom of Belgium
Area: 30,528 sq km
Population: 10,666,866
Population density: 344 per sq km
Capital: Brussels
Area: 30,528 sq km
Population: 10,666,866
Population density: 344 per sq km
Capital: Brussels
Belgium country information
Passport & visa | Getting there | Cycling & maps | Cost of living | Accommodation | Food | Bike shops | Climate | Distances
Passport & Visa
| Visa required ? | |
| British | No |
| Australian | No |
| Canadian | No |
| USA | No |
| Other EU | No |
Passports
Passport valid for at least
three months beyond length of stay required
by all nationals referred to in chart above
except:
(a) 1. EU nationals (except nationals of Denmark, Sweden and the UK) holding a valid national ID card.
Note: EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.
(a) 1. EU nationals (except nationals of Denmark, Sweden and the UK) holding a valid national ID card.
Note: EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed.
Passport Note
Belgium is
a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.
Visas
Not required
by all nationals referred to in the chart above
for stays of up to three months within a six-month
period. Nationals staying for longer than three
months may require a Long-stay
visa.
Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements.
Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements.
Getting there
Getting There by Air
The main airline is Brussels
Airlines (website:
www.brusselsairlines.com
), which was created following a merger between
SN Brussels Airlines and Virgin
Express in March 2007.
Approximate Flight Times
From London
to Brussels is 50 minutes, and from New
York is 7 hours.
Main Airports
Brussels
Zaventem (BRU) (website:
www.brusselsairport.be
) is 12km (8 miles) northeast of the city (journey
time - 35 minutes). To/from the airport:
The Airport City Express train (website:
www.b-rail.be
) connects all three main railway stations (Brussels
North, Central and South) with the airport (journey
time - 20 minutes). The airport station is located
on level one below the terminal. Other trains
also depart frequently for the city and for destinations
all over Belgium. Coaches depart from the airport
bus station on ground level for major cities in
Belgium, France and The Netherlands. Buses run
regularly to and from the city and the bus station
is located below the arrivals hall. Taxis are
only available from outside the arrivals hall;
all licensed taxis are recognisable by their yellow
and blue licence emblems. A tip is generally included
in taxi fares. Some hotels offer courtesy coaches.
Facilities: Car parking, car
hire, post office, banks, bureaux de change, bars,
restaurants, duty-free shops, medical facilities,
and conference and business facilities.
Brussels South Charleroi (CRL) (website: www.charleroi-airport.com ) is 5km (3 miles) from Charleroi and 46km (29 miles) from Brussels. To/from the airport: Buses depart every 30 minutes to Charleroi (journey time - 10 minutes). There are regular coaches to Brussels (journey time - 1 hour), and a bus link to the local rail station. Facilities: Automatic money changer, car hire, cafe, business lounge and duty-free shop.
Brussels South Charleroi (CRL) (website: www.charleroi-airport.com ) is 5km (3 miles) from Charleroi and 46km (29 miles) from Brussels. To/from the airport: Buses depart every 30 minutes to Charleroi (journey time - 10 minutes). There are regular coaches to Brussels (journey time - 1 hour), and a bus link to the local rail station. Facilities: Automatic money changer, car hire, cafe, business lounge and duty-free shop.
Departure Tax
None.
Getting There by Water
P&O
Ferries (tel: 08716 645
645, in the UK only; website:
www.poferries.com
) serves Zeebrugge from Hull with overnight sailings
(journey time - 14 hours) and Superfast Ferries
(tel: 0870 234 0870, in the UK only; website:
www.superfast.com
) connects the same port with Rosyth, near Edinburgh,
(journey time - 18 hours). Transeuropa Ferries
(tel: 01843 595 522, in the UK; website:
www.transeuropaferries.com
) links Ramsgate with Ostend for passengers travelling
with cars (journey time - 4 hours).
Getting There by Rail
Société
Nationale des Chemins de Fer Belges (SNCB)
(Belgian National Railways) (tel: (02) 528 2828;
website:
www.b-rail.be
), operates frequent day and night trains to destinations
all over Europe. Trains à Grande Vitesse
(TGV) (tel: 0844 848 4064, Rail Europe,
in the UK only; website:
www.tgv.com
) operates between Belgium and France, departing
from Brussels Midi station.
Further high-speed trains are operated by Thalys (tel: (02) 528 2828; website: www.thalys.com ), linking Brussels with Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne. Journey time from Paris is 1 hour 20 minutes, Amsterdam is 2 hours 20 minutes, and Cologne 2 hours 25 minutes.
Eurostar (tel: 0870 518 6186, in the UK only; website: www.eurostar.com ) connects Brussels with Lille and London St Pancras via the Channel Tunnel (journey time - 1 hour 51 minutes).
Further high-speed trains are operated by Thalys (tel: (02) 528 2828; website: www.thalys.com ), linking Brussels with Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne. Journey time from Paris is 1 hour 20 minutes, Amsterdam is 2 hours 20 minutes, and Cologne 2 hours 25 minutes.
Eurostar (tel: 0870 518 6186, in the UK only; website: www.eurostar.com ) connects Brussels with Lille and London St Pancras via the Channel Tunnel (journey time - 1 hour 51 minutes).
Rail Passes
InterRail:
offers unlimited first- or second-class travel
in up to 30 European countries for European residents
of over six months with two pass options. The
Global Pass allows travel for
22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10
days in 22 days across all countries. The One-Country
Pass offers travel for three, four, six or
eight days in one month in any of the countries
except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel
is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence.
Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction.
Children's tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements
are required for some high-speed services, seat
reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered
on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available
from Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail
).
Eurail Pass: offers unlimited first-class train travel in 17 European countries. Tickets are valid for 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months or three months (website: www.eurail.com ).
Eurail Pass: offers unlimited first-class train travel in 17 European countries. Tickets are valid for 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months or three months (website: www.eurail.com ).
Getting There by Road
Belgium is
connected to the rest of Europe by an excellent
network of motorways. All roads are well signposted
with green 'E' symbols indicating international
highways. Although frontier formalities between
Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands
have now all but vanished, motorists (particularly
on smaller roads) should be prepared to stop when
asked to do so by a customs official.
Eurotunnel (tel: 0870 535 3535, in the UK only; website: www.eurotunnel.com ) runs shuttle trains for vehicles between Folkestone in Kent, with direct road access from the M20, and Calais, with links to the A16/A26 motorway (Exit 13). All road vehicles are carried through the tunnel in shuttle trains running between the two terminals. Driving time from Calais to Brussels is approximately 2 hours.
Coach: Eurolines (tel: 0870 514 3219, in the UK only; website: www.eurolines.com ) runs regular coach services from the UK to Belgium. Travellers can book a 15- or 30-day pass.
Eurotunnel (tel: 0870 535 3535, in the UK only; website: www.eurotunnel.com ) runs shuttle trains for vehicles between Folkestone in Kent, with direct road access from the M20, and Calais, with links to the A16/A26 motorway (Exit 13). All road vehicles are carried through the tunnel in shuttle trains running between the two terminals. Driving time from Calais to Brussels is approximately 2 hours.
Coach: Eurolines (tel: 0870 514 3219, in the UK only; website: www.eurolines.com ) runs regular coach services from the UK to Belgium. Travellers can book a 15- or 30-day pass.
Cost of living
Belgium: all prices in Euros
(EUR)
A couple of extra tips:
| drinks and snacks | food: local markets; restaurants; and stores | ||||
| water (mineral) water juice juice soft drink (can) soft drink (bottle) soft drink (bottle) |
1.5 litre 5 litre 4 x 200ml 1 litre 330ml can 500ml 1.5 litre |
0.30 1.60 1.50 1.00 0.50 1.00 0.75 - 1.40 |
bread loaf-white |
600g 600g 250g 8 x 45g each 400g |
1.10+ 1.50+ 1.40 1.50 0.75 1.00 |
| vlaamse friet (chips) kaas (cheese) souffle falafel wrap pizza |
one serving one serving one serving med |
2.00 1.00 3.75 6.50+ |
|||
| beer - can beer - can beer - boutique bottle wine - bottle wine - cask |
330ml 500ml 330ml 750ml 3 litres |
0.40 0.60 0.80 - 1.50 2.50+ 9.00+ |
|||
| tea coffee (cafe / bar) Nescafe instant coffee - ground |
25 bags per cup 50g 250g |
1.15 |
rice (white) pasta eggs - free range tomato paste |
kg |
0.90 |
milk |
1 litre 4x125g 200g 180g kg kg 200g 130g each |
0.80 0.85 0.90 1.25 9.30 10.00 2.25 0.55 1.50 |
potatoes onions carrots tomatoes green beans aubergine courgette broccoli mushrooms - chestnut |
kg kg kg kg kg kg kg 500g 250g |
1.70 1.00 1.00 1.30 2.00 1.40 1.30 0.85 1.25 |
| chips tortilla chips japanese rice snacks salted peanuts pistachio nuts sultanas |
200g pack 300g 150g 250g 250g 200g |
0.60 1.00 0.55 0.40 3.40 0.55 |
apples oranges bananas - organic pears strawberries (seasonal) pineapple - medium |
kg kg kg kg 500g each |
1.20 2.40 2.00 3.50 2.50 1.90 |
cornflakes |
375g pack 75g block 8x25g 300g 300g pack 150g pack |
2.50 0.70 1.00 1.85 0.95 0.85 |
pineapple (can) oil (olive) |
500g can 500ml |
1.40 3.25 |
| peanut paste jam nutella / chocolate spread honey |
375g jar 450g jar 400g 500g |
1.25 1.45 2.05 / 1.15 2.20 |
|||
| accommodation | personal | ||||
| budget city hostel budget city hotel |
17.00+ per dorm bed 55.00+ double with ensuite |
deodorant - roll-on soap shampoo toothbrush toothpaste disposable razor toilet paper |
50ml 150g bar 200ml each 100ml 5 pack 6 x small |
2.00 0.60 2.00 1.50+ 1.00 4.00 1.25 |
|
| eurocamping (1 star) wild camping |
15.00+ per tent difficult |
||||
| internet | 1.00+ per hour | ||||
*
tba = price to be announced * August 2010: at time of writing 1.00 USD = 0.79 EUR all prices have been taken from internet resources such as wikitravel, hostel world, leading supermarket chains, travel blogs, forums and of course our own travel experiences and purchases of everyday products in food markets, bazaars and local shopping facilities. They are only an indication and designed to give you a general impression of the cost of living in Belgium. Items are geared towards the budget conscious traveller with an occasional craving for a bit of luxury. |
Source:www.exchange-rates.org |
A couple of extra tips:
| * | Prices in Belgium are fixed in shopping stores and supermarkets, however when parting with a sizeable amount of cash in one store, or buying in bulk, it never hurts to ask for a discount. |
| * | Tipping in Belgium is left entirely up to your own discretion. |
* |
Taxis
fares are fixed by metred rates. |
