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Transportation
by air
There are different possibilities to reach Bruges by air. The National Brussels Airport is only one hour away and provides the best international connectivity while the Ostend-Bruges International Airport is more limited when it comes to passenger transport and connections. A third airport that can be used to reach Bruges is the smaller Charleroi Brussels South Airport.
Brussels Airport
This national Brussels Airport lies about 12 km outside Brussels in the region of Zaventem. Therefore it is also called Luchthaven Zaventem or Aéroport de Zaventem. It is used for civil but also military services. Brussels International is one of the busiest airports in Europe, and is well designed and fairly easy to navigate. There are many places to eat and shop in the airport, as well as a full bank and post office. It is easy to rent a car here and there are many companies to choose from, including Hertz, Budget, Europcar and Sixt. Busses and trains depart frequently for the city, and it is always possible to take a taxi. Avoid the taxis that gather by the baggage claim area, as they tend to be overpriced. Go instead to the rank of licensed taxis, recognizable by their blue and yellow emblems.
The Charleroi Airport lies about 50 km south of Brussels and 2 km north of Charleroi. Ryanair, Jet4you, Blue Air, onair and Wizzair operate from here to many destinations in Europe. The airport is easily reachable by car, train and shuttle bus. Charleroi Brussels South offers several car parking choices which respond to different needs and trip durations. There is a drop-off and pick-up zone in front of the passenger terminal. Parking is limited to 10 minutes. The known car rental companies like Avis, Europcar, Hertz and TC Location have offices inside the passenger terminal. Taxis are always available outside the passenger terminal and it is possible to negotiate fixed prices for certain destinations.
Ostend-Bruges International Airport is located in Ostend about 20 km away from Bruges. The airport concentrates on freight transport but the number of passenger flights is increasing. Usually the offered flights are charter or holiday flights but private business flights are also possible.
Bruges main train station provides hourly trains to most of the major Belgian cities. It takes less than an hour to Brussels, 1 hour and 20 minutes to Antwerp, 30 minutes to Ghent and 15 minutes to Ostend. There is a direct connection with the Thalys from Cologne, Amsterdam and Paris (www.thalys.com) and with the Eurostar to London (www.eurostar.com). Besides, there are several regional and local trains. Tickets can be purchased online on the website of the Belgian Railways (NMBS). There are busses going from the train station to the city centre, although it is just a 20 minutes walk to the market square.
Bruges has excellent road connections from all directions (E40, A10, E403, N31, E34). The E40 connects Brussels with Ostend and Calais, E 403 goes from Lille and Kortrijk to Zeebrugge. Driving inside the city can be very discouraging due to the many canals and one way streets. Therefore it is recommendable to park the car in one of the multi-story car parks at the train station. From her busses operate to the city centre but the old town is just in walking distance.
Belgium has very extensive public bus routes which are often used by locals. Direct routes connect Bruges with Ostend, Zeebrugge, Ghent and other Belgian cities.
There are 2 different kinds of tickets:
De lijnkaart (linecard): a ticket used for trips outside the city.
De stadskaart (citycard): a ticket used for trips only inside the city.
Prices depend on the destination but within the city, a trip cost generally € 0.75. Children from 6-11 years old are given discounts of up to 50%. Children younger than 6 years travel for free. Prices for bus cards range from € 7.5 to € 25 and can be purchased at any newspaper stand. Single ticket and bus cards are also available on the bus. If you are travelling with a minimum of 10 people, you can buy a group ticket that gives you a 10% discount.
Bruges’ port is the most modern and the second biggest port in Belgium. Besides, it is one of the most important ones in Europe. There are ferries connecting Belgium and the United Kingdom:
Superfast Ferries : Direct water connection between Scotland and Flanders / Belgium (Rosyth / Edinburgh - Zeebrugge).
P&O Ferries : ferry between Zeebrugge and Hull.
Transeuropa Ferries : ferry between Ostend and Ramsgate
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