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Visas & entry
Belgium is in Schengen. EU/EEA/Swiss citizens may enter with a valid passport or national ID card; U.S., Canadian, British, Australian, New Zealand and many other visa-exempt visitors can generally stay up to 90 days in any 180-day Schengen period, while visa-required nationalities need a Schengen C visa. Verify current Belgian/EU rules before travel, particularly ETIAS and Entry/Exit System requirements for late 2026 onward.
Getting in
- Brussels Airport, Zaventem: The practical long-haul gateway. The station is beneath the terminal, with direct trains to Bruges taking roughly 1 hour 25 minutes.
- Brussels-Midi / Brussels South railway station: The best arrival point for Eurostar and other international rail services. Direct trains to Bruges take about 1 hour 4 minutes.
- Brussels South Charleroi Airport: A budget-airline fallback only when the fare is compelling. It requires a bus-plus-train transfer and is substantially less convenient for Bruges than BRU.
Getting around
In Bruges, use trains, walking and buses rather than a car: the center is compact, cobbled and irritating for parking. Belgian rail is excellent for Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp and Ostend; buy SNCB tickets before boarding, as onboard sales have ended. Rent a bike for Damme, Lissewege and the polders, and rent a car only for scattered Ypres battlefields or a rural Westhoek trip. Along the coast, the Coastal Tram is useful and scenic between resorts, but it is not fast.
Money
Belgium uses the euro (€). Contactless Visa and Mastercard payments are routine, but carry a little cash for markets, toilets and minor terminal failures; American Express is less dependable. Tipping is optional because service is included—round up or leave a few euros for notably good service rather than applying U.S.-style percentages.
- Do not judge Bruges by the Markt at noon: walk the core early in the morning or after dinner, when day-trippers have thinned out.
- Book a central hotel well ahead for summer weekends, Easter, Christmas/New Year and Winter Glow; staying inside the canal ring makes early and late Bruges far better.
- Pack waterproof outerwear and shoes that handle wet cobbles in every season. The coast is windier and can feel colder than Bruges.
- Use the SNCB app or journey planner for live train changes, particularly for coastal connections and engineering works.
- A bicycle is more useful than a car for the polders; a car is mostly a burden in central Bruges.
- Coastal rail service to Zeebrugge can be seasonal or asymmetric, so check the specific day rather than assuming a simple direct beach train.
Entry rules change — verify visa requirements for your passport before booking this region.