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| Belgium Practical Information |
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 FAST FACTS
Area: 11,781 square miles (the size of Maryland). Population: 10,204,000 (Brussels, 970,000; Antwerp, 480,000; Ghent, 234,000; Liège, 201,000).
Languages: Dutch, French, German.
Airport facilities include: Information/help desks, Money Exchange, Post Office, Duty Free Shops, Car Rental, Cafes/Restaurants, Beauty Shop, Business Center, Religious Services, Train Information & Reservation, Travel Agency, ATM machine and luggage lockers. All facilities are located in the Arrival Hall.
There is direct bus transportation from the airport to Antwerp, Eindhoven (Sabena) and to Rotterdam (Virgin Express).
Taxi service from the airport to the city center is approximately US $33.00 (BEF 1,200). Taxis are available 24 hours. Discount round-trip rate is available.
There is a train shuttle service from the airport to the North, South and Central stations, which runs every 20 minutes and takes about 20 minutes. It operates between 5:24am to 11:46pm from the airport and 5:40am to 11:10pm from the city. The cost is roughly US$3.00 (BEF 85.00). Buy your ticket before getting on the train to avoid a surcharge fee.
USA and Canadian citizens need a valid passport. A visa is not required for stays of less than 90 days. Other nationalities should check with the Belgian Embassy or nearest Consulate Office for visa requirements.
Ferry Information
From/to Belgium to/from England
Ramsgate and Ostend: 6 departures per day; crossing time is 2 hrs. For information and reservations please contact Holyman Sally Ferries - TEL (011.32.59) 55-9630 - Fax (011.32.59) 55-9629.
Dover and Ostend: Service operated by two 81 meter catamarans, the SeaCats ?Capacity 155 cars and 674 passengers ?Crossing time 120 min ?Up to 7 crossings a day in peak season ?Dedicated terminal in Ostend . For more information visit the Hoverspeed web site.
Hull and Zeebrugge. One departure a day; crossing time 14 hours. North Sea Ferries - TEL (011.32.50) 54-3430 - Fax (011.32.50) 54-7112 or visit their web site.
Also available : Liege/Brussels/London with National ExpressCoach/Eurolines
Ticket information and reservations available in major Belgian Train stations or Belgian travel agencies
There are three officially recognized languages: French and Dutch are the main languages; German is spoken by a small segment of the population and English is widely spoken.
Train Information
In the U.S., contact Rail Europe at (800) 438-7245 or (800) 848-7245 for information on the Eurostar, Thalys, Benelux Pass, Eurail Passes and point-to-point tickets.
The Eurostar train between London and Brussels takes 2h45. Leaves from the South Station in Brussels and arrives at the London Waterloo Station. 8 to 10 trains a day - It also stops at Ashford/England
The Thalys train between Paris and Brussels takes 1h25. Leaves from the South Station in Brussels and arrives at the Paris North Station. 18 to 19 trains a day.
Time Zone
Belgium is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard time.
Distances of Cities from Brussels
(0.621 miles=1 km)
Antwerp = 29 miles
Arlon = 116 miles
Bruges = 60 miles
Bastogne = 93 miles
Ghent = 35 miles
Liege = 61 miles
Namur = 39 miles Oostende = 71 miles
Tournai = 52 miles
Amsterdam = 123 miles
Koln = 126 miles
London = 219 miles
Luxembourg = 134 miles
Paris = 184 miles
Public phones use either BF 5 or BF 20 coins or phonecards that are available at post offices, train stations or newspaper stands. Price: BF 100, BF 500 and FB 1,000. Most local calls cost 20 BF. For information in Belgium call 1207 or 1307; for international information call 1204 or 1304. To send a telegram by telephone, call 1325
When calling a Belgian number while in Belgium; always dial (0) + city code + number
Banks are open Mondays through Fridays, 9:00am until 3:30pm or 4:00pm and closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. Sometimes banks close during lunch-hour
All major cards are honored (i.e.: Visa, American Express, Dinners Club and Eurcard) as well as Travellers Cheques. ATM machines are available in major cities. The use of the EURO by credit cards began on January 1, 1999.
Belgian Franc (BEF) is the common currency. Coins are 1, 5, 20 and 50. Bills are 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 10,000
Many foreign exchange offices open on Sundays. Foreign exchange traffic is not regulated. No limit on the amount of foreign currency which may be brought in or out of the country.
In the participating European countries, the use of EURO's coins and bills will go into effect on January 1, 2002. the Belgian Franc will still be in circulation until July 1 2002, when it will be completely replaced by the Euro.
Electricity
A.C. 220 volts - 50 cycles. Plugs are of the round 2-pin type.
Most tourist attractions and museums are open on Sundays and closed on Mondays with the exception of Bruges where museums are closed on Tuesdays or Wednesdays and in Tournai where they are closed on Tuesdays. There is a small entrance fee for most museums. Special entrance packages are available in main cities. |
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| Full Service Belgium Practical Information Vacation, Tour and Cruise Planner |
| Click here to start planning a great Europe vacation, tour or cruise with our Virtuoso Travel Advisors. You may call us too, but we'd really appreciate it if you complete a vacation planner first so we can determine which destination specialist to introduce you to.Thank you very much! Call 1 800 330 8820 or 415 446 5252 to book your Belgium Practical Information vacation. | |
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During this time of price volatility in the Belgium Practical Information vacations, travel, tour and cruise industry, please be advised the pricing can fluctuate within the same day. All of our promotions are subject to change without notice. As a result, prices will not be guaranteed until booked.
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