You need a passport to enter Belgium, valid at least three months beyond the end of your stay. Citizens of the EU, the USA, Australia and New Zealand need no visa if staying for less than 90 days. Citizens of other countries should consult their Belgian embassy for information.

Most goods can be transported between EU countries, including wines, spirits and tobacco, provided they are for your own personal use, and in quantities that reflect this. For non-EU citizens flying into Belgium, national limits apply.

Most international flights arrive at Zaventem Airport, which is located 14 km (9 miles) north-east of Brussels. There are train links from Brussels to Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp. Some airlines go to Charleroi, 60 km (37 miles) south of the city.

You can reach central Brussels from Zaventem Airport by taxi, bus or by train (with at around three trains per hour). A bus service (“Airport Line”) connects the airport to Brussels’ European Quarter.

The central hub of Belgium’s rail network is Brussels, which has three main stations: the Gare du Midi (Zuidstation), the Gare Centrale (Centraal Station) and the Gare du Nord (Noordstation). Eurostar trains from London (as well as international TGV and Thalys trains) arrive at the Gare du Midi. There are good train connections with Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp (for onward journeys, see Getting Around).

The station is connected by bus, tram, metro and taxi to all part of Brussels, but the pictogram signposting is virtually indecipherable; you may need help just to get out of the station! Help is at hand at the tourist office opposite the Eurostar entrance.

To bring a car into Belgium, you must carry a valid EU driving licence, or international driving licence, plus insurance and car registration documents. You must also carry a warning triangle, first-aid kit and fluorescent safety jacket. You will be driving on the right, so adjust the angle of your headlamps if travelling from Britain so that they don’t dazzle oncoming drivers.

All the motorways in Belgium are toll-free and most are well maintained. Almost all are well lit at night.

Travellers from Britain can cross the Channel by ferry, or via the Channel Tunnel (For further details see Cross Channel Operators in Britain).

Eurolines runs a regular bus service from London to Brussels, to Antwerp, to Ghent, and to Bruges. There are also bus services that connect the cities of northern Britain to the Hull–Zeebrugge ferry crossing.