Belgium is a small place – hardly larger than Wales or New Hampshire – and the four cities are all in the north of the country. Brussels is the farthest south. Antwerp lies 45 km (28 miles) due north of Brussels; Ghent lies to the west and about 50 km (31 miles) from both Brussels and Antwerp; Bruges lies a further 40 km (25 miles) north-west of Ghent.

Belgium’s excellent national rail service, called SNCB in French and NMBS in Dutch, is clean, punctual, efficient and reasonably priced. Regular services link all four cities. The website has timetables and prices.

Belgian drivers used to have a bad reputation – practical driving tests began only in the 1960s. Today they are no worse than any other European drivers; faults such as driving too close on the motorway (For further details see The Fast Lane) are virtually universal. In the cities, take care of trams, which compete fiercely for road space. See also the note on priorité de droite.

There is plenty of parking in and around all the cities. The best plan is to use one of the main public car parks, which are well signposted and not too expensive. City centres get clogged up with traffic at busy times, and car parking there is limited. Especially in Bruges and Ghent, visitors are encouraged to use outlying car parks.

All the main car hire agencies operate in Belgium. Usually you get better value if you book a hire car in your home country, linking it with your flight. Note that all the cities are compact; you don’t really need a car unless you want to go touring outside the city limits.

Taxis are available at taxi ranks or can be booked by phone. In Brussels, they can occasionally be hailed on the street – but not usually in the other three cities. They cost quite a lot more than public transport. A 10 per cent tip is customary.

The main transport systems are bus and tram; Brussels also has a Metro (underground railway or subway), and Antwerp an underground tram system called the Pre-Metro. Use the buttons on board trams and buses to indicate that you wish to get off at the next stop, and to open the doors. Public transport in Brussels is operated by STIB (or MIVB); in the other cities the operator is De Lijn.

Tickets for public transport cover buses, trams and Metro. Single tickets, a card valid for 10 journeys, or a one-day pass can be bought at ticket booths or stations. Single tickets for buses and trams are also available from the driver. At the start of a journey, you have to validate the ticket in the orange machine on board a bus or tram, or on entering a Metro station; it is then valid for a single journey of up to an hour, including any changes you need to make.

Belgians are keen cyclists and traffic is usually respectful. You can hire bikes and equipment in all the cities. The city tourist offices will provide details of hire companies.

This is probably the best way of all to get around. In all the cities, most of the things you will want to see are close to the centre, and within easy walking distance of one another. Take a pair of sturdy waterproof shoes.