Planning to visit Belgium? If so, here’s some basic practical information for your visit…

Entering Belgium

To enter Belgium you need a valid passport with at least 6 months validity.

OUR SPONSOR:

For EU nationals from countries which form the Schengen Area an ID card is sufficient. Nationals from EU countries which are not part of the Schengen Area must travel with a valid passport. Once you have entered the Schengen area, there are usually no further border controls when you travel from one Schengen Area member country to another.

This means that travellers from for example, France, the Netherlands or Germany will not encounter any passport or other checks. Only when you leave or enter the Schengen Area will you be subject to passport and customs controls, for example when travelling from the UK to Belgium or vice-versa.

If you are from an EU country, your passport will most likely not be stamped on arrival and departure. You can stay for up to 90 days as a visitor.

Language

French and Dutch are spoken in Brussels, Dutch in Flanders (to the north of Brussels) and French in Wallonia (to the south of Brussels). Along the border with Germany the language is either French or German. English is widely spoken, especially in Brussels, so you should have little or no difficulties in communication.

Weather

Belgium has a mild maritime type climate, similar that of the UK.

In practice this means the weather tends to be highly changeable. A day may start off sunny and end up pouring with rain – or vice-versa. It can be hot and sunny in summer, but a long uninterrupted summer is not a certainly. You should be prepared for rain at any time of the year.  Winters are relatively mild, but there can be cold spells with snow and ice, particularly in the south-east.

The best times to visit weather-wise are May through to September, though these of course are also the most popular times for visitors.

General

The general emergency number for fire, police and ambulance is 112.

Belgium uses Central European Time or CET, which is 1 hour ahead of GMT or Universal Time and 6 hours ahead of EST.

The international telephone dialling code for Belgium is +32

Mobile phones

If your mobile is a tri- or quad-band mobile, then it will work in Belgium. Otherwise it will not. But bear in mind also that you will be charged international call rates even for a local call within Belgium using your mobile.

A better idea is to obtain a Belgian SIM card for the duration of visit. You can buy these from the mobile phone outlets such as Mobistar. See the article Can I Use My Mobile In Belgium?

Beware when charging your mobile. Belgium has a voltage of twice that of the US: 230 volts versus the US 110 volts.  Don’t plug your charging adapter directly into the mains in Belgium even with a European adapter plug (unless it is multi-voltage).  You will first need a transformer from 110 to 230 volts.

Power supply

Electricity is 230 Volts, 50 Hertz. If you are from North America, then don’t plug in an appliance from home as it will burn out. You will need a voltage transformer for this, as well as a plug adapter, since the plugs in Europe are different to those in the USA and elsewhere.

The sockets and plugs in Belgium sockets are similar to those in other EU countries. However, some sockets in Belgium have a  ”male” earth pin located on the socket side, rather than on the plug itself, like in some other EU countries.

In hotels and hostels, you may be able to plug your shaver into the shaver socket, if there is a voltage switch – but make sure you check the voltage first.

Money

Belgium uses the Euro. The easiest way to obtain Euros is to use your bank or credit card at ATMs and withdraw cash.

Notes are the same in all Euro zone countries, but the inscriptions on the reverse side of the coins varies according to the country of issue. They are all however legal tender in all Euro zone countries.

Belgians rely heavily on electronic cash payment systems – direct debit cards, as well as Bancontact or Proton cards.  These are bank cards which are loaded with a small sum for small payments.

Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am or 9am and usually close somewhere between 3.30pm and 5pm. Surprisingly, many branches actually close their doors to the public for lunch, even in Brussels and other large cities.

Fortunately, there is an extensive infrastructure of automated banking machines and cash dispensers to which customers have access around the clock.

Transport

The largest cities and the Belgian coastal towns all have tram (street car) systems. You should purchase your ticket either single, a multiple number of journeys or a day ticket, before you board the tram either from a kiosk or a machine. If you purchase the ticket on board from the driver, you will pay a much higher fare.

The De Lijn tickets are valid for travel throughout Flanders, and the TEC tickets are valid for anywhere within Wallonia. Brussels forms it’s own transit tariff area (known as STIB/MIVB) See the article about Getting Around in Belgium

Train fares are relatively low due to a high level of subsidy. At weekends, train fares throughout Belgium are half price.

Post and Post Offices

Post offices are mostly open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and only noon on Saturdays. Some of the smaller branches may close for lunch. You often have to take a ticket on entry and await your turn which will be indicated by your ticket number appearing on an electronic display.

Post offices vary from antiquated with staff who still sit behind thick glass screens, to some more modern customer friendly outlets.

The postage to send a letter within Belgium or to anywhere else in the EU is 1 Euro.

Shops

Normal shop opening hours are from around 9am until around 5 or 6pm. Smaller shops and shops in outer lying districts and smaller towns often close for lunch, which can mean a break of up to two hours. And for the afternoon open only until 5.30 or 6pm. Some smaller shops are closed Monday mornings – or even all day Monday.

By law, shops may only hold sales on a couple of specifically designated times of the year.

Sunday trading is largely forbidden and you’ll find very few shops open on a Sunday.

A Belgian peculiarity is the “night shop” (nachtwinkel/magasin de nuit°. This is a small, usually independently run store which sells groceries and small convenience items which is open all night. However, for this concession they have to pay the penance of remaining closed during the day.

Restaurants, Cafes and Bars

Restaurants are generally open around noon until 2pm or sometimes later. Dinner is from around 6pm until 10pm or 11pm. Cafes and brasseries tend to be serve light dishes throughout the day, from around 10 or 11 am and on until 11pm, midnight or in some cases even later.

There are also fewer takeaway outlets to be found than in other countries. It’s noticeable too how much more expensive eating out is in Belgium compared to say the Netherlands or Germany. However, the quality of the cuisine is at least higher.

There are no regulations concerning opening hours for bars. There are some which remain open until well into the early hours.

Service charges if any must be included by law. Waiters don’t generally expect tips in Belgium, unlike for instance in Germany.

Smoking

Although Belgium still has a high number of smokers, in public buildings and offices smoking is now prohibited. However the law concerning smoking in the restaurant, bar and cafe sectors is more complex.

Smoking is not permitted in restaurants. It is however still allowed in bars and cafes, provided no warm food is prepared.

Smoking is permitted in bars and cafes where only cold food is served.

Establishments indicate whether they are smoking by means of a green sticker on the front entrance.

Driving

In Belgium, as in all other Continental European countries, you drive on the right.

If you’re just visiting Belgium, then you can drive with your own car or a rented car, using your driving licence from your home country.

By law seatbelts must be worn by the driver and all passengers, including those in rear seats.

Motorcyclists and any passengers must always wear helmets.

There is a good network of cycle lanes. Mopeds (but not motorbikes) may also ride on cycle lanes.

Belgium has a large number of speed cameras. If you are photographed speeding, then expect a demand for a fine by post within a couple of weeks. If you are driving a rented car, then the fine demand will be sent to the rental company who will charge it to your account.

The police sometimes carry out spot checks on drivers at random stretches of roads, checking driving licences and other documents, and sometimes carrying out spot breathalyser checks.

Traffic lights in Belgium use the red-green/green-yellow-red sequence. Note that they change from red to green without any yellow in between.

Occasionally you encounter traffic light sets at some times of the day which are set to flashing yellow. This means stop and then proceed only with caution. Unless indicated, you cannot turn right on red.

In towns and cities you’ll often encounter bus lanes. Unless indicated for specific times of day, cars are not permitted to drive in these lanes.

Note that you are not permitted to pass a tram while it has stopped at a halt to allow passengers to get on and off.

A feature of Belgian motorways is that they are lit during the night.

Belgian driving can take some getting used to. Always be extra alert and aware, particularly in Brussels. Hit and run is not unknown. Beware of the “priority to the right” rule.  This doesn’t always apply though – it varies according to the junction. If you’re not sure, do what (most) Belgians do and give way.

Related Articles:

• It’s Carnival 2012 in Belgium!
• My Top Ten Favourite Things About Belgium
• Planning a visit to Belgium in 2012?
• Living in Belgium and Interested in Web Entrepreneurship?
• BrusselSprout.NET Has Adopted charity:water