How to get to Brussels Airport ?

Brussels Airport, Brussels National, Zaventem: 3 different names for the same place: the airport of Brussels. Located at 10 kilometers from the Grand Place, really close. You can reach it through different ways.

Car, bus, train, taxi, bike, hitchhiking... BrusselsLife provides a wide range of different ways to get to the Brussels airport as easily as possible.

By car

From the city center, two options are available to you. Starting at place Meiser, you take the Boulevard Leopold III and its endless succession of red lights before passing in front of NATO and to speed on to the way to the airport.

From the very center, you will take the Rue Belliard and its namesake tunnel before reaching the E40. No need to use the third lane. At the level of the Sint-Stevens-Woluwe interchange, you join the ring for a few hundred meters before turning right following signs branded with a small plane.

From the periphery, nothing more simple: you just have to join the ring and take it up to the well marked fork leading you straight to the airport. Once there you will have to find a small parking spot. Depending on the duration of your parking need, you will chose the most economical parking. Short or long term, VIP formula, prices: all the details are available on Brussels Airport website.

The price ? The trip will cost you a little patience if you experience traffic jams on the road, fuel of course but especially the price for parking ! Depending on the length of your stay and the type of parking that you choose (express, economy, holiday, VIP ...) you will pay a tailored price between € 16 and € 28 per day. Some promotions offered regularly will help reduce your bill. Bikers will enjoy free spots under video surveillance.

Small trick. Some hotels around the airport offer you fifteen days free parking in their own parking provided you spend a night there. From there, a shuttle will take you to the airport. This is the case for the Crown Plaza Brussels Airport, Brussels Airport Thon Hotels, Sheraton Airport, Golden Tulip Brussels Airport, the Van Der Valk Airport ...

By bus

Airport Line shuttles from the STIB have an Express link between the center of Brussels and Zaventem airport. You'll be there in 30 minutes.

The Airport Line runs under number 12 from Monday to Friday until 8pm and only serves the following stops: Luxembourg, Schuman, Dimant, Geneva, Da Vinci and NATO. In the evenings, Saturdays and holidays, the shuttle travels under line number 21 and serves all stops. Finally, there exists somewhere, well hidden in some in the boxes of different operators, a tram project to directly connect the airport to the city center.

De Lijn also provides a bus service from the Brussels North train station (lines 272 and 471), NATO (lines 272, 471 and 620) and the Roodebeek metro station (lines 359 and 659).

The price ? If you buy your ticket in advance, it will cost € 4. On the bus, you will pay almost double, or € 6. A subscription formula is available for most regular travelers. More information via the STIB

By train

It is also possible to reach the national airport with the Brussels Airport Express train. This line is a direct connection that goes through the Brussels Midi, Brussels-Central and Brussels North stations, on average every quarter of an hour. The journey takes 17 minutes if all goes well ... Infos and schedules on www.sncb.be.

The price? One ticket = 8,50 €

By taxi

Finally, if you do not want to mix with the crowd or if you are afraid to leave your car for several days in a parking lot, the best solution is the taxi. Do not hesitate to use the services of your usual taxi company or of aeroportnavettes.be and go relaxed without depending on anyone. The disabled can book a taxi via Taxi Hendriks by calling 02/752.98.00.

The price ? You will be charged about 40 to 45 euros for the trip, you have been warned.

By bicycle

Experienced cyclists, it is possible to get to the airport by bike. From the Zaventem roundabout, a separate red bike path joins the Bus P15a Parking at level 0 of the Terminal. You can park your bike which will be under video surveillance.

Hitchhiking

More convenient if you have a bag on your back, hitchhiking can be a cheap alternative to reach the airport but certainly unpredictable. You must anticipate your departure so as not to miss your flight.

By placing yourself at Meiser, you should be pretty well positioned to find a lift to Zaventem. You prefer to play on the safe side ? With a little luck, you will find a more reliable solution on some carpool sites !

In summary

In short, depending on the length of your trip, your initial departure place and your budget, you can figure out which solution is the most advantageous for you ...

That being said, the right plan remains to call a friend. Ask a good soul to take you to the airport and to pick you up. When the time comes, you can return the favour.