VIANOVATOJES BRUSSELS: MONUMENTS AND SUBWAY
BRUSSELS / BRUGGES /
GENT / ANTWERP
In four days you can get a general impression of the four most important cities in Belgium:
BRUSSELS: with the Grand Place , an emblematic symbol of the city.
BRUGES: the little Venice of the North.
Ghent: known for its medieval heritage and pedestrianized city center.
ANTWERP: with its bustling Market Square, cathedral and neo-Baroque style train station.
Brussels is very well connected by rail to Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp. To travel to these cities, you can take the train 🚂 from any of Brussels' train stations:
- Gare du Nord (Noordstation).
- Gare Central (Central station), an 8-minute walk from the Grand Place.
- Gare du Midi (Zuidstation).
BRUSSELS
Getting around Brussels by metro 🚇 or tram 🚋 is a complementary option for visiting its monuments and places of interest.
Brussels' historic center is relatively small, you can practically walk to all the tourist attractions and monuments. However, you will occasionally need to use public transport to reach some more distant monuments, such as the Atomium or the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.
(I've taken some minor artistic liberties with the map design; it's not perfectly to scale, but the main purpose is for you to see at a glance the distribution of the main metro and tram lines that connect the different areas of the historic center.)
PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN BRUSSELS
METRO
Brussels (Bruxelles) has 4 metro lines .
- Lines 2 and 6 run together and have a circular route around the perimeter of the historic center, while...
- Lines 1 and 5 cross the historic center from east to west.
The official website where you can check schedules, fares and real-time incidents is:
TRAM
As for the tram, there are 18 lines. On my trip I only used 4 lines ; these are the most important ones for tourists, crossing the city center from north to south.
- Lines 4 and 10 operate along the same route through the historic center. From Gare du Nord to Gare du Midi , the section is underground and operates identically to the metro. Tickets must be validated both upon entering and exiting the stations.
- Lines 92 and 93 also share a route through the city center. They operate above ground , and you only need to validate your ticket once when boarding. Tickets are valid for 60 minutes, during which time you can hop on and off as many times as you like. After that time, you will need another ticket.
- The other lines may be useful if you are staying outside the historic center to get to hotels.
I mainly used the metro and tram network to travel to relatively distant places such as the ATOMIUM (Metro Line 6 🚇), EL PARC CINQUANTENAIRE and the EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS (Metro Lines 1 and 5 🚇) or to travel around the city during moments of relaxation.
BRUSSELS METRO
The Brussels metro consists of 4 lines, two circular lines (🚇 line 2 and 🚇 line 6 ) and two others that cross it through the centre and pass by the " GRAND PLACE " (🚇 line 1 and 🚇 line 5 ).
The four lines converge in the East and West at two major metro stations:
- To the East, the ARTS-LOI station is the connection hub where lines 1-2-5-6 meet.
- In the West, the BEEKKANT and GARE DE L'OUEST stations where lines 1-2-5-6 intersect.
Schedules:
Weekdays: from 05.30 to 24.00.
Weekend: from 6:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
To get to the ATOMIUM :
➽ Metro 🚇 LINE 6 to HEYSEL metro station.
To go to PARC DU CINQUANTENAIRE AND INST EUROPEAN :
➽ Metro 🚇 LINE 1 and 5 to SCHUMAN metro station.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BRUSSELS METRO .
As you can see on the map, metro lines 2 and 6 are circular and run around the historic center. Finding your way is very easy; simply look at the signs on the platforms that indicate the direction of the line, for example:
BRUSSELS TRAM
It consists of 18 lines , any of which can be useful for getting to your accommodations if they are not located in the historic center.
During my visit I only used trams 4 and 10 and trams 92 and 93:
Trams 4 and 10 cross the city along Boulevard Maurice Lemonnier, Boulevard Anspach and Boulevard Adolphe Max.
The route is underground as it passes through the city center . It operates like a subway station; you must validate your ticket or bank card at the access controls, both when entering and exiting the station.
Tram stations 4 and 10 as they pass through the city center:
- Gare du Midi
- Lemonier (Bd Maurice-Lemonier)
- Anneessens (Bd Maurice-Lemonier)
- Bourse ( GRAN-PLACE )
- De Brouckére
- Rogier (Bd Adolphe Max)
- Gare du Nord
When you find yourself at an intermediate station between Gare du Nord and Gare du Midi, the directions you will need to take are:
⏩If you are going towards Gare du Midi, direction:
➽ T-4 Stalle / T-10 Churchill (Midi / Zuid).
⏩If you are going towards Gare du Nord, direction:
➽ T-4 Gare du Nord / T-10 Hôpital Militaire (Nord / Noord).
Trams 92 and 93 cross Rue de la Régence and Rue Royale.
They circulate on the surface .
Tram stations:
- Sainte Marie (Rue Royale) IGL. HOLY MARY
- Botanique (Rue Royale)
- Congress (Royal Street)
- Parc (Rue Royale) J. MONT DES ARTS
- Palais (Rue Royale) ROYAL PALACE
- Royale (Rue de la Régence)
- Petit Sablon (Rue de la Régence) IGL. V. SABLON
- Poelaert (Place Poelaert)
- Louise (Place Louise)
I haven't put the names of some stops on the map due to space limitations, but simply by heading towards the avenues where they pass, you'll find a tram stop every 200 or 300 meters.
BONUSES AND RATES
On public transport, metro and tram, you can find the typical single ticket and various types of transport passes that allow you to make unlimited journeys throughout the transport network or use your bank card.
1 - SINGLE TICKET.
A single printed paper ticket costs 2.8 euros and can be purchased from vending machines or kiosks. You get a small discount (ticket = 2.30 euros) if you use the MOBIB card or your bank card.
The MOBIB CARD costs 6 euros (2025) and is rechargeable.
2 - PAYMENT BY BANK CARD, SMARTPHONE OR CONTACTLESS SMARTWATCH. (On this trip I only used this system ).
It's an incredibly convenient and straightforward method; it's the system I used during my visit. You can use your credit or debit card 💳 (contactless) , (the one you usually use to pay for your beer or groceries). The price per trip is slightly cheaper than using a single ticket.
With this system you avoid queues at ticket machines, you don't complicate your life to choose which pass is most convenient and often you save yourself from having to buy a support and rechargeable card as happens in the Madrid metro.
The system is very simple, you bring your card close to a reader at the entrance of the metro or tram and do the same when leaving the station, acquiring a valid ticket with them.
With this system, the ticket will cost you 2.30 euros per trip, and when you reach the limit of 8.40 euros per day (year 2025), the rest of the trips will be free during that day.
Initially, on the day you use the card, according to the official website, the daily maximum amount ( €8.40 ) will be held in your account. If you haven't used the full €8.40 that day, the difference will be refunded within 2 or 3 days. Normally, the charge appeared the following day.
This is the first time I've used this system and at first I was cautious, but the results for me have been fantastic.
On the first day I made about 8 trips, using the maximum of 8.40 euros. As you know, after 8.40 euros, all subsequent trips that day are free.
On the second day I only used it for 3 journeys: 6.90 euros
The third day, 2 journeys: 4.60 euros.
3 - STIB-MIVB TICKET 1 day.
Ticket for use during one day, priced at 8.90 (year 2025).
4 - VALIDITY PERIOD OF THE BONDS.
The validity period, as I understand it, is until the end of the day from the validation of your first trip; it doesn't seem to be 24 hours. That is, if you validate your first trip at 9:00 AM, the validity of the STIB-MIVB ticket will end at midnight that same day.
There are other types of passes that cover the regional train network, transport to ZAVEBTEM airport... All of this is very well explained on the official Brussels metro website:
Alongside these vouchers there is the typical TOURIST CARD of large cities, which offers unlimited travel on the public transport network, tourist buses, discounts in museums and monuments.
MY VISIT TO BRUSSELS
Although you can organize yourselves independently, I suggest the route I took:
ROUTE 1 , HISTORIC CENTER: Starting at the Grand Place, from the adjacent streets leading out of the square, visit Jeanneke Pis, the Royal Gallery, Jeanneke Pis, St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, theBrussels Stock Exchange and Zinneke Pis (in this order).
ROUTE 2 : The Atomium, take line 6 to the " Heysel " metro station and on the return trip stop at the " Simonis " metro station Visit the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. A pleasant walk from the metro stop to the Basilica (15 minutes) takes you through a long esplanade in the center of "Parc Elizabeth", from where you can see the silhouette of the world's largest Art Deco building in the distance.
ROUTE 3: I took the metro " line 6-2 " to the ARTS-LOI Metro station, where I connected with line 1-5 to the " Schuman " Metro station , to continue walking to the Parc du Cinquantenaire and then on to the European Parliament (free entry, prior registration and presentation of ID).
ROUTE 4 : Take the metro ( Line 6/2) or tram (4/10) to the Porte de Hall station. From Porte de Hall, begin a walking tour towards the Palace of Justice , the Church of Notre-Dame Victoires Sablon, the Coudenberg Palace, and the Royal Palace. At the Palais tram stop, located opposite the Coudenberg Palace, take tram 92/93 towards the Church of Sainte-Marie (located at the end of the grand Rue Royale). After visiting the church, take the same tram back to the Parc station and from there walk down through the majestic Mont des Arts Garden to the Grand Place.
BRUGES (BRUGGE) AND GHENT (GENT)
One thing to keep in mind in Belgium: Train tickets cost half price on weekends .
Ticket price Brussels - Bruges (2025): 12.30 euros.
Ticket price Bruges - Ghent (2025): 5.70 euros.
Ticket price Ghent - Brussels (2025): 7.80 euros.
Bruges is a medieval city full of canals, bridges, and brick and stone houses. Its historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is easily explored on foot.
It's a visit that can be scheduled for a morning.
My plan was to travel BY TRAIN from Brussels to Bruges (€12.30) and after about 3 or 4 hours of sightseeing, on my way back to Brussels I stopped in Ghent (Bruges to Ghent ticket: €5.70). A university city with a very lively historic center.
Ghent, where you can visit the Castle of the Counts of Flanders, the Three Towers, and the guildhalls along the canal. The tour can be easily completed in about 3 hours.
These cities are very well connected to Brussels by train, with quite frequent connections.
Brussels-Bruges is about 97 km away and at the midpoint on the same train route is Ghent, about 48 km from Brussels.
TRAIN TICKETS
Tickets can be easily purchased from vending machines located in all stations. Languages: English, French, and German.
Tickets are not validated at stations before boarding the train, they have a code that the inspector scans as they pass through the carriages (2025).
You might have a little trouble figuring out which train to take. Standard tickets, being open (meaning they can be used all day on the date of purchase), only show the departure city and the destination city, but not the specific line or train number. Some trains might stop in Bruges and go to city X or city Y. Don't worry, with a little asking or observation, it's not that complicated. Sometimes the information boards show the intermediate cities along the route, including the ones you're interested in.
ANTWERPEN
Antwerp in Dutch is ANTWERPEN . When buying the train ticket from the vending machine, I selected the French option "Anvers" as the destination, but when the ticket was printed it said "Antewerpen", at first, I thought I had selected the wrong destination.
Antwerp was a complete unknown to me. It has one of the most important ports in Europe, and I associated it with an industrial and commercial city, linked to the sale of diamonds.
I was pleasantly surprised, especially by the monumental TRAIN STATION; I would elevate it to the category of the EUROPEAN RAILWAY CATHEDRAL .
Ticket price Brussels - Antwerp (2025): 6.40 euros.
What to visit :
- Antwerp train station.
- Gote Markt. The market square where the majestic Renaissance-style Town Hall is located.
- The Cathedral of Our Lady
- Steen Castle.
- The Stock Exchange courtyard
- The Diamond District, next to the train station.
- Museums and Churches.
All these monuments are located very close together in the historic center area.
BRUSSELS AIRPORTS
There are 2 airports in Brussels:
✈BRUSSELS AIRPORT ZAVENTEM 12 km.
✈BRUSSELS SOUTH CHARLEROI AIRPORT 55 km.
I landed at Charleroi airport. There's no direct train line to Brussels; you have to travel to Charleroi by bus and then take a train.
The most convenient option is to take a bus, which runs directly from the airport to Brussels. Two bus companies operate this route. The ticket price was €19.95.
OTHER CITIES : 👉🔗 PARIS 👉🔗 MADRID 👉🔗 ROME 👉🔗 BARCELONA 👉🔗 LONDON 👉🔗 BERLIN
TIK TOK : 👉🔗 VIANOVATOJES: BRUGES, GHENT AND ANTWERP
TIK TOK: 👉🔗 VIANOVATOJES: BRUSSELS
