Brussels General Information

Brussels General Information

If you're going to travel to Brussels, it's likely you have some questions you want to be answered when planning your trip. Here you'll find general information about Brussels in order to clear up any doubts you may have when planning your trip.

Travel Advice

Documents, passport and visas you need to travel to Brussels and the rest of Belgium depending on where you are from.
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Travel Insurance

Taking out travel insurance is the best way to ensure you're covered before travelling. Get to know how healthcare and insurance works in Brussels.
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Prices

Find out the daily costs of Brussels to prepare your budget before you visit the city. If you're organized, you won't spend a lot of money on your trip!
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Language

The capital region of Brussels is bilingual, so Belgians speak French and Flemish fluently. Normally locals also speak English.
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Brussels Weather

Brussels has a maritime temperate climate. Discover the weather averages by season and when the best time to visit Brussels is.
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Opening Times

Opening times in Brussels are sometimes a little limited and if you’re looking to shop and see museums, it can sometimes be difficult to combine the two.
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Public Holidays

It's always a good idea to check a country or city’s public holidays before travelling so you can plan your trip accordingly. Discover Brussels' holidays
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History of Brussels

History of Brussels

Discover the history of Brussels since it was founded in the tenth century until it became the de facto capital of the European Union.
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Brussels Card

Brussels Card

The Brussels Card includes free access to over 40 museums and monuments as well as unlimited use of the city’s public transport.
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Other questions

Brussels facts and figures

Brussels has just over one million inhabitants and its metropolitan area has over two million people.

Documentation Required to Travel to Brussels

Residents of the European Union can travel to Brussels with a valid ID card or passport. You can see all the details about the necessary documentation to travel to Brussels at this link.

Currency

Like some other members of the European Union, the official currency in Belgium is the Euro.

Current local time

The timezone in Belgium is CEST (Central European Summer Time) in the summer and CET (Central European Time) in winter and is the same time as Paris, Madrid, Rome and Amsterdam (to mention a few capital cities).

Healthcare system in Belgium

If you are a UK citizen you have access to the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) that will enable you to have access to Belgian healthcare at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. For citizens from the United States, Canada, Australia or other non-European countries, it is not obligatory to get health insurance to travel to Belgium. However, we recommend getting some type of travel insurance before travelling since healthcare can occasionally be expensive. 

Electricity, plugs and sockets

Belgium uses type C plugs with two round pins, which are commonly used in Europe, with 230 V and 50 Hz. If your appliances do not match the type C we recommend you either buy an adapter or ask to borrow one if you are staying at a hotel.

Helpful Telephone numbers

  • Emergency number: 100
  • Brussels area code: 2
  • Belgium area code: 32
  • Police: 101

Belgian Tourist Office

If you’d like to learn a little bit more about Belgium, Brussels and Flanders in particular, why not check out the official Visit Flanders website?