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I will be boarding the train from Diegem (near Brussels Airport) for the short ride to the Brussels Central station. When I review the station facilities it is not staffed and there does not appear to be any way to purchase the local ticket. I have traveled on other trains in Europe and there always seems to be a machine or some other device to purchase a ticket, perhaps even with a credit card. Can any readers advise how it works in Brussels? Do you pay the conductor? Are there big fines for traveling without prepaying??
Thanks
If the station is unmanned and there is no machine then you just pay the conductor. The conductors know which stations are unmanned. Also if there is a machine but it doesn't work then the same applies. No sweat on that one. Conductors will accept cash or credit cards.
Have a good (short) trip.
In Belgium you will for some weird reason only find ticket machines at manned stations. At unmanned stations you just tell the conductor you need a ticket. Officially you have to do this upon boarding (so you are supposed to board through the door the conductor is standing in), in practice you can just take a seat and wait for the conductor to pass.
***in practice you can just take a seat and wait for the conductor to pass. ***
Not quite true, you are supposed to find them as soon as you get on the train. If you wait until he passes, you will have to pay a fine. Saw it happen just the other day...
You saw that happen in Belgium? Because in that case things must have changed a lot. I used to board at an unmanned stop near where I grew up (in Belgium) several times a week, and would just take a seat. The conductor would eventually come by. Sometimes only after a few stops, but buying a ticket was never a problem.
Yes, their theory is: if you board the train and just take a seat, they assume you're trying to avoid paying for a ticket.
Go to the quarter next to the Bourse (Stockmarket). It is called place St Géry, and is the place to meet on Friday and Saturday evening to have a drink before going out. You have 4 bars called Zebra, Halles St Géry, Mappa Mundo and Roi des Belges !
Exiting at the north corner to Rue au Beurre, you'll see the yellowish-beige Brussels Stock Exchange, which is open to visitors only on weekdays. The facade is heavily ornamented and surmounted by a dome; its entrance guarded by two huge lions. From here move north-west to explore the Lower Town, the commercial district of the city. Personally, I did not find anything fascinating in this part of the capital.
The walk back into the city was cold and by the time we got to the central square nightfall was upon us. There was a festival of lights in full procession to mark the Christmas season. Though on the garish surreal side it brought tourists by the hordes upon the square and did make taking some photographs marginally better than would have been possible on less illuminated buildings. Soon the cold and crowds got the better of us and we were off on a mad tour of cafes that would dizzy all but the heartiest yet somehow leave me short of all those I’d like to cram in! Art Nouveau, Old Flemish Brown Cafes, modern beer emporium, there was no shortage of styles. (concluded below in Fondest Memory)
I WAS LUCKY to see this procession in town. I walked with the music that accompanied them to the GROTE MARKT, you know that wonderful place, so chic with its most wonderful GUILDHOUSES and then suddenly this group!
The went to the TOWN HALL and the Lord Mayor came to say some words and....send them "begging".
They then spread through town and as you can see here and in my TRAVELOGUE, the 3rd one, they carry a collecting box and hope to gather lots of money.
On the board the carry are the words:
OEUVRE ROYALE DESBERCEAUX PRINCESSE PAOLA which means in Dutch/Flemish: KONINKLIJK WERK DER WIEGJES PRINSES PAOLA and in English: ROYAL WORK FOR THE LITTLE COTS/CRIBS PRINCESS PAOLA.
Princess PAOLA is now QUEEN PAOLA, and she founded this group to gather money for the poor families with many children.
Their collecting boxes are dressed as babies....
The clothing of the group is so recognisable and original that everybody will give money.....
Let's go find a good genuine belgian restaurant
It can get very crowded here at Rue des Bouchers in summertime!
Trying to find a genuine belgian restaurant has become harder but I have listed them here as well as few outside the city center that are worth trying!
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