Mechelen Flights

Mechelen is between Brussels and Antwerp which means that all trains between the two (and they are many) stop here as do the Brussels to Amsterdam trains on the same route.

Mechelen can be easily reached by car following the highway (E19) going between Brussel and Antwerpen. Also the A1 road glides across it's borders. Exit "Mechelen" is clearly stated, but focus on "Centrum" and not on the earlier / later "Noord" (=North) or "Zuid" (South).
Trains, running between Antwerpen and Brussel, also stop at Mechelen. The first railroad on mainland Europe actually had Mechelen as station!

The centre of Mechelen is compact and walking is therefore the best way of getting around in the town. Distances are short and the intensivity of sightseeing by foot is much better then going by bus or car. Actually, it would be impossible to do so, as certain alleys are just much to small or one-way traffic (and guess what ... it's always the other way around - haha).

"De lijn", Belgium's public bus company, has many services in Mechelen and surrounding area. This is very useful to get to places outside the centre or in Mechelen's surroundings. More information can be obtained on their website.

Mechelen has two train stations: Mechelen and Mechelen-Nekkerspoel. The latter is the closest to the important places in Mechelen. You will need about 10 to 15 minutes to get to the centre of town. Be aware that both stations are not always accessible by the same train.

This is the stationbuilding in Mechelen-Nekkerspoel. And what is in large letters on its facade?
THIS IS NOT A STATION.
And if you are from another country and speak another language, your language is probably there too. It is written in many languages.
This must be Belgium...........

But seriously, even if they don't use the old stationbuilding anymore, it is easy to reach Mechelen by train. There are two stations: Mechelen and Mechelen-Nekkerspoel.

When you go abroad by car and don't know the cities the most difficult part is to find a good and close to the centre parking place, especially if you don't have map.

We just assumed that this parking place was close to the Cathedral, there was so sign of Saint Rumbold's Tower, but we've been really lucky.

The parking is close to the Church of St. John and we paid only EUR 1.5-/hour.

The trains going between Brussels and Antwerpen often cross the city and it is a not a problem to come to Mechelen by train at all both region trains and IC. The price is around EUR 12 to and back for the route from Brussels (in Brussels you can get train in Central, Northern and Southern station).