Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In
Driving, Brussels
Search:

Brussels Hotels

Real reviews from real travelers.

Driving, Brussels

do not try this at home - Brussels
do not try this at home
by filipdebont
Driving tips posted by real travelers and Brussels locals.
• 6 Photos
• 12 Reviews

See all Brussels Warnings or Dangers
Sort By:  Most Recent | Best Rated
Driving: Priority to the right - chaos from the left!
  • Tip Rating:
  • GillianMcLaughlin
  • Updated By GillianMcLaughlin on April 6, 2004
  • Brussels Page by GillianMcLaughlin
  • La Petite Ceinture - inner ring road - Brussels
    La Petite Ceinture - inner
    ring road
    by GillianMcLaughlin
    To the casual observer, Brussels traffic seems to move in a chaotic fashion. There may indeed be some truth in that. When I first arrived I would stand mesmerised, watching cars negotiating crossroads- completely perplexed! In fact, once you understand what they are doing, it's actually all very logical - ineffective, but logical nevertheless.

    The basic principle is that you should give way to traffic entering from a road on the right (priority to the right as it's known). This can be quite a hair-raising experience if you happen to be on a major boulevard and a car appears from a side road you hadn't noticed. However if you get into the habit of being prepared to stop at any given moment, you should be OK. BUT watch out - if you stop when you have priority, you give your priority away and other drivers have the right to proceed.

    Now hold that principle and let's look at the roundabout protocol. It's exactly the same - which means that you give way to traffic coming on to the roundabout. The cumulative effect of this policy is gridlock - frequent gridlock!

    All is not lost though. The city planners have realised that something needs to be done. They have begun to paint tiny triangles at junctions. There are all but invisible unless you meet them head on. In all instances it means that you must give way - whether you are arriving from the right or not.

    At last inspection the new system seems to be working... after a fashion.

    My best advice though, is to walk - or use the buses - or the metro - or the trams...

    Ah yes... trams... therein lies another warning or danger tip!

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Brussels?

    Read reviews about Brussels Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Driving: Making pictures while you drive
  • Tip Rating:
  • filipdebont
  • By filipdebont on March 29, 2004
  • Brussels Page by filipdebont
  • do not try this at home - Brussels
    do not try this at home
    by filipdebont
    This is (was) kind of a "do not try this at home" situation.

    Usually I come to Brussels with my car via the E40 Highway (coming from Gent). Then at the end I follow the signs "Brussel", and like this I finally arrive in the city centre.

    But it is always such a special sight to see at the end of the big boulevard the appearance of the big Basilica of Koekelberg.

    So while I was driving I made some pictures of this big church. Of course it is dangerous, especially in the bust Brussels traffic.

    And even more dangerous, if you look at the picture as there is a student-driver (ecole = school) in front of me.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Driving: Driving can be dangerous for your sanity :)
  • Tip Rating:
  • irisbe
  • By irisbe on November 3, 2004
  • Brussels Page by irisbe
  • Typical Belgium? traffic signs galore! - Brussels
    Typical Belgium? traffic signs
    galore!
    by irisbe
    This is a crossroad/round point North/North-West of Place de Ste Catherine.
    I took this picture from the corner at the end of Quai aux Barbes/Shutetankaai and th Arduinkaai/Quai aux pierres de taille.

    Have you counted the traffic signs? If you only count the ones you see the fronts of and that warns you it is a one-way direction, you must come to 8!
    But as you can see if you click on the picture to have the full view… there are plenty more traffic signs!
    I think it was a sale-out when they bought them!

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Driving: Unless you never want to leave again...
  • Tip Rating:
  • OlafS
  • Updated By OlafS on February 17, 2004
  • Brussels Page by OlafS
  • Brussel: a driver's nightmare - Brussels
    Brussel: a driver's nightmare
    by OlafS
    ...there's one thing to keep in mind. In all of Belgium signs indicating the directions at roads are positioned in such a way that you will only see them when you're already on the right track. When you're on the wrong track you may only notice them when it's too late to correct your direction. This is especially true in this chaotic city. Apparently we needed to leave the city through a tunnel. Only, the sign that said so was placed at the entrance of that very tunnel. And since we were not heading for that tunnel because we didn't know we were supposed to go there we quickly found ourselves back in the labyrinth of one-way streets and traffic-jams that make this city such a hell to drive in. Get the picture? My advice: take the first opportunity to get out of the city and then use the map to correct your direction. It's much better for your nerves.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Driving: Some Remarks on Driving
  • Tip Rating:
  • RhineRoll
  • Updated By RhineRoll on January 3, 2008
  • Brussels Page by RhineRoll
  • I found driving in Brussels surprisingly stressful -- more than you would expect it to be the case in a NW European big city. For me, it's the worst experience so far, apart from Naples, Rome and Florence. Here might be some helpful hints to reduce the stress:

    1. Dealing with bad road and traffic planning and managing

    Brussels has quite a number of very complicated, not really driver-friendly street layouts. There's multi-lane boulevards, sometimes the lanes diverge into different directions and you are not well directed on choosing the one to suit your direction. The pentagon of boulevards around the inner city features a couple of tunnels intended to avoid crowded intersections. Good if you can go straight but not so good if you need to use the intersection for making a left or right turn and need to react rather quickly in order to stagger away from the central tunnel lanes. Do not exclusively rely on your GPS navigation system. GPS doesn't work in tunnels and the GPS margin of error (up to 50 metres) is too high to allow the navigation system to safely identify the exact lane you're in. I have witnessed two navigation systems to go haywire because of this -- might get you into real trouble if you pay attention too much to your little helping gadget.

    2. Slapdash drivers

    This was a negative surprise -- I have so far been driving in all of Belgium and never had any problem whatsoever. Brussels has a particularly strange mixture of drivers going at their own pace -- either dead slow or insanely fast. In particular, there are too many cars with 5-6 youths packed in it, the driver obviously thinking that driving like a maniac is cool and somehow a good substitute for the frustration of life -- lack of brains and lack of sexual activity. Be prepared for *** drivers in the street (not applicable to drivers from Italy if from Florence or any city south of Florence).

    As a general rule, never drive on the limit -- always have room for straightening out your own mistakes and those of others.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful

    Visiting Brussels?

    Read reviews about Brussels Hotels

    Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.

    Driving: Gas stations that only take local credit cards
  • Tip Rating:
  • Dabs
  • By Dabs on December 4, 2006
  • Brussels Page by Dabs
  • We rented a car at the airport in Brussels and when we went to return it, we needed to fill up our tank or pay the exorbitant refueling charge from the rental car company. Gillian told us where the gas station was at the airport, it's on the wrong side of the road so you have to drive through the arrival/departure area to gas up your rental car (who needs to put gas in their car when they are leaving the airport?!?!?) The station didn't open until 8am, by the time the clerk arrived there was a line formed to get gas.

    If you have a Belgian bankcard or a Shell gas card, you can fill up without the attendant but if not, you're out of luck if you have an early flight. We noticed that a lot while driving through Belgium, unlike the US where you can use your credit card at the pump, in Belgium we had to go inside the gas station every time.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Driving: Drink and... don't drive :-)
  • Tip Rating:
  • matcrazy1
  • Updated By matcrazy1 on December 26, 2003
  • Brussels Page by matcrazy1
  • PALACE  OF  JUSTICE - Brussels
    PALACE OF JUSTICE
    by matcrazy1
    Half a promile (5/1000) is the acceptable by law level of alcohol at driver's blood in Belgium. So you can drink one bottle of beer or a glass of wine and rather nothing more before driving.

    When you get to know that there are over 300 brands of delicious Belgian beer to choose from you will surely not want to be a designated driver in Brussels :-). Hmm... I had to :-(((.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Driving: Driving
  • Tip Rating:
  • matcrazy1
  • Updated By matcrazy1 on December 28, 2003
  • Brussels Page by matcrazy1
  • ME  AT  ROYAL  SQUARE - Brussels
    ME AT ROYAL SQUARE
    by matcrazy1
    I found driving in Brussels difficult for many reasons, just a few:
    - heavy traffic esp. in rush hours that is on business days approx. 7.30 - 9.00am and 4.30 - 6.00 pm.
    - shortage of parking lots in and close to the downtown (esp. free of charge), limited parking zones etc.
    - direction signs can't be seen well and on time while driving on busy, multi-lanes streets,
    - one-way streets.
    My suggestion is to park a car wherever you find any free place, find it on your map and write down the name of a street when you park (not to lost your car hehe) and walk on foot :-))).


    CAR INSURANCE:
    Obligatory for damages you can cause to other people and their properties (if you are not EU citizen, buy so called "green card" valid for all EU countries).

    DRIVING LICENCE:
    Your driving licence is valid at least for up to 90 days if you are from USA/Canada or Europe.

    SPEED LIMITS:
    50 km/h (31mph) inside the city limits unless otherwise stated,
    90 km/h (56mph) outside the city limits
    120 km/h (75mph) on freeways.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Driving: No special danger,but don't...
  • Tip Rating:
  • funkymama
  • By funkymama on August 25, 2002
  • Brussels Page by funkymama
  • No special danger,but don't walk alone at night,especialy ladies and girls.
    Be carefull with speed limits:31mph(50km/h)in the city,56mph(90km/h)outside the city and 75mph(120km/h)on 4-lane highways.
    Maximum blood alcohol level=0.5g/L(1 glass of wine).
    A US driving license is acceptable if staying less then 90 days in the country.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    Driving: Just say 'no'
    Gnar_kill
  • Updated By Gnar_kill on October 28, 2003
  • Brussels Page by Gnar_kill
  • Avoid driving in Brussels all together. It is not a possible feet.

    Leave a Comment

    Not Helpful 1 2 3 4 5 Very Helpful
    More Brussels Tips
    Overview
     
    Hotels and Accommodations
    Tips: 484 - Photos: 362
    Things To Do
    Tips: 2,505 - Photos: 3,696
    Nightlife
    Tips: 364 - Photos: 335
    Transportation
    Tips: 311 - Photos: 245
    Restaurants
    Tips: 780 - Photos: 715
    Shopping
    Tips: 264 - Photos: 255
    Off the Beaten Path
    Tips: 420 - Photos: 459
    Tourist Traps
    Tips: 128 - Photos: 84
    Warnings or Dangers
    Tips: 134 - Photos: 78
    Local Customs
    Tips: 286 - Photos: 287
    Packing Lists
    Tips: 50 - Photos: 32
    Sports Travel
    Tips: 21 - Photos: 19
    General Tips
    Tips: 583 - Photos: 580
    Flights
    Tips: 35 - Photos: 0

    Best Brussels Travel Deals

    Hotel Lodging
    Up to 50% off Hotels at Expedia. No Expedia change or cancel fees!

    Find Local Hotels
    Let Switchboard Help Find Local Hotels in the New York Area.

    Relocating to Brussels?
    Do it the easy way - flats ready to move into - EU Area

    Brussels Hotels
    Best rates guaranteed on Starwood hotels in Brussels - book online!

    Cheap Brussels Hotels
    Up To 70% Off Hotels in Brussels Instant Confirmation, Book Now!

    Sponsored Links

    More Brussels Travel Deals

    91 Brussels Hotels
    Our selection of great hotels in Brussels. Special Offers! Book now.

    Newark NJ Hotel
    Minutes from Manhattan. Save 75% Over NYC Hotels in Downtown Newark!

    150 Hotels in Brussels
    Book a hotel in Brussels online. No reservation fee. Great rates!

    Sponsored Links


    Brussels Hotels





    About VirtualTourist |  10 Great Things to Do On VirtualTourist |  Contact Us |  Press Center |  Help |  User Agreement |  Privacy Statement
    Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2009 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.