Getting Around

Belgium's compact size makes it easy on travelers. The roads are excellent (though often busy), and the comprehensive train and bus system is one of Europe's best.

By Train

All major tourist destinations in Belgium can be done easily in a day trip by train from Brussels, on the excellent railway network of the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Belges/SNCB, or NMBS in Dutch (tel. 02/528-28-28; www.sncb.be). Antwerp is just 29 minutes away; Ghent, 32 minutes; Namur, 40 minutes; Bruges, 55 minutes; and Liège, 60 minutes. These times are by the fast Intercity (IC) trains; Inter-Regional (IR) trains are somewhat slower; Local (L) trains are the tortoises of the system, stopping at every station on the way.

If all or most of your travel will be by train, a good investment is a Rail Pass, good for 10 single journeys anywhere on the network, except stations at international borders, within a month of it being issued. It costs 68€ ($85).

Another option is the discounted weekend return ticket, valid from noon on Friday to noon on Monday; the more people you travel with, the greater the discount per ticket. Even if you make only 1 or 2 day trips by rail, be sure to inquire about Minitrips -- 1-day excursion tickets to major sightseeing destinations at discount prices.

Main rail stations, and some minor ones, have bicycles for rent. If you travel by train and would like to have a trusty steed awaiting you when you arrive, use the Belgian Railways Train + Vélo/Trein + Fiets (Train + Bicycle) formula to reserve a bike at the same time you buy your ticket.

By Bus

Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Liège, and all other important towns and cities, have good local bus service. Regional buses serve every area of the country, with fares and schedules available from bus or train stations, but they're slow, are often infrequent, and may require transfers at intermediate points for long-distance journeys.

By Car

Driving conditions are excellent in Belgium, with lighted highways at night. Belgian drivers, though, are not as excellent. They're notoriously fast and aggressive and have clocked some of the worst road-accident statistics in Europe, so drive with care.

Rentals -- Rental cars are available from Hertz (tel. 800/654-3001 in the U.S.), bd. Maurice Lemonnier 8, Brussels (tel. 02/720-60-44); Avis (tel. 800/331-2112 in the U.S.), rue de France 2, Brussels (tel. 02/527-17-05); Budget, av. Louise 327B, Brussels (tel. 02/753-21-70); Europcar, chaussée de Waterloo 538, Brussels (tel. 02/348-92-12). All four companies have desks at Brussels National Airport. Expect to pay from 60€ ($75) a day, and 200€ ($250) a week, including insurance and other charges, and for unlimited mileage.

Driving Rules -- To drive in Belgium, U.S. citizens need only a valid passport, a U.S. driver's license, and a valid auto registration. The minimum age for drivers is 18. On highways, speed limits are 70kmph (43 mph) minimum, 120kmph (74 mph) maximum; in all cities and urban areas, the maximum speed limit is 50kmph (31 mph). Lower limits might be posted. Seat belts must be worn in both the front seats and in the back. One important driving rule is the priorité de droite (priority from the right), which makes it perfectly legal most of the time to pull out from a side road to the right of the flow of traffic. That means, of course, that you must keep a sharp eye on the side roads to your right.

Road Maps -- Tourist offices provide excellent city, regional, and country maps. Michelin map nos. 213 and 214 cover the country; they are detailed and reliable, and are available from bookstores, news vendors, some supermarkets, and other outlets.

Breakdowns/Assistance -- Roadside telephones connect to emergency services, whose yellow "TS" (Touring Secours) cars patrol major highways to render emergency service at minimal cost. If you have car trouble, pull off the road and dial tel. 070/34-47-77 at one of the phones; then wait for the TS. On other roads, call TS from the nearest telephone or your cellphone.

Driven Crazy -- The behavior of many Belgian car drivers could easily be described as "hoglike," a moderate term employed because finding the pertinent adjective would tax even the considerable powers of the English language as an instrument of personal abuse.

Part of the blame attaches to the priorité de droite (priority from the right) traffic rule, whereby in some cases (not always), traffic from the right has the right of way. You won't believe how this plays at multiple-road intersections, particularly since many Belgians will give up their priorité under no known circumstances, cost what it might. Be ready to stop instantly at all such intersections. Note: Poles with orange diamond signs, which you see mostly on main roads, mean that priority lies with traffic already on the road, so you don't have to stop.

At rotaries, traffic entering the rotary has the right of way over traffic already on it, unless STOP lines on the road indicate otherwise. This system has caused so much mayhem it's being changed at some accident hot spots and obvious danger zones. Not everyone knows about the changes or acts according to them, so stay alert.

Hoglike driver behavior is extended to pedestrians. Don't expect cars to stop for you just because you're crossing at a black-and-white "pedestrian crossing." Only in recent years have drivers been obliged legally to stop at these, and many haven't received the message yet.

Life in the Slow Lane

A network of special walking, cycling, and horseback-riding routes in Wallonia provides a healthy alternative to touring by car, and links scenic parts of the region that are off the beaten track. RAVeL (Résau Autonome des Voies Lentes/Independent Network of Slow Routes) gives new life to old ways by employing disused rail and tram routes, river and canal towpaths, and other minor paths, connected by purpose-built sections. Four main RAVeL routes and a web of secondary ones crisscross the region. Guide booklets with maps are available from tourist offices.