Things to do in Brussels?

davidmc95

Im heading over to Brussels next week to see Anderlecht play Dynamo Moscow. The match isnt on until 9pm so i'll have 12 hours before that and i'll be coming home at 8pm the next day so i'll have plenty of time to wander around. Im on a budget so things that are cheap/free would be best. What should i see? Where should i eat? What parts should i stay away from?

Also, whats the best way to get from the airport (Zaventem) to the city centre?

AgileMyth

You can get a train from the airport in to Brussels central. That's right in the middle of where you want to be. Grab a beer in Delirium. Loads of restaurant on the same street with cheap set menus. Its a good city to just wander about.

Anderlecht is a bit outside the city and you want to be there early for the atmosphere in the bars around it.

Assume you've a match ticket sorted? Its a small stadium so you won't get one on the day.

davidmc95

AgileMyth wrote: »

You can get a train from the airport in to Brussels central. That's right in the middle of where you want to be. Grab a beer in Delirium. Loads of restaurant on the same street with cheap set menus. Its a good city to just wander about.

Anderlecht is a bit outside the city and you want to be there early for the atmosphere in the bars around it.

Assume you've a match ticket sorted? Its a small stadium so you won't get one on the day.

Thanks! How much is the train? Yeah i have my match ticket sorted. Do you know of any decent places to stay that are cheap or cheap-ish? I saw one place for €40, the reviews are pretty bad but you get what you pay for! Its a 10 minute walk from the stadium and 4km from Grand Place which is grand. How are taxi prices?

AgileMyth

Not sure of train prices cause I always use a go-pass (10 journeys anywhere in Belgium for €50). Its not going to be too much though.

Never got a taxi here cause public transport is so good. You can get the metro out to the game. Could get one back in after and stay somewhere more central. You'd get a hostel for about €20 in the city if you're OK with dorm rooms.

AgileMyth

Oh and if you can get another ticket let me know!

davidmc95

AgileMyth wrote: »

Oh and if you can get another ticket let me know!

I got mine on their website, cost me €55 (most expensive part of my trip) Sent to me by post. I think theres also an option that you can collect it at the stadium on the themisweb.fr/rodwebshop/fListeManifs.aspx?idstructure=0371&lang=fr

davidmc95

AgileMyth wrote: »

Oh and if you can get another ticket let me know!

I got mine on their website, cost me €55 (most expensive part of my trip) Sent to me by post. I think theres also an option that you can collect it at the stadium on the day. https:// www. themisweb.fr/rodwebshop/fListeManifs.aspx?idstructure=0371&lang=fr

AgileMyth

Its on the Thursday so I'll be working. Thought they were still champions league.

Thanks anyway!

davidmc95

AgileMyth wrote: »

Its on the Thursday so I'll be working. Thought they were still champions league.

Thanks anyway!

Does the metro go from the airport or is that different? I see you can get a 48h metro ticket for only €13. Probably costs more than that for a short taxi ride!

AgileMyth

Don't think the metro goes out there, just an ordinary train. I've only been to that airport once though so could be wrong.

grimm2005

There's a free walking tour that Sandeman's have twice a day starting from Grand Place. It's about 3 hours with a 15min break and is a good way to see a good bit of the city in a short period of time. They also have a beer tasting tour which is meant to be good. We did the pub crawl and tbh found it was pretty crap.

We missed out on Delirium but it's meant to be well worth a visit. There is a mainland train from Zaventum airport to central Brussels, stopping at 2 of the main train stations. I think it was about €14 return for a ticket and it takes about 30mins iirc.

There's a really great hostel called Sleephere that we stayed in. We booked the double room for €40 each a night, but dorms started at about €20 a night I think. The room we were in was incredibly nice, much better than a 4 star hotel we had stayed in in Waterford a couple of months previously.

Geuze

davidmc95 wrote: »

Also, whats the best way to get from the airport (Zaventem) to the city centre?

Train operator = SNCB, www.sncb.be

A ticket on the train from BRU to the city centre is 8.50.

Geuze

http://mobility-brochures.b-rail.be/en/timetable-brochures

Airport train timetables, see line 36C.

Geuze

If you like lambic beer, then visit this working brewery in Anderlecht:

http://www.cantillon.be/

Geuze

Local transit operator = STIB / MIVB

http://www.stib-mivb.be/index.htm?l=fr


tRANSIT MAPS:


http://www.stib-mivb.be/netplan-plan-reseau.html?l=fr

Geuze

Metro map, also showing some tram lines, the ones that go underground:


http://www.stib.be/irj/go/km/docs/STIB-MIVB/INTERNET/attachments/Plan_reseau/Plan_M_09-2014.pdf

Geuze

Overall transit map, large file:


http://www.stib.be/irj/go/km/docs/STIB-MIVB/INTERNET/attachments/Plan_reseau/20150223-plan.pdf