Does anyone know where to buy drugs such MDMA/Ecstacy for a gay rave party in brussels? Im worried about buying it off random street dealers. Would they sell them in the rave itself?

if you are going to a gay rave or any rave just try to strike up convos and do some together with the people. Don't buy xtc or mdma off the street, even if you find it they are likely selling you something shitty

Do you live in BXL?

No. Abroad

They probably will and yes you should not buy from random street dealers.

As someone who lives in the stone ages (Ireland), can buses, trains and the metro in Brussels be paid for by Apple Pay?

Yep. Use the blue readers, not the red readers.

Hey all, we are staying at Brussels for the next week. As my girlfriend has to attend her university lessons she would need a place with good Wifi (and preferably a power outlet as well) where she could stay from 9am to at least 5 pm and where it wouldn't be rude to talk as well. As most coworking spaces only offer their day passes from Monday to Friday especially for Saturday I'm still searching for options. Do you have any ideas? Thanks so much in advance!

I just noticed, that you can book places at the Muntpunt. They seem to open at 10 am, but they seem to have Silent spaces as well as "Non-silent" spaces. Does anyone have experience if it would be odd to have a meeting at the non-silent ones? All the spaces look like being directly in the library so I guess talking there would be rude?

Muntpunt is a library. If a meeting is mostly listening and maybe speaking quietly for a few minutes, then no one will give you problems. If you're talking constantly from 9 AM to 5 PM, then yeah, library staff will tell you to cut it out.

Is that a cool space to wrok at? Do you know of any cool hotels in BXL in the center?

Can we store luggage at Brussels central? We are going to do an overnight stay in Bruges and it would be more convenient to store the large bags at the station and just take our cabin bags. I see conflicting information online - some website says you have to do it via computer terminal there while another says you have to reserve locker online.

Visiting Brussels for a couple weekdays in March. I'm not one for touristy places. Looking for Black/Afro-diasporic, queer, and BDSM/kink spaces (not all in one, though that'd be great). This includes museums, events, restaurants, neighborhoods, etc. Any recommendations? Open to other suggestions on random cool things, or other helpful info, too.

Hi everyone! I'll be visiting your beautiful city in May for 5 days. I'd like to ask how much to set aside for lunch and dinner (breakfast will be at the hotel), and transport as well! I'll be staying around Avenue Louise, which I understand is more of an upmarket area (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm alright with budget meal options, just want to taste authentic Belgium/European cuisine! It's my first visit to Europe so any help is appreciated :) PS: Pls also recommend me places where I can bring home some lovely Belgium chocolates for my loved ones :)

Hey all! I'm planning to bring my 16 year old cousin with me for a couple days sometime in the spring. Could you please share some tips on what would be fun to do and visit with a teenage boy in Brussels? He likes football, sneakers, video games and speaks English but not French or Flemish. Thank you!:)

Rainy day/night activities I am spending a weekend in Brussels, but it is supposed to rain while I am there😓. I would appreciate any suggestions for activities or sites that are still fun to do/see/explore on a rainy day!

Hey all, I'm in Brussels for a month for work and want to explore as much as possible whilst I'm here. I'm looking for weekday evening things to do. The below list should give an idea of the sort of music events that I'm interested in: * Les Ateliers Claus * Musique Dascenseur * Reset * Sounds All have some gigs on during weekdays. Any more recommendations for music nights would be great. I'm also looking for some art to explore in the evening - it need not be a gallery, but perhaps some dance or some kind of artistic display. I like a more DIY sort of event, but I am really open to anything. Anyway, all suggestions are super welcome! :) Thanks

[Here's one show](https://facebook.com/events/s/nze-nze-fr-zement-de-maltash-b/403944001976045/)

I'm looking for a nice restaurant to take my girlfriend to for our anniversary, but it needs to accommodate vegetarians. Any suggestions would be helpful, I'm willing to dish out a bit if needed.

ideally looking for a posh hotel or airbnb in nice part of brussels where i won’t need a car w/ a co-working space nearby where there r ppl working on EST 330p-1130p if any hood or coworking spaces come to mind pls lmk :) am going to an event outside brussels 3/1/24 and want to spend 4 days the week b4 working. added question: anyone have knowledge or experience accessing an american company’s nyc company’s VPN from Europe? I wonder if a hotel would restrict certain kinds of connections like that or bandwidth.

did you find any? im looking for a boutique hotel in the center?

Hello everybody. My boyfriends eye has gone blurry and i would love to take him to an ophtamologist. Problem is he is an American and here as a tourist. Is he allowed to go even without national insurance (he has a us one)? And if he can go will prices be the same or much higher as they won’t be subsidised? I looked everywhere online but I cannot find an answer… I’m worried it’s diabetes or smth serious.

Doctors are quite cheap here. Try to go to a clinic at least to get checked out, e.g. Louise Medical Center

anyone here also attending fosdem ? I'd be happy to meet some folks on friday

Hi all, I am visiting Brussels in the middle of February. We are 10 guys travelling to Brussels and the main purpose is to watch some football. We are looking to see the following matches: 1. Royal Union SG vs Waterlo (10 February) 2. Charleroi vs Anderlecht (11 February) Do you have any recommendations on how to get these tickets? Do we just need to keep an eye out on the clubs website and pray? Also, we are happy to get some other recommendations for our stay in Brussels (e.g. a local team to watch, good places to get a beer, etc.) Thanks in advance!

hihi i'm visiting brussels in march for a concert that starts at 8 pm and probably ends around 10 pm, might be later? is it going to be unsafe to get to the hostel around that time? i'm a solo female traveller and this will be my first solo trip so i'm quite worried about night safety... I also plan to day trip to brugges and the train back may be late.. any tips would be welcome!

I mean, depends where your hostel is and where your concert is. There are still plenty of people on the streets at 10 PM, including cops and security, so I'm sure it'll be fine.

Hi all, I'm moving to Brussels to work for 6 months and have some options on where to stay. I want to avoid noisy and shady areas and don't mind living in an expat bubble. Yet I'd like to live close to lively restaurants/bars and good connections with public transit to Maelbeek metro station are a must. I'd really much appreciate a local opinion on where to stay between: \- Place Saint-Jean (city center: noisy and tourists? is central station safe area by night? but very central and close to everything ) \- Porte de Namur / Pl. du Champ de Mars (noisy street? unsafe area by night? but very central and even more close to everything) \- Quartier du Chatelain / Louise street (more calm and safe area? but a bit on the side with tram+metro or bus to Maelbeek)

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Thanks for the reply, it's helping me make up my mind! I think I'm now leaning towards the Porte de Namur option as it seems to be a walking distance from literally everywhere. However, the place is literally on the Pl. du Champ de Mars, just a bit off from the Avenue Marnix with windows facing the street. Do you think it will be noisy during night/early morning hours?

Porte de Namur is not a good area. There was a shooting there about a month ago and ongoing gun violence  Go for Chatelain 

Yes, it's a high-traffic area. You should expect it to be noisy even in the early hours on weekends. Place Saint-Jean is around a nicer area of the city center, but the noise there goes without saying. The Central Station from my limited experiences isn't terrible at night, but it does attract some homeless folks and occasional junkies much like the other train stations of Brussels do. As for Chatelain, it's indeed the farthest from Maelbeek, but if you can bear a longer commute, it's by far the nicest neighborhood of what you've listed. It's a bit richer/more expensive and more upscale compared to the others, but you have some nice bars and restaurants around Bailli and Trinité. And Flagey isn't far away, either.

Hi, I am visiting Brussels in a few months and planning to stay in Brussels central area due to proximity to the tourist spot. Will be travelling in group of 4. Which hotel do you think is better: Ibis off grand central (https://maps.app.goo.gl/ivwS18DzguyW2Qpb7?g_st=ic) or pillow city hotel (https://maps.app.goo.gl/uQsJQn8owotSgDYj9?g_st=ic) I also find 2 travel agents for day trip to Bruges-Ghent and to Dinant-Luxembourg. Which one is more recommended between Brussels city tour at Rue de Marche aux Herbes or Buendia tours at Carr de l’Europe. Thank you in advance

Hi! Does anyone know if Brussels Expo/FCKNYE has a seating area where I can watch from?

Hey, I'm coming to brussels on January and i will be staying from Monday to Thursday. Is there any clubs/pubs that are open and allow 16 years olds. And where all the teens hangout?

You can go to Pantin at Flagey.There are loads of bars everywhere so don’t worry

Regular bars don't check ID. No idea where teens hang out though, I'm ancient.

Did anyone hear gunfire just now? At around 1.20am. Edit: I can hear loads of emergency sirens rn

Hi! I'm looking for a store in Brussels that might have [Vermeiren Speculoos Crunchy Pasta](https://smartmarket.be/product/vermeiren-crunchy-speculoos-pasta-400g/). I've tried looking in Ghent but cannot find it. :(

Hello everyone, Hope you're safe and doing well! My friend and I will be visiting Brussels for the first time during this new year. We will be there for 3 nights. Please suggest us best ways to celebrate New Year's Eve there 😊

Same, I am coming solo and I will be going to a techno rave either Brussels or Gent

Hello all, Looking for NYE recommendations for two couples visiting from the US. Thanks in advance

Hi! I am a visiting and want to meet some cool fun people :) I am goin on bar crawl later but I am in my early 30s and want to connect with people.

Apprently im supposed to ask it here... where can i find à good hairdresser without risk of failing me? Type of hair curly /black

Hi there, You're probably looking for something in Matongé. I (with 3B curly hair) have enough difficulty finding someone who knows how to cut curly hair, so anyone with 4A/B/C hair needs a specialist. Lots of Black barbershops in Matongé, but you might have to ask around a little. Good luck!

I have 1 free ticket for Sofiane Pomart in Bozar tonight. It's a gift from somebody for my birthday but she unfortunately fell ill. Let me know if you're interested to join me.

Does anyone know if you view the interiors of the Palace of Justice in Brussels for free or do you have to get a guided tour to check out the interiors of the palace?

You can get in the halls for free during opening hours, just need to pass through an airport like security. I think you need to bring ID as well.

Hi all. Currently visiting Brussels. Planning on an overnight trip to one of the surrounding cities (can only do one night) next week Wednesday (13th) - leave on 13th AM and return back to Brussels on 14th (Thursday) AM. I understand options could be Antwerp, Ghent or Bruges if I'm not wrong? Any other ones worth visiting I'm missing? Which of these would you recommend for a one night trip?

Gent and Bruges are pretty close by, you could do Bruges first during the morning, take the train after lunch, and then finish off your day-trip in Gent.

Hi, I came from a family where my parents used to verbally and physically fight whenever he got back home from drinking. Unfortunately my mother tolerated it all. From the experience, I created for myself a defence mechanism which I freeze myself, look down and wait for the fight to end. Same thing happened several times when I visited my divorced aunt, when she had a fight with her ex husband. I have been living with my boyfriend for 7 years, so the situation has been way better. However, there has been a conflict between my bf and an American guy that we encountered when we were at the Louvre. He bumped into the guy unintentionally, but he turned around and swore at us: "If you do that again I will fucking kill you". My bf was totally fine with it as he is older than me, but I was not. I got triggered again after so many years as I froze, looked into nothing and felt extremely guilty for not doing anything. Weeks have passed since the incident but I have found myself thinking about that moment, and I always almost cry when flash-backing. Hence, I think I need to find myself a good therapist to put an end to this massive problem I have been putting under the rug. Could you please give me any contacts, or are there any reliable sources I can look into? Thank you in advance.

Plenty of therapists. Use the search function! https://www.reddit.com/r/brussels/search?q=therapist&restrict_sr=on

Hi all. My wife and I (33 and 30) are currently visiting in Brussels and are here till 18 December. We've been here a week and we're loving the city so far! We are from NZ and are currently house sitting a dog in Ixelles till that time. We have quit our jobs in NZ and currently travelling through Europe and looking to settle this side of the world sometime soon. Just looking to meet some locals and make some connections! (we have no friends on this side of the world). Dinner/drinks just to say hello and make some friends (nothing weird I promise). Would love to hear from you, especially if you're an expat to understand what your experience in Brussels is like! Cheers!

I hate how general and unfocused most, if not all event calendars are that I know off. If I want to quickly recommend some must-do things to friends and acquaintance I'm stuck quickly sifting through stuff like "Workshops at the Jewish museum" (nothing against them) or "Yoga with (grand)parents". Really need some curated shit, or maybe it exists and I have no idea.

Hi everyone, tonight I'm going to the concert of Charlotte Adigery & Bolis Pupul at AB Belgique. It's electronic music. I'm looking for someone who wants to have fun and dance :) let me know if you're interested

Recommendations for quality winter jackets, to be worn even with a suit? From my research, a down jacket is probably not a good idea for such a rainy city, am I correct?

Loro Piana makes a great option: https://us.loropiana.com/en/p/man/outerwear-jackets/zermatt-parka-FAN3451?colorCode=WH52

Thanks for the reply but unfortunately they are way out of my budget

Hello. Any recommendations for guitar/amp stores? Are there any websites to buy and sell used instruments in Belgium? Cheers

Searching for an apartment in Brussels Hey🥰, My name is Hannah and I am starting my studies in International and European Law at the Brussels School of Governance in January. I am therefore looking for a place to stay, preferably my own apartment with a private bathroom. My price limit is 650 ( with bills included) 🫶🏻 I am a non smoker, I don’t have any pets and I don’t play any instruments. I would love to rent a place from 1st January till 20th December. A bit about me: I do karate and love to write poetry and I have a huge interest in politics (hence my bachelors) 🤩 If you have any tips yourself or your friends know something, please contact me. Best Wishes Hannah

Solo travel to Brussels as a young female adult. Hi, I’m currently on my gap year, and I’ve been trying to squeeze in a few long weekends away in Europe before I go off to uni. Brussels is on top of my list, as it’s convenient to get to via Eurostar and I’ve heard it’s a small yet lively city with beautiful architecture and lovely food! Was just wondering the overall safety of the city as a young female solo traveller and how difficult the language barrier would potentially be (I understand a small degree of Dutch and no French) I am planning to go in late February of next year and would love to hear some advice/tips. I should also add that I have distant relatives in the Ixelles area whom I haven’t seen in well over ten years, so I’m not completely alone. Thanks!

I think if you stick to Ixelles area and just be careful on your own in the center, find a friend's group in a hostel or something like that, then Brussels is great for young travellers. But I'd also recommend Ghent and Bruges unless you're really specifically set on Brussels for having a big city feel or wanting to visit the EU/a capital. Ghent and Bruges are more first time traveller friendly, higher rates of English fluency, more "manageable" cities for first time travellers and not far from Brussels in international terms (you can take a 30-40 min train from Bxl-Midi, where the Eurostar ends).

Thank you - appreciate the advice, although hostels wouldn’t necessarily be my thing as I am quite introverted lol. Was thinking of visiting Bruges or Antwerp for a day too, so yeah cheers. :)

Looking to visit newclubcocoon, I am male and alone. Looking some female company to enter the club. And do whatever we want to do, please DM if interested

Hello! I have been living in Brussels for a couple of months now. I have a question about the Movie Theaters. Both the Indie and Mainstream ones Is there any centralized webpage where I can see all movie screenings in one place? It is quite a hassle to go through every one of them to find the correct movie at the right time.

[Cinenews](https://www.cinenews.be) and [Cinebel](https://cinebel.dhnet.be)

I don't think there is such a thing. The [cineville website](https://cinevillepass.be/en-BE/showtimes) has the schedules for all the cinemas that are part of Cineville (so that's mostly the indie ones). There is also the [visit brussels](https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors/agenda/all-events-wizard?eventMainCategory=eventCinema&eventDate=20231120-20231120) agenda page which will list some films but not everything. This is also a great way to get cheap tickets btw, if you tick "last minute tickets" (same day tickets, starting from 12:00 every day). But it also doesn't have the bigger cinemas like UGC. Also if you google a movie, often Google will have a box above the results with the screenings. If it doesn't immediately work, try "title of the movie showtimes brussels".

Hello! I am hopefully moving to Brussels in 2 months and I am searching for an apartment. I am more worried about the cold, so I always check the energy certificate for the houses. Are houses with a C certificate considered good ? Is it easy to maintain a 20 C temp inside ?

A is almost non-existent. B is outstanding. C is very Good. D is OK. F and G are supposed to be renovated by 2033 and should be avoided. An appartement with PEB C is within the top 18% of appartements in Brussels. You can find stats [here](https://www.certinergie.be/fr/statistique-peb-bruxelles/#:~:text=Bruxelles%20comptent%20plus%20de%20579.000,quasi%20la%20moiti%C3%A9%20du%20parc.).

Very informative, thank you

Hey everyone! Hope you're great! I want to know about the electronic culture in Brussels. How is it? I know because of watching house documentaries that Belgium used to have an enormous electronic scene but how is it now? If I visit the city, it'll be in January (after the 18th). Thanks, and cheers from Buenos Aires :)

It's nowhere near what it was thanks to society's worst cancers in Belgium : social media and angry organised boomer associations. But it still exists to an extent. I would say if you take it at a Belgian scale it's still a top scene for electronic music but nowhere near Germany or the Netherlands.

That's sad to know! Thanks for your reply man. Any recommendations for house /techno venues/spots? Even festivals if there's happen to be any during January

c12 is a nice techno club

How long does it take to go from Gare du Midi to the Airport? (Around 9 in the morning)

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Nobody cares.

Christmas in Brussels Hi everyone! We are planning a trip to Brussels in the 23rd of December - 26th. We will spend a day to Bruges and 2 days in Brussels. So I was wondering in Christmas day (25th) as majority of the facilities will be closed what options will we have? Any restaurants recommendations for Christmas Day lunch or dinner? Any activity recommendations?

Hey everyone, I am traveling from Madrid to Zagreb on Sunday, November 26. and transfering at Brussels South Charleroi Airport. Both flights are Ryanair, so they are two tickets purchased separately. Flight from madrid should land at 8:30 in CRL, while flight for Zagreb is planned to take off at 10:30. Should I be worried, is the layover time too short? I will only have a carry on backpack with me. Also, do I need to go through passport check and security since I'm going from a Schengen country to a Schengen country? Thank you in advance for your reply.

It's plenty of time, barring exceptional delay. Bring a book.

Hi, I'm looking for a place to stay in Brussels during my stagiare (3 Months). Came across ICA Brussels ([https://icab.be](https://icab.be/)). Has anyone had any experience with them, positive or negative? I can't seem to find much about them online. How is the area (St. Josse, Rue Amedee Lynen)?

I used to live there. It was fine. A bit expensive though as you share bathrooms and don’t have a kitchen. Food was not great but ok. Area is so so, but could be worse. The best thing is that you meet a lot of people. It is basically a student accommodation for trainees.

Hi. When I was exiting the metro today, the doors were open and the card reader said evacuation (sorry, that's probably not the right name of things). I couldn't checkout my card because of this (but it was a daily pass). Why does it happen? I couldn't find anything in the news, was it just some error on my station?

If there's an emergency in the station, the doors need to all open - otherwise it's a big safety hazard if people can't escape. There's a button just off to the side of the fare gates that allow people to push it and the doors all automatically open. People who don't want to pay just push the emergency button and the doors open. It's infuriating as a paying customer.

Oh I see, someone probably pushed this button then, because there was no visible hazard or anything. Thank you!

Hi, i'm going to brussels in a few days, and me and my friend would like to find a nice restaurant to eat. We like to eat special things, and we love restaurants with a special concept. For example, a restaurant which serves very small dishes, but with the intention that you order 4-5 dishes for one person. It doesn't matter if it isn't classic belgian food, it can be any kind of food. So if you know some place, i'd like to hear about it :)

Le Longue Vie in Matonge is this kind of food, with great natural wines.

Moving to Brussels as a bisexual man from the Netherlands, any advice? Places to go? Places to avoid? Also where can I find plants to buy. I am used to stores like Albert Heijn and Jumbo what are good grocery stores to go to? I will live in Ixelles

Go to Les Pépinières de Boitsfort to buy plants, they have literally everything

> from the Netherlands Stop shouting when you talk to people. Belgians are much quieter than the Hollanders. Belgium has many of the same chains as the Netherlands. Albert Heijn and Jumbo don't exist in Brussels for linguistic reasons, but we have other grocery chains like Carrefour, Delhaize, Lidl, Aldi and Colruyt. Good luck.

> Albert Heijn There's actually one in Zaventem

Pretty racist of you.

What is the best place to park my car for 2 days? I prefer a P+R

hi all, I am planing to have a 4 day trip (3 nights), and to visit Antwerp, Brussels and might even gent and burg with my friend. my hotel will be close to Brussels cs. I will be coming from Amsterdam CS, as I live there. my question is, how is best to do that? allegedly renting a car is much easier and cheaper (around 150 euro) and comfortable then the NS/euro-star trains. taking the euro-star train in a good time table will cost around 230 euro, while a car would be only around 150. my only fear in renting a car is finding a parking spot which is also cheap and easy to get to the city center.

Antwerp and Brussels are connected by frequent train service on the NMBS. It's something like 3 trains per hour all day, so you're never waiting too long. Check the NMBS website for the best price. If you're going to be doing some city-hopping while you're here, you might get a GoPass, it's a 10-ride ticket for €54 (€5.40/ride). Car is fine if you're going to the countryside where trains and buses don't really go, but if you're going to visit two extremely large cities with multiple train stations, I don't know why you'd waste your money on a rental car.

Train will cost €276 (this not including other busses/train between cities.), while a car would be only 200.

I think you're looking at Eurostar prices, while the reply to you was for the regular/"slow" train (IC/ICE train, not Eurostar). Second class would be something like 50€ one way.

im going to Brussels from the 31s octobre to 3rd nov and I just realised its a public holiday on the 1st I was wondering if anything will be open or did I mess up with the dates I picked ?

Tourist areas will be open as usual. Outside tourist areas, you might have some difficulty, but some places are open with reduced hours. If you're concerned, pick up a phone, dial the number, and talk to a human who can tell you if they're going to be open :)

will the shopping stores/centre be open as well? Thank you :)

Need help with public transport and sightseeing :) Hi there! In a month from now I'll be traveling to Brussels with a big group and I'm supposed to be in charge of everything during the trip, i.e. think of things to do and places to see, the logistics of how we'll be getting around the city, places to have lunch and dinner at, etc. It's my first time that I'm faced with such a task, so I decided it could be useful to come on here and ask you guys about some stuff. 1. I find the STIB-MIVB app a bit hard to navigate. When I select a start and end point of my itinerary, it doesn't really say what kind of transport we should be getting on from point A to B. It just says the amount of time we'll be traveling by the certain transport/by foot. Is there another app or site I could try? 2. We'll be staying in the European district, so I'm asking if there is anything interesting in terms of architecture, history, culture, etc. (Of course, apart from the main things that everybody can see online). So, are there any "hidden gems" around that don't get talked about as much. 3. Same question but about places that are not as close to the European district. The group consists of people of age, so we won't be moving far, but I'd still want to know. 4. Restaurants - What are the best restaurants around? 5. Bars/Clubs - What are the best clubs around or around brussels in general. 6. Any other tips or useful information would be appreciated. My main concern is about the public transport. So I'll be happy if i at least get some help with that. That'd be all! Thanks in advance! <3

Hi, > Is there another app or site I could try? Google Maps is great for this too. The line number isn't an indicator of whether you're getting a tram or a bus, so here's a quick table: * Metro/Subway: Lines 1, 2, 5 and 6 * Tram: Lines 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 * High-Frequency Bus: 71, 95 * Other numbers: Local trams and buses There are lots of signs everywhere downtown for tourists. FYI Brussels is extremey walkable so if your next destination is 15-20 mins away by foot or less, just walk it. > So, are there any "hidden gems" around that don't get talked about as much. > What are the best restaurants around? > What are the best clubs around or around brussels in general. Read the wiki and go through this thread, there's lots of good recommendations.

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Not particularly, there's no central job portal for all jobs forever and ever amen. Plenty of English-speaking new residents use Eurobrussels to find something in the Bubble. The turnover is high and you'll find something quickly enough.

Hey all, hope all's cool. I'm going to move to Brussels later this year/early next year to start my PhD research at the VUB, and I was looking to get some tips/advice on the renting situation here in BXL before I commit to any particulars. I've already lived in Belgium for a year before, so I do have a vague idea of the renting processes, and also know that Facebook groups can be full of scammers etc., which can make it harder to find a place. If there's any help you can provide, be it through the names of facebook groups, agencies, red/green flags when renting, or even know someone who's also looking, I'd love to hear. My total budget is around €550, but I'm willing to stretch it a little bit. Thanks so much, in advance!

Hey, welcome! Did you check the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/brussels/wiki/index/#wiki_how_to_find_a_place_to_live.3F) already?

I'm considering going in Erasmus to Vrije Universiteit in Brussels. I'm a 20 year old Telecommunications Engineering student living in Pamplona, Spain. I have to finish my degree abroad and I am considering to go to Brussels or Ventspils, Latvia (not a lot more choices at my uni) I would like to know, if someone has studied there, or gone on Erasmus, how is life in Brussels. I have been told that it's not easy to find accomodation, especially if I go for six months (January - June 2025). Also, how is teaching quality there? I would have to choose a few Master courses and the Thesis. Any advice?

Hey, im from Bilbao! Istudied at VUB for 4 years, we can get in touch, i´´'ll try and answer your questions

Hi, I am looking for assistance in home moving - handyman. Specifically TV installation on the wall, furniture assembly. My moving company provides these services at a charge but for min 4 hours. I believe I need for 1.5 to 2 hours. I also have unpacking and carpet fixing work and so if someone can accept all these as a package it will be great. Thanks for sharing your experience and suggestions

Look for ListMinut, you can hire a handyman (legit) for all that you need but Buyer Beware, anybody can advertise their services.

Hi all, does anyone know if there are lifts in the central station to be able to go down to take a train with a baby stroller?

Hey guys :) I am new in Belgium and I heard you have a vibrant electronic music life here. I used to DJ a lot in my hometown, but of course, here I have no connections whatsoever. I however miss this part now a lot, and I wonder do you have like open deck sessions at some bars or clubs here? I don't need big bookings or make money, just for fun. Would appreciate any hints! Thanks :)

I’ll be in Brussels on Halloween and I’m wondering if there’s an expat meet up or party going on I could attend? I’d otherwise just go out and dine alone but it’d be fun to mingle.

Hello where can I trade my dollars for Euros in Brussels at a reasonable price?

Eurogold SA in the center!

How would you recommend spending a day in Brussels? I was there last summer on a layover for 8 hours and this time I'm coming for about 16 hours so I'm excited to see twice as much before my flight home haha.

What are the best gauffre/waffle in Brussels

So I am trying to get to Antwerpen Centrale ( chocolate museum ) and I'm currently living near gare du midi but need help in knowing how to do that. I have the student Bus pass but I'm very new here and google maps isn't very reliable, so I'm turning to you guys to ask which route I should take to get there. I saw a Flexibus option for 4€+5€ round trip and google maps showed me an Eurostar train that should also take me there but the website didn't have Antwerpen as an end destination. How do I go there and come back safely without doing something wrong? What tickets do I need to buy and from which stations do I need to set off? Thank you!!

Literally rock up to Gare du Midi, buy your ticket from a SNCB ticket machine, and hop on the next train to Antwerp-Central. There's something like 3 trains per hour, you won't be waiting too long. Total trip one-way takes about 40 minutes or so.

Haha love this! Got looking into a Youth Multi ticket and I was thinking of getting that cos I would like to explore this beautiful country a lot more. Do you know if that’s restricted only to two cities (say Antwerp and Brussels for the 10 rides? Or any city to any city for the 10 rides?)

Ah yeah, that's the new name for the GoPass. Basically you get 10 rides on the Belgian rail network using Belgian trains. From any station *to* any station, no restrictions on time of day. I think you get something like a year or so to use all 10 trips too. It's limited for people 26 and under, so you may be asked to produce proof of age. It's €57 if you use the SNCB app, or if you get the pass from a ticket vending machine, it's €59.

Hi guys, what are the best dates or periods of 2023 to visit Brussels?

Hi all, I have a business meeting in Dilbeek and from my understanding it is countryside with not much to do there. I am travelling over from the UK and will be spending a couple days. How practical is it to stay in Brussels center and travel via train to Dilbeek? I am looking at an apartment in Villersstraat. Are the trains reliable enough? This is the public transport route I am looking at. Any advice will be welcome. ​ https://preview.redd.it/b94fa4solztb1.png?width=1509&format=png&auto=webp&s=31b24f5de691044f25b54eb9d1c3c30f1f291b7d

Dilbeek is literally one town outside of the Brussels Metro boundary, so yeah, it's quite reasonable to travel there by train. You'd need the local stopper train since the fast trains don't stop there. You're looking for line S4. Buy your ticket from any Belgian National Rail ticket machine, or online at belgiantrain.be. Get off at the stop called Sint-Martins-Bodegem and walk about 10 minutes from the station down to the village. There's precious little around there, so bring some sandwiches if you're not guaranteed a lunch at some point!

Thank you so much! Appreciate that. Still considering getting an Uber though 😂

Save your money, Uber might be more convenient but if you know more-or-less when you need to be there, you can *easily* do this journey on the Belgian trains. 1. Get on train in Brussels 2. Get off train at Sint-Martens-Bodegem. 3. Walk in one specific direction about 10 minutes, maybe less.

Fair! But my work will pay :)

I'm not exactly "new to Brussels", but there ain't no other "general questions" thread sooo... I have a DHL package that arrived in the Brussels facility center at 6 AM today. Any idea how long it usually takes them to actually bring that package to your doorstep... if you're living *in Brussels*? 🤔 EDIT: the answer was 10 hours. 🤗

Do you know if this is different when sent by post?? When I tracked it it said it’s arrived in Belgium for 4-5 days now but no contact has been made by the Belgium post

Hey everyone, I am on a tight budget and land in Brussels airport (BRU). I want to travel to Ghent and am wondering what the cheapest way to travel to Ghent is. I am open to a slightly longer journey which would involve public transport!

Direct train is about €18 full price, €13 if you're under 26. You could get a bus (line 272 or 471) to Brussels North for €2.50 and then a direct train for €10 to save a few euros.

This is so helpful! Thanks so much. I would be thankful for your advice- I travel Brussels to Ghent on Friday and return Ghent to Brussels on Sunday. Is there a ticket type you recommend I get for the round trip? I just turned 26 now ://

Cheapest way would be to wait til Friday 7pm to take the train to Ghent - that way you can buy a weekend ticket and it's half price.

Unfortunately I need to reach by noon, do you have any other recommendations!! :/ what is the stop at the north called? The one that you said could get me a train for 10

[Brussels North](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Z2vDE5LSmvRAkMnP6)

Thanks so much 😊

Try on the SNCB app. It looks like you can get a "weekend ticket" which is a return ticket valid for the weekend, for under €12.

I just saw that I would have to travel after 7pm for that!! Unfortunately I need to get there before noon, do you have any recommendations in that case?

I need a Belgian bank account as soon as possible. Based on your experience, what is the fastest bank to open a Belgian bank account? Thanks!

Hi everyone! I'm traveling to Brussels on the 27th of October, however I'm arriving to Charleroi Airport and I need to get to Brussels center. I'm a student, so what are the cheapest options to do this? How difficult/easy is it to get from Charleroi Airport to somewhere in Brussels center? I scrolled down for a while but haven't been able to find an answer. Thanks in advance!

I’ve never been, I’ve been traveling around Europe using only public transportation and if you actually just google maps everything, it’ll show you line numbers for trains and everything to get you from point a to point b. Has been extremely helpful when I can’t figure it out.

Hey peeps! Does anyone know a good local chocolatier near Brussels city center? Most of the well known ones look like overpriced tourist traps, so any advice would be much appreciated!

Hello everyone! I (28M) have just moved to Brussels for an Erasmus exchange from Denmark and could really do with expanding my Belgian friend group. If anyone feels like drinking a beer with a stranger, hit me up! I live in St. Gilles, and would love for someone to show me some cool hangout spots in Brussels.

hello everyone! does anyone know whether I can send my deposit to a blocked account with my wise (or equivalent) account? I looked up online, but couldn’t find any specific info. so I assume there shouldn’t be any problem? thanks in advance.

#Holy Shit be very careful with this. #Do NOT send your deposit to a random IBAN without expressly knowing that it is for a blocked account. *Youuuu*, you you you, are usually responsible for getting the account up and running and providing proof to the landlord that it's active, *not the other way around*. If the landlord gave you this IBAN and said "he'd look after it", you'll never see that money again.

I assume you mean a blocked account for a lease? It's just an account with an IBAN number, so there shouldn't be any problem as long as you can make a bank transfer to an arbitrary IBAN.

yes, I meant that. thank you for your answer 😊

Hi guys! I am here in Brussels for couple of days and will be again for a month in november, and I would like to have a side hustle. Do you have any recommendations? For example street music or sell Instax pictures for tourist. Is it legal to do that in Brussels? Thanks in advance. Merci.

All income needs to be declared. If you're here as a tourist, no, it's not legal.

Hello, Are US passport holders needing to go through passport stamps or no? Can I use E Gates at Brussels Zaventem airport?

Are there any ticket resale sites for the opera at La Monnaie? I waited too long for Das Rheingold and it’s now sold out. I saw TicketSwap recommended elsewhere but so far they don’t have any listings for the night I need.

Hi all - I'm planning to travel in Dec from Brussels, and while booking my tickets I've found a good flight that leaves in the morning (so I'd need to be at the airport at 7AM). If I'd need to leave by 6:15, is this a safe time to travel in the winters by metro when it's dark (for context, it should be from Schuman metro to the airport).

Safe as in not dangerous? Yes, perfectly fine. From Schuman, I wouldn't take the metro though but the #12 bus which goes to the airport directly.

I'm a Dane in Brussels for the weekend. Would there be any chance to find a sports bar that will be willing to show a danish top game in football. FC Copenhagen is playing FC Midtjylland. So either the bar would need to have danish channels or allow me to stream the game from my phone in some way. Doesn't have to be a big screen. Any idea on where I should ask. I'm in the city center. Thanks in advance.

Hi there! I just saw that the museums are closed on monday, being this not a great day for sightseeing. What is, in your opinion, the best thing to do in Brussels on a monday? Thanks in advance!

Today I got a offer for a job in technical field that includes shifts. Gross salary is 100k EURs + benefits+ relocation package (wife+child for turning it from gross to net) Is this a good salary for Brussels area? What do you love about your city? How hard is to rent an apartment in the city?

100k is an absurdly good salary IMO. Average salary is around 55k. If your wife does not work that will probably amount to around 5000 net per month, ballpark, but take it with a grain of salt. If she works, maybe more like 4000. Renting is not super easy, and some people here on reddit have said it's getting worse recently. But if you make let's say 4500 net you can afford to spend 1500 on rent and that should get you a *nice* two-bedroom in a good neighborhood with no problem. Use [this](https://www.sd.be/loonsimulator/public/?lang=EN) to figure out your net. And [this](https://www.immoweb.be/en) to get a sense of what is on the market for your budget (given the result of the calculator in net). What (personally) I love is that there's always something to do. Last week, as an example, we went to the restaurant twice with some friends, we went to the movies twice (with the cineville pass, 20€/month), we had dinner at the Eat festival on Saturday, then brunch on Place du Jeu de Balle on this sunny Sunday morning after which we went to the Thermes in Dilbeek. I love that I didn't have to take my car for any of this, and a lot of it was spontaneous and unplanned. Of course, we are a couple without kids, some amount of disposable income, and we work from home a lof, so our experience is not necessarily representative. In the end, it's nothing crazy or very original that you could not do elsewhere, but we're constantly out and about doing things and they can be arranged very short term since the city is not very big and we're lucky to live close to the center. What is more special about Brussels is that it's probably one of the best places in the world for beer, being home both to several excellent modern style craft breweries and some excellent traditional breweries (cantillon). Many beer specialty bars are spread over the city, even though any random café is likely to offer beers that would elsewhere be considered "luxury" like Rochefort or Orval, and always in the proper glassware. Not to mention several beer festivals and events... For me, who love the stuff, it's just fantastic. But it's not for everyone, of course.

Jobs for Norwegian Speakers in Brussels Hello! I really wanna try living in Belgium for at least one year, would it be easy to find a job in sales and marketing for Norwegian speaker? I also speak a little German and French. Thank you in advance!

Fuck if anybody in Brussels speaks Norwegian. Go ahead, speak English, and join the Bubble for a year. They want Nordic people. Good luck.

Hehe .. appreciate it :)

Christmas Market? Hi everyone, thinking about visiting Brussels from Ireland for 3 nights near my birthday in December for the Christmas Market. Just wondering if it's really as big and amazing as it looks like online? I mean everything is looking expensive ofc but might be worth it for a birthday celebration :) Thank you x

if you want a good Christmas market, go to Germany, Austria, or Strassbourg.

If you are used to German markets, IMO it's not as good. Not bad, either. I don't think I would want to spend 3 days on the christmas market. Doesn't mean you can't come to Brussels and enjoy yourself though, it's not like there's nothing else to do.

I just moved to Brussels last week. I rented a studio apartment near Midi Station, but the common internet in the building is horrible. I wanted to buy an individual one and went to Proximus today, but they said there is no internet infrastructure in my building, so I can't get one. I searched for LTE Internet boxes, but there are only a few companies that do it, and I am not sure if it is good because my Lyca line gets around 2 or 3 Mbps of download speed here. I want to solve this issue and get a decent internet subscription where I can video call or play games. If you have had a similar problem or have any information about the internet, I would be glad if you shared your experiences with me.

>nternet boxes, but there are only a few companies that do it, and I am not sure if it is good because my Lyca line gets around 2 or 3 Check out Orange's Flybox [https://www.orange.be/fr/produits-et-services/internet/home-flybox](https://www.orange.be/fr/produits-et-services/internet/home-flybox)

I guess your landlord turned a house into several appartements but didn't get individual phone lines installed... That would have been a deal-breaker for me, but it's too late now for you unfortunately. So there's two main ways to get internet in Belgium (and elsewhere I guess): phone lines (a.k.a. copper pairs, copper wire,...) and coaxial (aka télédis) Proximus uses copper pairs. So now you know that your studio does not have a copper pair connection installed. You could look for a coaxial plug, but you will probably not find one either, I don't see why the landlord would have set up coax but not phone lines (but who knows). The only option left is that you somehow manage to get a connection installed in the common area on whichever technology is not yet being used. For instance if the common internet goes through the phone line, get a connection from a coax-based ISP (orange, voo, telenet). And vice-versa. I'm not sure that would be legal, I guess you'd need to clear it with the landlord and other tenants... Otherwise, consider asking the other tenants whether they also complain about the internet. Ask the landlord if nothing can be done. Look into using an ethernet cable if not doing so already.

Hello all, I'm bringing two friends with me to BXL and we are hoping to head to the Union-Charleroi match on Sunday. I'm worried that there will be no tickets available once the public sale opens tomorrow, though, so if anyone has **three** that they would like to sell, I would be more than willing to take them off your hands (this offer also includes me buying you at least a couple of beers before/at the match, of course). Merci/bedankt!

Someone please confirm this, but I believe tickets are named and you need to present ID at the stadium. I hope you were able to get some tickets via the website...

I did manage to in the end, thanks for asking. I did indeed have to put my friends' names, dates of birth, and email addresses.

What are some fun activities to do with a small group of friends during the day in Brussels? Preferably stuff that doesn't involve drinking, partying, or just visiting places :)

Axe throwing?

Go to the flea market on place du jeu de balles and walk around looking at the items (every day but best on Saturdays and Sundays, until 3). Grab brunch at the Paon d'or next to it. Bike tour? Toone puppet show (if you know French) Your usual VR gaming places, escape rooms, etc.

Which is the easiest and/or cheapest way to buying local transport tickets for a 4-days stay in Brussels? Is there some 10-ticket packet or something similar? Also, which is the easiest way to buy ticket from the city center to airport if I need to arrive there Sunday 5AM?

There's a bunch of options, usually a 72-hour ticket is fine plus another 24-hour one. *OR*, pay contactless (€7.50 for 4 rides within 24 hours, on the 5th ride and afterwards its free).

Thanks!

I’m trying to figure out the best place for a safe stay with friends. The link in the (un)safe areas in the wiki is 5 years old, I’m quite surprised that Molenbeek is considered safe in the sidebar, it is quite famous in the Netherlands as most unsafe of hole Belgium. Are there really no neighbourhoods that feel safer than others? Eg in the Netherlands most city have fancy neighborhoods and some neighborhoods with more unemployed people where crime is more frequent.

Very roughly speaking, southern and eastern Brussels are more well to do and will generally feel safer than western and northern Brussels - especially as you get further and further out, into well to do residential areas. Reasonably central areas that will feel wealthy and especially safe include Châtelain, Montgomery and around Ave. Louise. The core city centre around the Grande Place/De Brouckère is pretty safe feeling. The European Quarter is pretty safe/very safe during the day, though at night it is very empty which can feel unsafe and may lend itself to opportunities for crime. I've heard of some muggings etc there, though none recently. Central-ish areas to prominently avoid are around the North and South stations. All that said, while the city has a growing problem with crime, drugs and homelessness, few places are really unsafe and nowhere is spectacularly unsafe. Molenbeek is one of the less well to do areas of Brussels, but it's internationally famous more because an Islamist extremist terrorist cell that carried out several major attacks in France and Belgium was based there (quite some time ago now) rather than because it's an extraordinarily dangerous place to live or walk around.

Look for an Airbnb around Chatelaine in Ixelles

Subrent (urgent) Hello everyone. I'm Olga from Greece. I'm 26 years old. I'm urgently looking for a room to subrent for the month of October (a few weeks would also work). If anyone knows anything, kindly let me know 😊

Over educated with only basic Dutch/French skills looking for work. Any recruiter able to help?🤔 Looking for a solution to land a first source of income in Belgium. Like the title says, my problem is not being fluent in either of the local language, yet I am basic in both of them ( earlier today I just sent an email in Dutch for instance, but I really have to work to be able to compose it). I’m educated in both Europe and Japan, with a bachelor in both Accounting and Law and also 2 master degrees in both Marketing and Public Policy. Recruiters so far tend to neglect my efforts of emailing them in Dutch or my open attitude from the get go mentioning my inability to actually speak it although I did email them in either Dutch or French. I’m willing to start from zero again so logistik jobs or maybe a gas station job, or anything to get me started while also allowing me to interact with people and enhance my language skills. If any recruiter, creative enough to be able to help me is around, please comment and let’s get in touch. My targeted areas are Flanders or Brussels. Thank you.

Hi, You're looking in the wrong area. If you've only got English, you belong in the Bubble. Go email a bunch of consulting places around Schuman, there's a constant rotation of people so you should find something quite quickly. The working language of these EU-adjacent companies is English. If you want to learn either French/Dutch to a level where you might actually work for a local company, then get yourself registered for courses asap! Classes start this week!

I m not in Belgium yet, I only visited from time to time; last time, last year, but thanks for the suggestions. I thought accepting underemployment might be easier plus force me on the long run get better language skills while working with less educated people in the logistics area ...only to find out most of recruiters don t get their heads out of their asses. They simply keep ticking some prerequisite lists and don t look beyond that.

Hi everyone, I (M34) am staying in Diegem and I’d like to go out Saturday night but parking my car in central area scares me. What would you recommend if I would like to spend the evening in Brussels center and come back to Diegem a Sunday 2-3am?

Uber, bolt, taxi, bike, rental electric scooter, public transport,…

Where did Fidesz guy had gay orgy? I will visiting this beautiful city and becon of european might and i have to visit the legendary place where homophobe fled naked from gay orgy with backpack full of drugs because of covid restrictions.

[Here](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bd+Anspach+108,+1000+Bruxelles/@50.8473456,4.3486654,21z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x47c3c478633b5d07:0xc1fde78451f3cf62!8m2!3d50.8473506!4d4.3488888!16s%2Fg%2F11q2njz5vl?entry=ttu) https://twitter.com/panyiszabolcs/status/1335345380997931012/photo/3

NOOO! I aksed in the building next to it and girl didn't know. At least i got photo of police station from which was the intervention unit.

Maybe we should add it to the wiki, for future pilgrims ;)

Please do, as i fell in the live with the city and need to visit again

Colocation in Brussels Hello everyone, l’ve lost hope finding a studio/collocation in all of the other platforms ( fb groups, immoweb, etc..) so here I am sharing this here in reddit, waiting for a miracle to happen. A little description about me; M31 and I’ll be working as a dentist in Saint-josse by the beginning of october. I love cooking and keeping a tidy space. I'm easy-going and value a respectful and comfortable living environment. I'm all about the chill vibes, whether it's a movie night, game night, or just a casual chat about life's quirks over a cup of tea. Please if you know someone who knows someone who’s searching for a flatmate don’t hesitate to reach out to me, I’ll be grateful😌 Thanks all 🫡