Guidebook Updates for Belgium

For books printed before March 2027, the following may apply:

• Brussels-based, high-speed Thalys trains have been rebranded as, and are now operated by, Eurostar. (Prices have not changed significantly; see our advice for Belgian train travel.)
• Per new requirements set by the UK government, all passengers on Eurostar trains to/from the UK must now enter their passport details online before boarding. Once you've bought a ticket, enter your ticket's reference number at Eurostar's Manage Your Booking page to reach the page for entering your passport info. If you don't have a reference number issued by Eurostar, head to the manual check-in desk at the Eurostar terminal. Given the UK's new procedures for border checks, it's especially important to allow plenty of time for check-in (Eurostar recommends that standard-class passengers departing from Brussels Midi/Zuid arrive 90–120 minutes ahead of their departure time; gates close 30 minutes before departure).

For books printed before March 2027, the following may apply:

• While the Rubens House is closed for renovations until at least 2030, a multimedia exhibit and the gardens are open (Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00, closed Mon).
• Billie the dog, the namesake of Billie's Bier Kafétaria, has gone to the place where dogs can have all the beer they like. Keep an eye out for George, the new pup.

For books printed before March 2027, the following may apply:

• The In&Uit ("In and Out") at 't Zand square isn't a tourist information office (as noted in since the fifth edition of Rick Steves Belgium), but can be helpful for obtaining performing arts tickets.
• The shuttle bus that runs between the train station to the town center now costs €3. Since it takes an indirect route and runs only every 25 minutes, it makes more sense to hop bus #1 or #2, which get you to the center faster.
• The Gruuthuse Museum is now closed on Wednesdays (otherwise open the rest of the week).
• The Groeninge Museum is now closed on Mondays (otherwise open the rest of the week).

For books printed before February 2025, the following may apply:

• Tap your contactless credit card to pay when boarding a bus, tram, or Métro. Ticket machines are no longer available at most bus and tram stops.
• The Fin-de-Siècle Museum at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium is closed while the museum undergoes renovation (likely until 2027).
• To avoid lines at the main entrance to the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, we recommend booking tickets online in advance and using the entrance to the Magritte Museum. A passageway on the lowest level connects the Magritte to the Old Masters Museum.
• The Old Masters Museum and the Magritte Museum are now open Tue–Fri 10:00–17:00, Sat–Sun 11:00–18:00.
• BELvue Museum is open Mon–Fri 9:30–17:00; Sat–Sun and July–Aug 11:00–19:00.
• At the European Parliament, visitors no longer need to show up on the hour for tours; instead, they can use a one-hour multimedia guide at their own pace.
• English tours at Town Hall are now offered every afternoon except Tuesdays and Thursdays, and some evenings as well. Tickets are €15.
• St. Michael and Ste. Gudula Cathedral is now open daily 8:00–18:00.
• The Museum of Original Figurines is now closed Tue–Thu except during July–Aug.
• Local guide Roger van Buynder has a new email address: [email protected] and a new website.
• Private operator European Sleeper now runs overnight trains between Brussels Midi and Berlin (3/week, 11 hours).
• The privately run train between Brussels Airport and the city center is not covered by rail passes.
• Bus route #27 has changed and doesn't go to the Royal Museums.
• The Marc Sleen Museum has closed.
• The following restaurants have closed: Inzia, Le Greenwich, and Publico.

For books printed before March 2027, the following may apply:

• Comic Art Hotel has been renamed Ghent Urbanist Hotel.