Brussels public transport: airports, ticket types, prices (2024)

Brussels’ transportation system is excellent, befitting a Western capital. All important sights are easily accessible by metro, tram, and bus.

Table of Contents

Airports and transportation between the city and airports

Brussels International Airport

Located northeast of the city, next to Zaventem town, this airport serves major airlines.

Train

Multiple trains per hour to Brussels’ three main railway stations (Midi-Zuid, Centraal, Noord), from where you can also reach other Belgian cities. The platform is on Level -1.

The journey to the main station takes 15-20 minutes. Tickets can be purchased online or from ticket vending machines.

All information can be found here.

Airport Line bus

Bus number 12 runs between the airport and Troon metro station daily from morning to evening. It also stops at Schuman metro station (lines 1 and 5). At the airport, it departs from Level 0.

An „Airport2City” ticket is required for travel. You can pay by bank card on the bus for €7.50. A paper ticket from the vending machine costs €8.

All information can be found here.

Charleroi Airport

Charleroi’s airport is located 50 km south of Brussels. Wizzair and Ryanair flights operate here.

Bus

Flibco operates services from the airport. You can reach not only Brussels but also several other cities directly (e.g., Ghent, Bruges).

Buses to Brussels Midi station run 24/7, departing every 20 minutes. The journey takes about 55 minutes.

It’s best to buy tickets online. The ticket is valid for all services on the day of travel, so there’s no problem in case of flight delays.

Price: €19.95

All information (timetable, ticket purchase) can be found here.

Bus and train

From the airport, you can take a TEC bus to Charleroi-Sud railway station, then an Intercity train to Brussels-Midi or Brussels-Centraal stations (both are also metro stations). The bus journey takes 20 minutes, while the train journey is 1 hour. Trains run every 30-60 minutes.

Tickets for both journeys can be purchased together from machines or online.

All information (timetable, ticket purchase) can be found here.

Public transportation in Brussels

Brussels has four metro lines, as well as rapid trams (chrono), trams, and buses that cover the city very well.

Public transportation is free for children under 6 years old!

A single ticket is valid for 1 hour on any STIB/MIVB operated transport, and transfers are allowed.

All information about tickets can be found on the official website here.

Ticket purchase and ticket types prices

There are several options for buying tickets and using public transportation:

Contactless payment with a bank card.
Mobile application: only a few ticket types can be purchased through the STIB-MIVB app.
MOBIB-Basic: a magnetic card that can be loaded with tickets.
Paper-based ticket: can be purchased from vending machines.

Contactless payment

This is the simplest and cheapest method. You can pay with a bank card (or associated mobile phone, smartwatch) with one touch. At metro stations, touch the sensor at the gate; on buses and trams, touch the sensor and wait for the green light to confirm your valid ticket.

One bank card can only be used by one person!

Single ticket price: €2.20.

There’s a daily limit of €8. The system won’t charge more than this. It applies to a calendar day.

Detailed information can be found here.

STIB-MIVB application

Tickets purchased in the app must be activated, then you need to select the mode of transport. If there’s an entry gate, select the QR code in the ticket details and scan it at the sensor. Do the same at the exit gate.

Tickets available in the mobile app and their prices:

Brupass single journey: €2.60
Brupass 10 journeys: €18.20
Brupass XL single journey: €3.50
Brupass XL 10 journeys: €24.50

The Brupass XL ticket can be used for travel within the Brussels region.

MOBIB-Basic

This is a magnetic card that can be loaded with the desired ticket type. It can be purchased at metro stations, major train stations at Kiosk ticket offices, and from vending machines found in various locations.

The card costs €6.

Loadable tickets and prices:

Brupass single journey: €2.60
Brupass 10 journeys: €18.20
Brupass day ticket (calendar day): €9.10
Brupass XL single journey: €3.50
Brupass XL 10 journeys: €24.50