Europe - Safety issues in Brussels

I've been reading through the web that there are numerous petty crimes in the city. Pickpockets, mugging etc. Had anyone of you had direct experience with the city? Any advices? My main purpose to go to Brussels is to take some pictures using my SLR camera but now i'm quite concerned in bringing a rather expensive equipment as it increases the chances of being targeted by those petty thives

I think this shows how unreliable the web can be for information. Brussels is not a dangerous city. It is like any major city (Paris, London, Rome, etc.) and does have some small crime. Just use common sense and you should have no problem.

I think this shows how unreliable the web can be for information. Brussels is not a dangerous city. It is like any major city (Paris, London, Rome, etc.) and does have some small crime. Just use common sense and you should have no problem.

Indeed.

blumage, you are not going into some war zone.

Agree.

I suspect the source of some of the information is about Brussels South/Midi/Zuid railway station, which can be pretty seedy at times, and has been known to attract petty thieves.

Personally, I've never found it that bad. Brussels is a small city, and, to me at least, lacks some of the more threatening edge that larger cities can have.

With an SLR camera in the Grand'Place, you will be among many. I've been there with a tripod myself, and managed a rather lovely 360deg panoramic! However, TBH, if you want photogenic, hop on a train to Ghent or Bruges.

Well the truth is that after seeing this videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVTekA7n1sQ
about Eruopean Parliament Members not being spared by these crimes i've grown a little bit worried. how can they safe guard tourist if they can't even safeguard lawmakers? Also my friend told me that last time she went there her boyfriend's bag got stolen but luckily he caught they guy before he could flee. I just hope you're right let's hope that my trip will be safe. Thanks for all the info given! very much appreciated!

Well, as you will hear often......you must always be careful no matter what city.

Now, I can just say from a few visits to BRU within the last few months that I never felt at all un-safe at any time of day. I was however in mostly tourist areas but honestly never even saw many beggers or scam artists. Personally I would not give much thought to carrying an expensive camera around as you would be (as was said earlier), one among many.

The only areas to be extra careful around are the main train stations. Otherwise no issues.

There are three main train stations in Brussel: Noord/Nord, Centraal/Central and Zuid/Midi. Noord is located in an area of large office blocks. Centraal is close to the main tourist area of Brussels (La Place, many restaurants). Zuid/Midi is located in an old residential area with many new buildings around the station.

Noord is fine in the day when the offices are open. Centraal is generally fine because there are tourists coming all day. Zuid/Midi is OK, but I would not go into the residential area, not because it is unsafe, but because there is very little to see or do there.

Well the truth is that after seeing this videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVTekA7n1sQ
about Eruopean Parliament Members not being spared by these crimes i've grown a little bit worried. how can they safe guard tourist if they can't even safeguard lawmakers? !

The first person interviewed was described as an employee of the EU. She could have been a cleaner for all we know. The second one, admittedly, was a member.

The EU does not provide private security guards for MEPs and employees. An MEP on his/her way home from work is just like any other worker on their way home from work. Every day, in every country of the world, some people get mugged on their way home from work. Just one of the risks we have to live with. I don't think Brussels is any better or any worse than any other major city in Western Europe. I've been to Brusssels dozens of times. I've never felt particularly unsafe.

Hi,

I have never had a problem at any time even at night in Brussels city centre. ( as JoostvD said there is not a lot worth seeing around Zuid/midi so I did not spend a lot of time there)


Regards

TBS

Pickpockets on the Metro can be a problem. A few years ago a friend and I were both hit (they got his camera out of zippered belt bag and my palm pilot out of a coat pocket). A couple years later I was back with a group and warned everybody to put valuables in inside pockets. One of the group wasn't paying attention and sure enough he had his camera taken from his messenger bag.

But a DSLR is probably a bit big for them :)

I feel safer walking in any part of Brussels than in many areas of New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco. I have never had any pickpocket problems there, which can not be said of e.g. Rome or Barcelona. So I guess that clarifies my view of this city which is that Brussels is safer than the average metropolis. There is NO particular PROBLEM and I am surprised about the question and some answers although nothing can be guaranteed of course.

My only experience with pickpocket is when my friend got his wallet lifted on the HEX in London. Every city has its share.

Brussels is fine. Just watch yourself , as you should everywhere. The Grand Place is lovely, I found the people to be friendly and helpful, the beer is beyond description, and hot waffles sold from street carts keep you toasty in the cold.

I actually like Nord Station, as it is more convenient (straight shot up the street from where I stay) and less crowds. P,us, you have to travel through there to get to the airport.

Enjoy yourself! I need to get back there, more to explore. Please have a chocolate pancake for me.

Like anywhere just take care.

A friend of mine had his cash and passport lifted while he was waiting near the foreign exchange counter at one of the main stations in Brussels (can't recall which one). Without going into detail, he was being a bit careless and believes that he was just the victim of an opportunist. :o

Keep your goodies secure and you'll be safe (and feel safe) in Brussels. It's a lovely city.

Brussels is quite safe... I live about 15km's from Brussels and visit Brussels many times either for business or pleasure. 95% of Brussels is concidered to be safe. The remaining 5% is the spot you want to avoid. The area in Anderlecht called "Kuregem" is the spot you don't want to visit. This area is populated by, how do I say it, immigrants from Northern Africa who don't want to adapt theirselfs to the country they live in. Most of the older people (Most from Marroco) are decent people but it are the youngsters that are a problem. It's even considered an area where the local and federal police don't want to patrol if it's not necessary. Several times each year there are riots in that area...

So if there is one location that you want to avoid it's that area, certainly at the evening/night. Other area's are quite fine.

Brussels is quite a safe city, actually I feel safer in Brussels then many other cities arround the world. And pocket thiefs you'll find everywhere on this planet.

Just enjoy your time in Brussels, you'll love it ;)

I have never felt threatened in any way in Brussels, however. I am sure that there is pickpocketing and other petty crime — one needs to be careful in any big city — but I don't think it's a particular problem in Brussels.

The others are right: the Midi/Zuid station is not somewhere to hang around, perhaps, but there's nothing particularly to see around there anyway. [A lot of people assume, wrongly, that "Midi" signifies that it is somehow in the middle of the city: in fact, "midi" means (in this context) "southern" in French.]

I'd say go, take the usual precautions, and enjoy.