Brussels - Getting from Gare du Midi to Grand Place

Have just a few hours in Brussels this week and looking for advice on how to get from Brussels South (Gare du Midi) Railway station to Grand Place (and back) so I can see a little of the city in that time. Thanks in advance.

Allan F

The trams (over-and underground lines) are the easiest method of transport.

You can also take a local train from gare du midi to gare central and just walk down the hill. (The transfer is probably free in your train ticket, but I'm not sure.)

As you'll only have a short time, you may wish to research the public transport alternatives in advance:
http://www.bruxelles.irisnet.be/en/c...m_et_bus.shtml
but I agree - take a local train to Central Station and Google the short walk to Grand' Place, Manneken Pis etc. You'll know if the fare is included if your ticket shows the destination as 'Brussels Agglo'

please continue to follow this thread in our europe forum

regards,

chrissxb
moderator
european rail travel

Depending on your point of arrival both (underground) tram and train are fast and easy from Gare du midi. Train station is "Central", Tram is best to leave at "Bourse". I would slightly prefer the tram cause you will be straight into street life after reaching the surface.

guys,what station is closer to the grand place,the nord or centraal?
I will only have a few hours to spend at the square before i head for the airport.So i'd need to know how best i can get to the airport from the Grand Place.
Anyone ,any ideas would be appreciate it ?
Thanks,
Tal

so i guess centraal station is the one around the Grand Place.Whats the walking distance ?
I have a plane at 10 am so i want to wake up at earliest run to the square,take a few shots and head for the airport

It is a very short walk... maybe 5 minutes. Gare Central has many exits, but I think the closest one is the "Grasmarkt" one. That should put you about 3 blocks (300m) from Grand Place. Note that this exit is closed Sundays.

Or did you mean your flight was 10am on the 19th, in which case I'm too late?

Bruxelles Gare Centrale / Brussel Centraal is close to Rue des Bouchers and its many restaurants (stuff the ones with the aggressive touts, and if you want mussels / moules et frites, go to Chez Leon), to the Galeries St. Hubert, and a short walk from Grand Place. Check this large map - Centrale is near the middle, and the Grand Place is marked with the "i" sign for Information.

A good place to enjoy a Flemish dish like Vlaamse Stoofkarbonaden / carbonnade, or for that matter more Walloon food, or good mussels and frites (the chips / fries here are double-fried and to die for) or saucisses avec stoemp, is in the cellar to your right as you enter the Grand Place from Centraal called T' Kelderke (link to Frommer's review and map / directions). Very old cellar, people sit at large tables, tourists and locals because it is inexpensive and very good!