Brussels Travel Forum

I will be traveling to brussels in mid February (18-20)and I would like to know if there are frequent train connections into central Brussels from Charleroi Airport? Also, is is possible to purchase a 3 day train/travel pass. What would be the best options?

I have yet to book accomadation and I am looking for 3* B&B near to a train station that has easy access to Charleroi Airport.

Finally, what is the best tourist bus company to use or are they all reputable?

There is a coach service from Charleroi Airport to Brussels, which takes between 45 and 60 minutes, cost €11, and terminates at Gare du Midi. From there you would have to continue into (more) central Brussels by tram, bus or metro. Alternatively you can take a local bus from Charleroi Airport to Charleroi-Sud railway station (about 10 minutes, I think it's the 68), and the train from there to Gare du Midi in Brussels, where you can change for any other railway station in Brussels or indeed anywhere in the country.
I don't know quite what you mean by a 3-day train/travel pass: to travel where? For trams, buses and metros within Brussels, you can get a 3-day STIB pass for €9, which is the same as the cost of 6 individual tickets. For journeys outside Brussels, it is quite possible that you would do better to buy individual train tickets than any pass, unless you happen to be under 26 when you can get a "Go-Pass" (10 single journeys anywhere in Belgium for €45); the non-youth version is called Rail-pass and costs €69 but as this means €6.90 per journey and so €13.80 for a return journey, you can often do better than that with a normal ticket, e.g. this would be more than the normal price from Brussels to Leuven or Antwerp. Mind you, the train prices are going up from 1 February so I would advise you to look at current prices nearer the time.
The railway station in Brussels with easiest access to Charleroi Airport (above-mentioned coach, or train) is Gare du Midi and it's not in a very nice area at all, but if you must, there is an Ibis Hotel (http://www.ibishotel.com/ibis/fichehotel/gb/ibi/3152/fiche_hotel.shtml) just across from the Avenue Fonsny exit from the station - the opposite side from where the airport bus arrives, beyond the highest platform number which I think is something like 16. B&Bs tend to be out in the suburbs but you can look on http://www.bnb-brussels.be/guest.asp?LG=uk.
As for "tourist bus companies", if you mean the hop-on, hop-off buses, I believe they are all equally DISreputable, although the blue and red ones (same company despite the different livery) may be marginally better than the green and yellow ones. They all leave from near the Central Station, anyway.

As you come out of the entrance/exit of the airport, the bus into Charleroi town is right there and clearly signed. As Gaminari says, it is just a 10 minute ride away and there are frequent trains from the station to Brussels and everywhere else. The coach connection is to the left of the entrance/exit and make sure you get on the one that ggoes into Brussels - we were so confident and know-it-all that we climbed on the one that took us to the cxarpark! No problem except it ate up time!! If you take the coach to Midi, then make sure you note where you get off, as for the return trip it will be easier as Midi is a great wilderness and there is no signage for the bus to Charleroi. Just a note, when we were last at the airport they were about to embark on building a new terminus, so it may be that it is now up and running; in which case, I would hope that the coaches, etc. are better signed.

This is a good summary of the information I was looking for. Thank you.

I work at Charleroi Airport, so don't hesitate if you need further information ( I'm on holidays from 25th Nov-17th of Dec though). When you come, the new terminal will already be opened. ( about 10 min drive from the old terminal) Coaches are of course foreseen to Brussels as well.

Just a question to Mahieu - is the old termin al closed, or are two terminals oeprating? Thanks!

All Ryanair flights will operate from the new terminal. Perhaps the old terminal will be used as a terminal for a new airline, but this still hasn't been decided.

Information much appreciated - thank you!

Hi your information seem to be very useful and I only wonder what way would you recommend for someone who needs to get immediately from Charleroi airport to Brussels airport ? thank you for all your help

Much the same as the first answer, because in either case you have to go from Charleroi to Bruxelles-Midi where you would have to change for the train to Brussels Airport.
Of course you would have one less change taking the coach to Bruxelles-Midi compared with the bus to Charleroi-Sud then train to Brussels, so this is what I would personally prefer, especially with luggage.
Pricewise it's virtually identical unless you happen to be under 25 or travelling with some sort of railpass, when the bus-train-train option could be a bit cheaper than coach+train.