Brussels Travel Forum

I will be arriving in Brussels on a Sunday morning. I have a train connection at the airport which leaves about 45 minutes after my scheduled landing. If my plane is on time is 45 minutes enough time for me to clear immigration and pick up my bags and make it to the train station in the airport or since it will be aound 0800 should I just find a bar and hop the next train and hour later? I have never flown into Brussles so I am not familiar with how far the train station is located from baggage claim cash machines,ect.

The fastest I've done plane to train in Brussels is 7 minutes. A lot depends on where you are coming from however. The B pier (used by flights from outside the Shengen area) is closer to the station than the A pier, but 45 minutes should be sufficient. The airport isn't that big.

What connection do you have to make? There are four trains per hour from the airport in to the city, so if you miss one you don't have to wait long.

I am headed to Liege...I have to make a change at Brussels Noord and then on to Liege. If I am delayed a bit at the airport no worries I will just hop the next train....I had some mates that claimed they wandered around lost in the airport but my belief is my mates had too much beer...thanks for the help...

Hi,

If you're going to Liège, it's also possible to take the train to Leuven first. And all the trains from Brussels to Liège stop in Leuven also. There's a train from the airport to Leuven every hour, at 7:37, 8:37, 9:37, ... .

Greets

I just arrived back in Brussels a few hours ago. A lot depends on where you are coming from (Schengen - no passport control, non-Schengen = passport control although this goes quite fast), and which gate you are delivered to, but you can count on a long walk to baggage reclaim, with travelators, escalators, lifts etc. However what it depends on most is how long it takes your baggage to arrive, unless of course you attract the attentions of customs subsequently. After this you can get to the station in 5 minutes although of course I can't tell whether there will be a queue for tickets.
My guess is that 45 minutes should be OK but as you say, if you don't make it, there are coffee bars in the arrivals hall (and more restaurants etc. up the escalators, on the Promenade or whatever it is called) where you can while away an hour till the next one.

P.S. Re cash machines: there are several dotted around the airport, most run by Dexia (a local bank). I have only a hazy idea of their location but there is certainly one up on the Promenade as you walk towards the Connections travel agency, and I think I noted one the other day on the Departures level, hiding behind a column around the level of check-in counter 3 (on the left if check-in counters are on your right). There are others clustered near the escalators that take you between the railway station on -1, bus level on 0, arrivals on 1 and departures on 2 (Promenade should therefore be on level 3 although I have a feeling it may be called 4...).
There are exchange counters (but not, I think, an ATM) in the baggage reclaim area so unless your bag is already on the carrousel when you arrive there, you could change some money while waiting for it so that you just get some euros to buy your ticket with (normal price from Zaventem airport to Liège-Guillemins, 2nd class, one way: €11.70).

Thanx for these very useful tips