# Parking for a family trip to Brussels



## 101825 (Nov 18, 2006)

Hi Folks

We plan to visit Belgium for four days at the start of Feb. Part of that trip will include a day at Brussels.

I am hoping to park in or very close to Brussels, where we can get onto public transport. I don't mind if it is a proper camp site or wild camping, but would need to be relatively secure. There are six of us so camping fees can be quite steep.

Does anyone have recommendations or suggestions?

For the other days we plan to visit Brugge and Waterloo. Parking should, I presume, be easy for those locations.

Thanks
Roger


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## 94639 (May 1, 2005)

Hi Ivys

Parking anywhere near to Brussels is likely to be a nightmare. For a day trip to the city I would stay parked up at Brugge and travel in by train. The Belgian railway system is very good and economical, takes about 40 minutes to get to Brussels from Brugge. Parking at Brugge should not be a problem at this time of year, the Aire is just a short walk from the railway station. Camping Memling is a full facility site on the outskirts of the city about a 30 minute walk into the centre, there is also a bus service just a few hundred metres from this site which will take you into the city itself via the railway station


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi Roger,

can only support Brisey's statement regarding parking close to Brussels. There is a large and free car park at the "Atomium", but I have been told that since the Atomium has been re-opened after years of refurbishment, not only the tourists but with them also the hoodlums have returned to this place. So it is not safe anymore.

An alternative to Brugge would be the pretty little town of Lier about 30 km north of Brussels. There is even an aire (with sanitary point) at the cultural centre "De Mol" ("The Mill"), and from there the train station should be within walking distance.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Hi Iveys - I can add that you can set your watch by the bus service in Brugge and the train service is to be envied although crowded in my experience. I do not have experience of the Campsite but if I remember correctly past posts here commented that it is small and crowded (check back using the search facility as I may be totally wrong here :? ) 

Hope you enjoy your stay and it gets a bit warmer for you. 

Sue


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## 101825 (Nov 18, 2006)

Thanks for all the advice folks.

Any idea of the train costs?

Roger


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## ruthiebabe (Aug 16, 2005)

We found the train costs a little cheaper than the UK in november when we stayed in Ghent (Camping Blaarmausen, not Memeling as I mistakenly said in anothger post.) they are fast, reliable and moderate, but not dirt cheap. we did enough research to decide, like the others on here, that we didn't fancy driving into Brussels. Ghent is an excellent base.


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## 101825 (Nov 18, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies, for those who are interested here is how it turned out:

Our first night, at Calias, was great. We went to the area for motorhome parking very close to the entrance to the harbour. It was OK except that in an attempt to get as far from the small-vehicle parking we went right to the edge (close to the water) but were woken up by the odd ferry (deep rumbling engines).

Second night. We had parked at the suggested place in Brugge to see the city, but my wife and girls simply didn't like the spot so we moved on after seeing the sights. We landed up spending the night at the services near Gent on the A10. This was where we had our best sleep! Paid five euros for two hours of internet access.

Third night. We had headed straight for cousins who live in Brussels near the Atomium just to say hi. We were nervous about finding parking, but it was so easy. Because parking was so easy we found a quiet street close by and spent the night there. The metro was close by, and at £2 each for two "jumps" (ie a return trip) we got to "La Grand-Place" in the centre of Brussels. Gouv and escargot!

Fourth night. We slept at the "Butt de Lion". What we won in terms of "free parking" we paid for in tourist fees to climb the 226 steps so we could see thick mist from higher up.

So far we have found both Brussels and Paris fairly easy to park close to the metro.

Hope this may be useful to someone - if not sorry to bore you  

Roger


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