Brussels has one of the most comprehensive urban transport networks in Europe. Despite several operators running different services, a unified ticketing system makes getting around simple and affordable for both visitors and residents
🚇 The Brussels Transport Network
Public transport in Brussels is operated by STIB-MIVB (Société des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles / Maatschappij voor het Intercommunaal Vervoer te Brussel), which runs the metro, tram, and bus lines across the city. Additional services are provided by De Lijn (Flanders buses), TEC (Wallonia buses), and SNCB-NMBS (national trains).
The good news: all four operators share a unified ticketing system, so you can use the same ticket across metro, tram, and bus — and even regional trains within Brussels.
- 🚇Metro: 4 lines, 60 stations. Fastest way to cross the city. Runs 5:30 AM – midnight (weekdays).
- 🚋Tram: 17 lines criss-crossing the city, great for sightseeing and neighbourhood hopping.
- 🚌Bus: Covers areas the metro doesn’t. Includes night buses (Noctis) on Fri–Sat nights.
Metro lines: Lines 1 & 5 run east–west; Lines 2 & 6 loop through the city centre. At peak times, trains run every 3 minutes; on weekends every 5 minutes; and after 8 PM every 10 minutes.
Night buses (Noctis): On Fridays and Saturdays, Noctis buses run from midnight to around 3 AM, departing from Central Station to various parts of the city.
💡 Tip: Metro doors must be opened manually — press the button or pull the handle when the train stops. Don’t wait for the doors to open automatically!
🎫 Tickets & Fares (2026)
Contactless Payment — the easiest option
The simplest way to travel is to tap your bank card, smartphone, or smartwatch directly on the validator. No ticket purchase needed. A daily spending cap means you’ll never pay more than the equivalent of four journeys in a single day.
| Ticket Type | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Contactless — single journey | Tap your bank card/phone | €2.40 |
| Contactless — daily cap | Max charge per day (4+ journeys free) | €8.50 |
| Single Brupass (MOBIB / app) | 1 journey on STIB + regional networks | €2.70 |
| 10-journey Brupass | Best value for regular visitors | €18.90 |
| Single Brupass XL | Extends to suburban buses & trains | €3.60 |
| 10-journey Brupass XL | €25.20 | |
| Paper ticket (from vending machine) | Less convenient, slightly higher | €2.60 |
Monthly & Annual Passes
| Pass Type | Coverage | Price/month |
|---|---|---|
| STIB-MIVB unlimited | Metro, tram & bus within Brussels | €56 |
| Brupass monthly | STIB + De Lijn, TEC, SNCB within Brussels | €68 |
| Brupass XL monthly | All of the above + suburban zone | €94 |
| Youth annual pass (18–24) | Unlimited STIB for Brussels residents | €12/year |
Brupass vs Brupass XL: The Brupass covers all STIB-MIVB metro, tram and bus services plus De Lijn, TEC and SNCB trains within the Brussels-Capital Region. The Brupass XL extends this to an 11.5 km perimeter beyond the 19 Brussels municipalities — useful if you’re heading to the suburbs or Brussels Airport by train.
🏪 Where to Buy Tickets
You have several options for purchasing tickets:
- Contactless bank card / smartphone— tap directly on any validator. No purchase needed.
- STIB-MIVB app— buy digital tickets and manage your MOBIB card via NFC.
- GO vending machines— found at every metro station and major bus/tram stops.
- BOOTIK shops— STIB’s own ticket offices in the largest metro stations.
- KIOSK newsstands— many sell Brupass tickets.
- On board— you can buy from the driver/conductor, but it costs slightly more and you’ll need exact change (drivers aren’t required to change more than €5).
MOBIB card: The MOBIB card (€5 initial cost) acts as a reloadable travel card. The Basic version holds tickets only; the Personal version also holds monthly subscriptions. Reload it at GO machines, BOOTIK shops, or via the app with NFC.
📱 Apps for Getting Around
Two apps cover everything you’ll need for public transport in Brussels:
STIB-MIVB App
The official app lets you buy tickets, reload your MOBIB card via NFC, check real-time schedules, and view accessibility information (lift and escalator status) at each station. Available on iOS and Android.
Floya App
Floya is Brussels’ multi-modal travel super-app. It covers all four public transport operators (STIB-MIVB, De Lijn, TEC and SNCB-NMBS trains) as well as shared bikes (Villo!), shared scooters, Cambio car-sharing, and Collecto shared taxis — all from one interface. If you plan to mix transport modes, this is the app to have.
Both Google Maps and Citymapper also work well for route planning in Brussels.
⚡ What’s New in 2026
🚌 Electric Bus Expansion
STIB-MIVB has been rapidly expanding its electric bus fleet. As of early 2026, 36 new electric buses entered service on routes 47, 56, 58, and 83, as part of a larger delivery of 50 battery-electric buses planned for the year. The total electric fleet now exceeds 140 vehicles, which have collectively covered over 8 million kilometres since the electrification programme began.
💳 Contactless Payment Now Standard
Tapping your bank card, phone, or smartwatch on any STIB validator is now the recommended way to travel for occasional users. The automatic daily cap (€8.50) means you’ll never overpay, even on busy sightseeing days.
💡 Practical Tips for Visitors
- Always validate your ticket— inspectors do check, and fines are issued on the spot. Use the orange machines for paper tickets, red machines or gates for MOBIB.
- Free connections within 60 minutes— a single ticket or tap lets you change lines freely within one hour of your first validation.
- Avoid rush hours— the network is busiest between 7:30–9:00 AM and 4:30–6:30 PM.
- Signs are bilingual— all signs are in French and Dutch. Most staff also speak English.
- Metro station exits— look for the info symbol (ℹ) inside stations to find a street map showing which exit leads where.
- Open the doors yourself— metro doors don’t open automatically. Press the button or pull the handle.
- For the Atomium & EU district— don’t walk. The metro gets you there faster and more comfortably.
🚂 Trains & Railway Stations
Brussels is served by SNCB-NMBS (the Belgian national rail operator), which connects the capital to every major Belgian city and to destinations across Europe. The city has three main railway stations, all linked by the historic North–South tunnel — the busiest rail tunnel in the world, with around 1,200 trains passing through daily.
The Three Main Stations
- 🏛️Brussels-Midi / Zuid: The busiest station in Belgium. Hub for all international high-speed trains: Eurostar (London), TGV, ICE, and overnight services. 22 platforms.
- 🗺️Brussels-Central: Most convenient for tourists — a 5-minute walk from the Grand Place. All domestic trains stop here. International high-speed trains do not stop.
- 🏢Brussels-Nord / Noord: The northern hub. Useful for travellers staying outside the centre. Connects to the EU Quarter via metro. All domestic trains stop here.
💡 Which station do I need? For international trains (London, Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne), always go to Brussels-Midi. For sightseeing around the Grand Place and Lower Town, Brussels-Central is far more convenient — and all domestic trains link the three stations within minutes of each other.
Brussels-Midi: International High-Speed Hub
Brussels-Midi is served by Eurostar, TGV INOUI, EuroCity Direct, ICE, OUIGO, Nightjet and European Sleeper — making it the ideal starting point for journeys to Germany, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Great Britain.
For Eurostar passengers travelling to London, check-in takes place in the dedicated Channel Terminal in the main concourse. For travel within the Schengen area (Lille, Calais), check-in is at the Intra-Schengen terminal on the first level mezzanine near the Place Horta entrance.
The station is open from 04:00 to 01:00, seven days a week. Facilities include luggage storage, Wi-Fi, currency exchange, and a full range of shops and restaurants.
| Destination | Train | Approx. frequency |
|---|---|---|
| London St Pancras | Eurostar | ~10x daily |
| Paris Gare du Nord | Eurostar (former Thalys) | Hourly+ |
| Amsterdam Centraal | Eurostar (former Thalys) | 12–13x daily |
| Cologne / Frankfurt | ICE + Eurostar | Up to 7 ICE + 5 Eurostar daily |
| Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp | SNCB IC | Multiple per hour |
| Berlin / Vienna | European Sleeper / Nightjet | Overnight, check schedule |
Domestic Train Types (SNCB)
SNCB runs four main types of domestic service. IC (InterCity) trains connect all major cities on an hourly basis, with air conditioning and both 1st and 2nd class. S-trains are suburban express services specifically designed for the Brussels metropolitan area, running at regular intervals with no seat reservation needed. L (Local) trains serve smaller towns and stop at every station. P (Peak) trains operate as rush-hour reinforcements on busy lines.
🗓️ New SNCB Timetable (December 2025)
A major timetable upgrade introduced in December 2025 added late-night S-trains on Fridays and Saturdays, and doubled several inter-city frequencies. Key improvements include a second hourly IC service between Charleroi and Brussels and between Liège and Brussels, plus an extra Liège–Brussels train that now stops at Brussels Airport. S1 (Brussels–Antwerp) and S2 (Braine-le-Comte–Brussels–Leuven) now run later into the night. The changes represent a 2% network-wide capacity increase for 2026 and a cumulative 5% rise since 2023.
Tickets & Booking for SNCB Trains
For domestic SNCB journeys within Brussels and its suburbs, your standard Brupass or Brupass XL ticket is valid (see the Tickets & Fares section above). For longer domestic journeys and all international trains, you’ll need a separate SNCB ticket, bookable via the SNCB app, online at belgiantrain.be, or at ticket counters in any station.
International high-speed trains (Eurostar, ICE, TGV) require advance booking and seat reservation. Prices vary significantly by how far in advance you book — earlier is almost always cheaper.
- Validate your Brupass before boarding a train— unlike metro/tram, SNCB trains require you to activate your Brupass ticket at a machine inside the station before you board, or via the SNCB app.
- Allow extra time at Brussels-Midi for Eurostar— passport control and security checks mean you should arrive at least 45 minutes before departure for London, and 30 minutes for other Eurostar destinations.
- Check for the Diabolo surcharge— an additional €6.70 fee applies to all train journeys involving Brussels Airport (Zaventem), including with rail passes
✈️ Getting to/from Brussels Airport
Brussels Airport (Zaventem) has its own underground train station with up to 6 trains per hour connecting to all major Belgian cities. Note that an additional Diabolo surcharge of €6.70 is added to any train ticket involving Brussels Airport — this is separate from your regular fare and applies even with a rail pass.
Alternative: Bus line 12 connects the airport to the city centre and is covered by the Brussels Card and standard STIB tickets (no Diabolo surcharge).
🏛️ Brussels Card
Includes unlimited STIB public transport + free entry to 49 museums (Musical Instrument Museum, Royal Museums of Fine Arts, René Magritte Museum & more).
Available for 24h, 48h, or 72h. Does not cover the airport train, but does cover bus line 12 to the airport.
Quick Facts
| Operator | STIB-MIVB |
| Metro lines | 4: (1, 2, 5, 6) |
| Metro stations | 60 |
| Tram lines | 17 |
| Operating hours | 5:30 AM – Midnight |
| Night buses | (Noctis)Fri & Sat nights |
| Ticket validity | 60 minutes |
| MOBIB card cost | €5 (one-time) |
Useful Apps
- 🚇STIB-MIVB App: Tickets, real-time info, MOBIB top-up
- 🗺️Floya App: All transport modes in one app
- 🗺️Google Maps: Works well for Brussels routes
Contactless Price Summary
| Single journey | €2.40 |
| Daily cap | €8.50 |
| 10-journey Brupass | €18.90 |
| Monthly (STIB only) | €56 |
| Monthly Brupass XL | €94 |
| Youth annual (18–24) | €12/year |
Official Links
- stib-mivb.be— timetables & route planner
- belgiantrain.be— national trains (SNCB)
- visit.brussels— Brussels Card info
Useful links
- Brussels metro tram and bus map: https://www.stib-mivb.be/irj/go/km/docs/resource/Dynmaplan/index.html#en
- STIB-MIVB online journey planner: https://www.stib-mivb.be/tripplanner/?l=en
- STIB-MIVB Sales points: https://www.stib-mivb.be/article.html?_guid=30d93c3b-2b83-3410-94b5-eec92fbd03ff&l=en
