Late Breaks in Belgium

Getting ready to take a late break? Even if your trying to book a last minute break in Belgium, you can relax in knowing that you can still find some great deals on travel and hotels. Yes, even at the last minute. Here are some great ways for planning your late break to Belgium.

Traveling to Belgium

No matter where you are planning on going inside Belgium, there will always be a flight that is right for you. You could book tomorrow for a flight next week if need be. You might be wondering, how much is that going to cost me? Well, rest assured that even air lines can offer specials on flights booked within a week or months time. All you need to do is locate several airlines over the internet and check their flight times and prices. Flights that are very late at night, also called the Red eye flights, are always going to be the lowest possible because there are not too many people that like to fly during these times which, is usually between Two and Six AM. You will also want to check for a flight in the middle of the week, on a Tuesday or Wednesday. This is because most people travel on the weekends and beginning of the week so, aim for the middle to get the best deal. Another tip is to find a flight that is nearing its departure date but not full yet. Airlines hate to let a plane leave with empty seats and will do nearly anything to fill them including, lowering the rate significantly.

Hotels in Belgium

Once you have booked your flight, you will need to find a place to stay during your visit. Hotels too can offer late bookings if you know where to look. There are many hotels in Belgium that offer late deals on nightly or weekly rentals and most of them can be located and booked online. Some of them will even offer free nights with so many purchased. Remember that holidays and weekends will cost more anywhere you go so, if at all possible, taking your trip during the week will be lower in cost. Allot of times, paying for your total nights in advance will come with a discount as well. If you do not mind taking a small commute, the best last minute rates will be located away from the airport and city. There are many ways to travel once your in Belgium and they include railways, taxies,  and car rentals.


Traveling in Belgium: Railways

When traveling within Belgium, One of the quickest and the most common ways to travel, is by using the railways. Belgium is full of railways that run throughout the cities at super fast speeds sometimes reaching to 120 MPH and higher. Belgium actually has the largest network of railways in the world. The center hub, called the Midi station, is located in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and from here you can go just about anywhere in Belgium you choose. Railways also depart from the Brussels airport and will take you into the city during a short Seventeen minute ride. They are known to many people as the most comfortable way to travel within Belgium.

Cost- Railway tickets can be purchased in single use tickets or passes which will allow you to ride unlimited during your visit.  For those under 26 years of age, there is the youth flexi voucher which is good for Sixty days from the date of purchase. If you order these before your trip, a one way ticket will run around One hundred dollars, a two way ticket purchased at the station costing just over a hundred and a full fare costing around Two hundred for a one way ticket.

How to check in at the railway- Very similar to check in as when you are flying somewhere, you will get there about an hour before you are scheduled to leave, you will be directed to pass through a security station and your bags through an x-ray machine. Then you will board the train by showing your boarding pass. You can bring up to Two large bags onboard with you. After boarding, you will find your assigned seat where you can use your laptop if you like by simply plugging it into an adaptor located within your seating area. If you are hungry or need a smoke, there is a dining car and bar area where you can go for this.

Traveling in Belgium: Taxies

Once you are in the city, you can catch a cab by calling over the phone or finding a taxi station. Keep in mind that you have to be fairly close to the station if you do not call first because they will not pick you up if your too far from the stand, generally within 300 Ft. There are plenty of these located in the city though so, you should not have any trouble finding one.

Cost- Taxies in the city of Brussels are typically charged by meters but you can likely find one that will negotiate a set price with you as well. When you are picked up in daylight, the cost will be €2.40 to start. During the night it will cost €4.20 then, you will be charged an additional fee based on the kilometers traveled and this varies with each taxi. The cost typically includes the tip.

Traveling in Belgium: Car rentals

There are 2 options for renting a car in Belgium. You can either rent one at the airport or you can rent one once you are in the city. Rental cars can be pre-booked and many offer discounts if paid online.

After you have taken care of all your traveling and accommodations, you can check out the Grand Place in Brussels for a stunning experience. They have a tourist center located conveniently in the center where you can find out about upcoming events and places of interest to visit. Many attractions like tours of the national battlefield, do not require a pre-advanced booking so they are great for late breaks.