Brussels Airport Guide

Brussels Airport, Terminal A

Brussels Airport is a lovely, small airport, and Belgium's sole international airport. Brussels airport often wins awards, for it's small acceptable size, and easy to get around facilities. Transport to the city is also quick and easy, and just 15 minutes by Brussels airport train or 20 minutes by road in a taxi.

Located just eight miles (12 kms) northeast of Brussels, BRU Airport has all the bars and shops you would expect, and some excellent airport lounges, but is perhaps let down by the buildings, which were built in the 1960s, and are looking a little tired nowadays, facing over 25 million passengers a year.

WiFi is also free, without a code, and mobile charging can be found at the gates.

There are two terminals at Brussels Airport, but they are joined airside, so with an EU passport you can use either side. Terminal A is Schengen (inter-Europe) while Terminal B is non-Schengen (long haul and UK) - in effect Terminal B is just one pier (the southerly one) of the main terminal. Sometimes, however, queues are lengthy to go through passport control when the African flights land.

Brussels Airport, Terminal A

Brussels Airport has a surprising number of long haul destinations, with Emirates, Qatar, Etihad and Cathay Pacific heading East, while Delta flies west to JFK and Atlanta.

Brussels Airport Pay in, First & Business Class lounges

Brussels Airport Terminal Map

Brussels Airport transportation

Brussels Airport, Terminal A

Brussels Airport train

There are two trains at Brussels Airport - the domestic Metro, and the airport train.

Virtually everyone travelling from the airport to the centre of Brussels takes the Brussels Airport Train. It's hidden away, and many passengers ask 'Does Brussels airport have a train station?' but yes, it does, and the airport railway station is located below the terminal under the departures and arrivals halls, at level -1. Just take the escalator down, and then use an automatic machine to buy a ticket, which has a barcode to open the gates. Many trains head to Central and then onto somewhere else, so you need to check the top or middle of the train listing - it can be confusing.

There are trains nipping to Brussels Central Station every 10 minutes from 5am to midnight. The journey takes 18 minutes and costs 22euro. The Central Station is underground, and bit disorientating, but just 5 minutes walk from the Grand Place central square.

If you are heading just north of the city centre, you might be better stopping off at the Gare Brussels Noord. This is larger than the Central station, and above ground just a five minute walk to the Hilton Brussels City - but a good 20 minutes to the main square.

Brussels Airport Train

Brussels Airport bus services

The Airport Line service has fast direct busses to Brussels airport to the European Quarter in Brussels city centre, operated by STIB (tel: +32 7 023 2000), and en-route pass NATO and the EU offices, with a journey time of 30 minutes.

Brussels Airport taxi services

There are plenty of metered taxis, which are available outside the arrivals hall. They are all coloured yellow.

Brussels Airport car parks

There are comprehensive car parks at the terminal. The P1 car park for short-stay parking, P2 for economy parking, and P3 and P4 for long-term parking.

Brussels Airport Left luggage

Left-luggage lockers can be found on the ground floor of the terminal and in the shopping area of Pier A. There is also a post office in the Arrivals area.

Brussels Airport Hotel

The Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel connects directly to the terminal and has a good bar and restaurant.

Brussels Airport Bars and Restaurants

For a location like Brussels, the airport has quite a few bars, and catering to the natives of Belgium and EU workers, they are more of the cocktail bar swish modern plastic type.

Bar Brussels Airport Bar

Beer and Cheers Brussels Airport Bar

Open: 040-2100 Airside Pier A
Beer and Cheers at Brussels Airport is a classic modern airport bar, right in the middle of the terminal, where everyone seems to flow around you at the circular bar.

It has a fine selection of Belgian beers, both on draught and in bottles. The cherry beer is worthy of note.

Food is pretty basic - with just sandwiches, and heated croques.

Stella Bar Brussels Airport Bar

Stella Bar Brussels Airport

Open: 0730-2030 Airside Pier A
The House of Stella is a pop-up bar in the middle of Terminal B

It pours fresh draught Stella Artois, and that's about it.

There are a few pastries, cold sandwiches, snacks or chips & dips to go with your beer, but the this bar is all about the beer.

Café Comptoir Brussels Airport Bar

Café Comptoir Brussels Airport Bar

Open: 0330-2100 Airside Pier A
It may call itself a cafe - but in Belgium cafe means beer.

Serving beer from half past 3 in the morning, it's right in the middle of the central concourse, serving up traditional Stella or Leffe Blonde.

Belgorama Bar Brussels Airport Bar

Belgorama Brussels Airport Bar

Open: 0400-2100 Airside Pier A
It doesn't get any more Belgium than Belgorama. A brand new sleek and shiny self-service restaurant with traditional Belgian dishes such as Flemish beef stew, sausage with mashed potatoes, vol-au-vent and a range of interesting things to do with cheese.

Don't miss eht delicious Brussels waffles either - they are constantly freshly baked.

Bistrot Beer Bar Brussels Airport Bar

Bistrot Beer Bar Brussels Airport Bar

Open: 0400-2100 Airside Pier B
A large self-service restaurant, with an even larger bar beside it, serving, guess what, beer.

It's quite atmospheric, and a little bit trendy. At the beer bar there are a large number of class Belgian beers on draft, with all the usual ones like Stella and Leffe Blonde, plus some rarer types you don't expect to see at an airport.

The eatery next door is decorated like a typical food market with a bakery, a street food corner and a few hot options, plus salad.

Brussels Airport
Loungeindex rating: 7 out of 10
Brussels Airport Code: BRU
ICAO Code:	EBBR	Timezone:	GMT+1
Elevation:	184 ft (56 m)	Runways:	3
Latitude:	50.901389	Longitude:	4.484444