Travel information

Ghent is easily accessible by air, train, bus or car. Detailed information can be found on the "Visit Ghent" website.

 

1. Ghent by plane

Ghent does not have an airport of its own but is easy to reach from the two main airports in Belgium: Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport. For further information, have a look at the "Visit Ghent" website.

 

2. Ghent by bus

If you are planning to travel by bus or coach, you can contact Eurolines or Flixbus.

 

3. Ghent by car

If you decide to come by car, you will find Ghent at the crossroads of two large motorways:

• E17 connecting Lisbon, Paris, Ghent, Antwerp, Köln, Copenhagen, Stockholm;
• E40 connecting Calais, Ghent, Brussels, Frankfurt, Vienna, Budapest, Sophia, Istanbul.

Ghent's city centre is a pedestrian zone, so no cars are allowed.  

 

4. Ghent by train

There are two main railway stations in Ghent:

• Ghent Sint-Pieters is the biggest one and provides for trains to Brussels, Antwerp, Ostend, Bruges, etc.
• Ghent Dampoort: trains to Antwerp, Eeklo, Kortrijk and Ostend.

If you are planning to travel by train frequently, the following tickets provide for a cheaper journey:

• Go Pass (if you are under 26)
• Rail Pass
• Weekend Ticket

 

More information on train tickets can be found on the website of the NMBS.

 

International trains
You can also travel by high-speed train from Brussels:

• Thalys Train: to Paris, Amsterdam, Aachen, Köln, Schiphol, The Hague, Marne-La-Vallée Euro Disney and Rotterdam.
• Eurostar Train: to London, Ashford and Lille.
• More international trains? Go to SNCB Europe, Voyages SNCF, European Rail Guide , InterRail.

 

Further information about travelling to Ghent and other useful information can be found on the "Visit Ghent" website.

 

 

Venue information

Ghent University
Onderbergen 1
B-9000 Ghent
Belgium

 

 

Accommodation

Ho(s)tels:
– You can visit the website of the City of Ghent to find a hotel: www.visitgent.be
– Affordable stylish lodging: www.hostel47.com/en

Youth hostel:
– Youth Hostel De Draecke, Sint-Widostraat 11, 9000 Gent (in the heart of the city centre, close to the Castle of the Counts), T + 32 9 233 70 50 | F + 32 9 233 80 01 | gent@vjh.be | www.jeugdherbergen.be/en

Bed & Breakfast:
– Visit the website of Bed & Breakfast possibilities: www.bedandbreakfast-gent.be

 

 

Practical information

Language
The official languages spoken in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. Ghent is located in the Flemish Region, where Dutch is the official language. The most common foreign language in Belgium is English.

Currency, credit cards, banking
The official currency in Belgium is the euro (EUR, €). The most common international credit cards (such as Mastercard or Visa) as well as debit cards (Maestro) are generally accepted in Ghent. ATMs are available throughout the city.

Tipping is not common in Belgium. Restaurant, taxi and hairdresser bills include the service charge. However, if you are very happy with the service you got, leaving a few Euros (or to round up your bill) as a tip is the way forward, but think of 10 % as the maximum to leave (i.e. when you receive exceptional service).

 

 

Weather

Winter in Ghent is rather cold and wet. The average temperature in February is about 3.5 °C (38.5 °F). 

Time zone
Ghent is located in the Central European Time Zone (CET = GMT+1).

 

Please note that the information provided on this site has been obtained from several different sources and therefore the organisers cannot accept any responsibility for errors therein.