Brussels International Airport.  Ariadne's Thread: Guide ~ Belgium ~ Brussels ~ Brussels Airport. Airport shuttle

BRU airport transcript

Geographic coordinates of the airport Brussels Airport.

Trains stop on level -1 directly below the airport terminal. You just need to use the escalator or elevator. Trains towards Brussels depart up to 4 times per hour. Approximate travel time to the city center is 17 minutes. Likewise, by train you can get to almost any major city in Belgium

By bus

The bus station is located on level 0, one level below the arrivals hall. But the bus is a less convenient option

Airport as a tourist attraction

On August 4, 1914, German troops invaded Belgium. The search for a suitable location for an aircraft hangar led them to Haren, where in 1915 the German company Arthur Müller Ballonhallenbau completed the construction of an airship hangar.

On the seventh of August 1915, Lieutenant J.S. Mills bombed the hangar and destroyed the airship LZ 38, which was forced to land due to technical problems.

The Zeppelin hangar was restored within two weeks, but in connection with the signing of the peace treaty on November 11, 1918, it came into the possession of the Belgian armed forces and was used to service the military airplanes remaining from the German army. Some of these aircraft were later used for the first civil flights.

From the very beginning she showed great interest in the development of aviation. On March 31, 1919, King Albert I signed a memorandum establishing SNETA (Syndicat National pour l'Etude des Transports Aériens) , the predecessor organization to Sabena (Société Anonyme Belge d'Exploitation de la Navigation Aérienne)– Belgian National Airlines created in 1923. A week after the creation of SNETA, the first test flight from Brussels to London and back London - Brussels via Paris was made with two passengers on a former German bomber. The flight took seven and a half hours, the time it takes modern aircraft to fly from Brussels to New York. Gradually, regular flights Paris - Brussels and London - Brussels were organized.

For the first civilian passengers, a small wooden building was built to which a bar room was attached where passengers could relieve pre- and post-flight stress. These buildings burned down on September 27, 1921, along with most of the airplanes, which led to the disappearance of many flights from the then schedule.

In August 1923, the first radio station started operating at Brussels airport and permission was received to build the first terminal of the new airport.

In 1925, Handley Page W8f O-BAHO “Princesse Marie-José” made its first flight to the Congo. A week later, Charles Lindbergh flew from New York to Paris with a stop in Brussels on his “Spirit of St. Louis.” The hero was given a royal reception by King Albert I and Queen Elizabeth.

Belgian Aviation continued to develop and in 1929 a new terminal was erected and a concrete walkway was built to the still unpaved landing strip so that passengers could reach the aircraft without knee-deep mud. In its early years, Brussels Airport did not have a runway as such; planes simply took off into the opposite direction of the wind from an airfield in the center of which was drawn a white circle and a line indicating the direction to the north. The column of smoke indicated the direction of the wind.

In 1935, permanent air links were established with the Belgian colony of the Congo.

On May 10, 1940, German troops invaded Belgium and occupied the airfield within a week. By March 1943, the Luftwaffe had built three paved runways. After liberation on September 3, 1944, German military infrastructure was used to create the Belgian Civil Aviation.

In the post-war years, the Belgian authorities put a lot of work into creating an international airport. Since 1951, Brussels Airport has offered public tours, an hour-long tour of the airport preceded by a screening of a documentary in its own cinema, and ends in the Moeder Avia bar with a giant bottle of Lambic beer, which at the time cost 20 Belgian francs.

For the 1958 World Exhibition, it was decided to build a new international airport, Zaventem. As often happens in Belgium, the work was entrusted to three architects representing different regions: Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia. The runways were adapted for jet aircraft.

Until now, Zaventem National Airport has only seen one plane crash: in 1961, a Boeing B707 crashed, killing 61 passengers, 11 crew members and 1 farmer.

Modernization and construction continues to this day; Brussels Airport has been named the best airport in Europe several times.

Brussels' second airport, Charleroi, is less convenient for guests of the Belgian capital, as it is located 46 kilometers from the city.

Brussels' main airport is located 11 kilometers from the capital - in the small town of Zaventem.

Brussels Zaventem International Airport is the largest airport in Belgium

At Brussels International Airport (IATA code – BRU) one large terminal, which united several levels under one roof, as well as two zones - A and B, connected by a covered passage:

• zone A serves flights connecting Brussels with Schengen countries;
• zone B – flights to countries outside the Schengen zone.

On the 4th - upper level of the terminal there are waiting rooms with large panoramic windows overlooking the runway, most of the shops, bars and cafes. On the 3rd level there is a departure hall, an information desk, and a baggage packing station. Level 2 is the arrival area, where travel agencies, car rental counters, a post office and other necessary services are located. On the ground floor there are storage lockers and a bus station, on the -1st floor there is a railway station.

Zaventem Airport serves more than 20 million passengers per year

In addition, at Zaventem Airport there are ticket offices and currency exchange machines, a pharmacy, a prayer room, and smoking areas.

There are several parking lots on the territory of the airport terminal, as well as next to it, both long-term and express.

Hotels nearby

Hotels located near Brussels Zaventem Airport are very convenient for early flights or late arrivals. The closest hotel to the airport is the Sheraton Brussels Airport, located just a few steps from the main terminal exit.

The Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel is located right next to the terminal

Parker Hotel Brussels Airport is located 3 kilometers from the terminal (5 minutes by car), offering guests free airport transfer, comfortable rooms, excellent restaurant cuisine, as well as the opportunity to visit a fitness center with a Turkish bath, sun terraces, a swimming pool, and a well-kept garden in the surrounding area.

You can also choose a more budget option, for example, Ibis budget Hotel or Campanile Brussels Airport Zaventem. More information about hotels near Brussels Zaventem Airport can be found at this link.

Cheap flights to Brussels

The easiest way to find out about current airline promotions and choose the best flight option to Brussels is to use one of the specialized search engines that monitor airline fares online. The low price calendar for one of them is given below:

Brussels Airport map

Detailed map of Brussels air terminal with main services for travelers.

Airport on the map

Transport from Zaventem airport

You can get from the airport to the center of Brussels either by public transport, or by taxi or rented car.

Taxi from Brussels airport

A taxi ride is undoubtedly much more comfortable than the most convenient public transport. And if you have to travel with small children or bulky luggage, and your hotel does not provide a transfer, then there are no options at all. You can take a taxi directly at the airport - there are stands in the terminal building, or you can order it in advance before your arrival.

You can “catch” a taxi at the airport or order it in advance through a specialized website

The second method is preferable because it allows you to calculate your travel budget in advance, avoid overpricing, and also order a car with the necessary options - child seats or a spacious trunk.

Ordering a taxi through a specialized website is also convenient if you do not speak the language or have poor knowledge of the city.

The driver will meet you with a sign at the exit from the baggage claim area and quickly and comfortably deliver you directly to the hotel's doorstep. You can find out the current taxi fares from Brussels Airport to your destination on this page.

Bus

The bus station is located on the ground level of the airport terminal. The station has three platforms (A, B and C), from which buses depart in different directions.

• De Lijn buses depart from platforms A and B: routes 272 and 471 connect the airport with the North Station, 359 and 659 with the Roodebeek metro station.
• MIVB/STIB buses depart from platform C to Luxembourg Street - on weekdays until 20 o'clock this is route No. 12, on weekends and holidays - No. 21.

North Station and Roodebeek metro station can be reached by De Lijn buses

The road to Brussels, depending on how busy the route is, takes 35-45 minutes. A ticket costs from 3 to 4.6 euros (2017). It is better to purchase tickets from vending machines, which are located both in the airport building and at the bus stop. The driver's ticket price is slightly higher.

Train

Trains depart from the railway station located on the ground (-1) floor of the terminal every 15 minutes. Trains connect you to Brussels Central Station, as well as to the North and South stations.

You can take the train from the airport to Brussels Central Station.

The fare costs 8.5 euros (2017), tickets can be purchased from the machine before exiting the platform. The journey from the airport to the city center takes 17-20 minutes. Trains run from 4:30 am to 0:30 am. In addition, trains from Brussels Airport go to Ghent, Landen, Antwerp and even Paris.

Car rental at Brussels airport

Renting a car is the best option for those who do not want to tie their plans to public transport. The necessary conditions for renting a car in Belgium are to be at least 21 years old and have a driving experience of more than a year (determined by the date of issue of the license).

You can also rent a car directly at the Terminal, but in most cases it costs more and takes longer. Most European car rental companies have long had a policy of more favorable rates when booking online in advance.

You can save time and money when comparing car rental conditions using the specialized Rentalcars service. The system’s database stores current data on tariffs and the range of the largest car rentals at Brussels Airport, and it will help you find the most profitable option in a few seconds.

In addition, this will help you save significantly on additional services and hidden fees, since the system displays not only prices, but also their “fillings”. For example, insurance, GPS, etc.

Get acquainted with the current offers and prices for car rental at Zaventem Airport, as well as make a trial calculation of the conditions for the travel dates

Full name of the airport: Brussels International Airport

International airport name: Brussels International Airport

Brussels Airport IATA code: BRU

A country: Belgium

Address: Brussels Airport BE-1930 Zaventem, Belgium

Brussels Airport Location: The airport is located in the city of Zaventem, 11 km northeast of Brussels.

Brussels Airport official website: www.brusselsairport.be

Number of terminals: 1

Brussels Airport map:

Arrival

Brussels Airport online flight board: Departures

Brussels International Airport is the base airport for the main Belgian airline carrier. Brussels Airport It is one of the largest airports in Belgium and serves a huge number of airlines and passengers. 75% of the shares of the airport management company are owned by a consortium of private investors and 25% of the shares are owned by the Belgian state.

How to get from Brussels airport to the city

Bus
The bus station is located on level zero, one floor down from the arrivals hall. You can easily get there using escalators or elevators.

Train
Brussels Airport train station is located on the -1 floor of the terminal. Up to 4 trains per hour connect the airport with Brussels North, Brussels Central and Brussels Midi stations. In addition, direct trains depart from the airport to the east, south, west and north of Belgium.

Approximate travel time from Brussels Airport to:

Antwerp: 37 minutes
Brussels Central (city centre): 17 minutes
Ghent: 54 minutes
Leuven: 15 minutes
Mechelen: 11 minutes
Mons: 75 minutes

Taxi
Metered taxis are available for arriving passengers outside the arrivals hall. The cost of travel from the airport to the center of Brussels is approximately € 45. Licensed taxis can be identified by their blue and yellow logo. Travelers are advised to avoid unlicensed taxis.