Belgium

Travel tips for Belgium: safety advisories, currency and cash vs. card, tap water, plugs, local phrases, food, and advice from travelers.

Cash and cards

Cards work almost everywhere. Belgium is highly cashless due to a law requiring all businesses to accept electronic payments, meaning travelers can rely entirely on cards for everything from street food to transit, with many cafes and museums now operating strictly card-only.

Try the food

  • Moules-frites (Mosselen-friet): Plump mussels steamed in white wine, garlic, and celery, served alongside crispy, twice-fried potato batons.
  • Flemish Stew (Stoofvlees): A rich, sweet-and-sour beef stew slow-cooked in dark Belgian beer and served with fries.
  • Liege Waffle (Luikse wafel): A dense, chewy waffle studded with caramelized pearl sugar that gives it a sweet, crunchy exterior.

Say it in Dutch

  • Hello: Hallo
  • Thank you: Dank u
  • Please: Alstublieft
  • Excuse me: Pardon
  • How much is this?: Hoeveel kost dit?
  • The bill please: De rekening alstublieft
  • Yes / No: Ja / Nee
  • Goodbye: Tot ziens

Essentials

Plugs
Type C / Type E
Voltage
230V, 50Hz
Driving
Right side
Tap water
Safe to drink
Emergency
112 (all emergencies), 101 (police), 100 (ambulance/fire)
SIM tip
Purchase a prepaid SIM card from Proximus, Orange, or Base at the airport or city center shops, or download an eSIM like Airalo before arrival for instant connectivity.

Etiquette

Service is included in restaurant bills by law, so tipping is not required, but leaving small change or rounding up the bill is appreciated for good service.

Airports in Belgium