Getting to ghent
- Getting to Ghent by train
- Getting to Belgium by airplane
- Getting from Brussels airport to Ghent
There are 3 trains per hour to Ghent, 1 of which is a direct fast train (53 mins), 1 of which is a slow direct train (1u32mins), and 1 of which requires a connection in Brussels Nord (59mins). You can take any of these three trains from the airport. However, if you are not on the fast direct train, you should get off in any of the three Brussels stations (Bruxelles Nord/Brussel Noord, Bruxelles Central/Brussel Centraal, or Bruxelles Midi/Brussel Zuid) and connect to an intercity (IC) train to Ghent. The final destination of this IC train usually is Oostende, Knokke, or De Panne. Check the signs to verify that it stops in Gent St.-Pieters. Note, however, that the fast direct train does not run on Sunday.
From the train station in Ghent, it is about a 20-30 minute walk to most conference hotels. With luggage, the easiest is to take a taxi (about 8-12 euros), the cheapest option is to take a tram, which stops right in front of the train station (about 2 euros). So, the train option will cost between 17 and 27 euros one way. Tickets for within-Belgium traveling can be booked via the Belgian railways website.
- Getting from Paris or Amsterdam airports to Ghent
Trains from Amsterdam AMS (Schiphol) to Ghent also take about 2h30. The Thalys high-speed train takes 2h00 (reservation required) while the Intercity train takes 2h54 or 3h24. Both connect in Antwerpen Centraal (Antwerp/Anvers). There are 3 trains per hour: 1 Thalys and 2 IC.
Tickets can be booked via the Belgian railways website, the French railway site, or the Dutch railway site. On the Belgian site, enter either Schiphol (Nl) or Aeroport Charles De Gaulle Tgv (Fr) as your departure city and Gent St-Pieters as your destination (at the right).
- Getting to Ghent by taxi