Airports & taxis
Landing in a new country for the first time can be disorienting, especially when you're not sure which airport to fly into or how to get from there to your new home. The good news is that West Flanders is well connected by train to Belgium's main airport, and taxis are easy to arrange locally once you're settled in.
This page explains which airports serve the region, how to travel onward from each one, and how taxis work once you're here.
Overview
West Flanders has its own airport — Ostend-Bruges Airport (OST) — though it serves a limited number of (mainly holiday) destinations. Most travellers therefore arrive via one of the larger airports within easy reach:
- Brussels Airport (BRU) — Belgium's main international airport and the most common arrival point. Direct trains connect the airport to the region.
- Brussels South Charleroi (CRL) — hub for low-cost carriers; shuttle buses and trains connect it to the rest of the country.
- Lille Airport (Rijsel, France) — just across the French border, and often a convenient option for West Flanders.
- Eindhoven Airport (Netherlands) — another low-cost alternative worth checking, especially for flights within Europe.
Most flights arrive at Brussels Airport or Charleroi, and onward travel is easiest by train. Once you're in the region, taxis are useful for the trips public transport doesn't cover well — late-night journeys, heavy luggage, or door-to-door travel.
Airports serving West Flanders
- Brussels Airport (Zaventem) - Belgium's main international hub, and the most common entry point. It has its own railway station with direct or one-change connections into West Flanders.
- Brussels South Charleroi Airport - a smaller hub south of Brussels, mostly served by budget airlines. Reaching West Flanders from here means a bus transfer to Brussels first, then a train onward.
- Ostend-Bruges International Airport - a small regional airport within West Flanders itself, used mainly for cargo and a limited number of passenger and charter flights.
- Lille Airport (France) - just across the border, and sometimes a practical option if you're flying within Europe, particularly for the western side of the province.
Getting from the airport to West Flanders
- From Brussels Airport: take the train directly from Brussels Airport - Zaventem station. Depending on your destination, you'll travel direct or change once, typically in Brussels or Ghent. Journey times to Kortrijk, Bruges, Roeselare or Ostend are usually 1-1.5 hours.
- From Brussels South Charleroi Airport: Flibco runs a direct shuttle bus from the airport to several Belgian cities, including Bruges - often quicker than travelling via Brussels first.
- By long-distance coach: FlixBus connects Charleroi and other Belgian cities to over 2 500 destinations, with fares starting from around € 5,99 - a budget option if you're travelling from further afield.
- By car or private transfer: worth considering if you're arriving with a lot of luggage or outside normal hours, since train and bus frequency drops significantly overnight.
Using taxis locally
- Licensed taxis in Belgium have a roof sign and a metered fare - check that both are visible before getting in.
- In most West Flanders towns, taxis are booked by phone or app rather than hailed on the street. Your municipality, hotel or IHWF contact can point you to a reliable local operator.
- You can use the Uber app in Belgium, but taxis are strongly regulated here - your ride is carried out by a local licensed taxi company rather than an independent driver, so the price ends up roughly the same as booking a regular taxi directly.
- Taxis are generally rather expensive compared to public transport, so they're best kept for the trips public transport doesn't cover well.
- If a taxi doesn't have a visible meter, agree the fare before you get in - prices are not usually negotiable once you're moving.
Good to know: book a taxi in advance for early morning or late-night airport transfers - availability drops sharply outside peak hours, especially outside the bigger cities. If you're travelling with a lot of luggage, check whether your station has step-free access before you go - not every station in the region has lifts.
Sources
- Mobility — belgium.be
- SNCB / NMBS — belgiantrain.be
- Brussels Airport — brusselsairport.be
- Province of West Flanders — west-vlaanderen.be
