Travel Directions

Reaching Ghent by air (updated May 3)

  • Brussels Airport (BRU) is one of the major international airports in Europe and is served by most major carriers. Upon landing at this airport, it can take longer than usual to get your luggage because of extra security checks. When you fly back home from Brussels Airport, you need to be 3 hours in advance at the airport as everyone is checked before entering the building. Ghent is only 45 minutes from Brussels Airport, where flights arrive from and depart to more than 70 destinations. There are two direct trains per hour between the airport railway station (Brussel-Nationaal-Luchthaven) and the railway station Gent-Sint-Pieters. In the airport, follow the signs to the railway station, which is below ground level. Buy a ticket for Gent-Sint-Pieters station at the counter in the train station of the airport or online at b-rail.be.
  • Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) is 70 minutes from Ghent and is served primarily by low-cost carriers. There is a bus connection from the airport to the Brussel-Zuid (Bruxelles-Midi) railway station every 30 minutes. You can find the timetable on brussels-city-shuttle.com. From the Brussels railway station, frequent train connections to Gent-Sint-Pieters station are available.
  • Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is the main international airport of the Netherlands. From there, the fastest rail connection to Ghent takes two hours by Thalys high-speed train. You will need to reserve your train seat in advance on the website of NS International or on b-europe.com. You will take the Thalys to Antwerp Central Station and then switch to a train to Ghent. In the Thalys ticket, travel to all Belgian train stations is included. You can also take trains to Ghent for which no reservation is needed. That will take more than 3 hours.
  • Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) is one of the major international airports of France. From there, the fastest rail connection to Ghent takes two hours and fifteen minutes by high-speed train (TGV, Thalys). You will need to reserve your train seat in advance on the website of b-europe.com. You will take the TGV or Thalys to Brussel-Zuid (Bruxelles-Midi) Station and then switch to a train to Ghent. In the TGV or Thalys ticket, travel to all Belgian train stations is included.

Reaching Ghent by high-speed train from Paris, London, Amsterdam

The closest international railway station for high-speed trains is the Brussel-Zuid (Bruxelles-Midi, Brussels-South) railway station (arrival of Thalys, TGV, Eurostar, ICE). From there, connections by regular train to the railway station Gent-Sint-Pieters are available. Train schedules are available at b-europe.com. Tickets must be booked in advance.

Reaching Ghent by train

Ghent can easily be reached by public train as the main railway station Gent-Sint-Pieters is an important junction in Belgium. For detailed train information, go to b-rail.be.

Reaching the conference venue by public transport

Upon arrival at Gent-Sint-Pieters station take tram 1 or tram 22 and stop at "Korenmarkt". To reach the conference venue, you have to cross the Sint-Michiels bridge and you will find "Het Pand" right behind the Sint-Michiels Church on your left-hand side. Google Maps has transit schedules for buses and trams if you need to plan a route from your hotel to the venue.

Tram route from Gent-Sint-Pieters station to the conference venue

Single tickets (details) cost €3 and are valid for a single journey of up to 60 minutes. One or Three day passes (details) may be more convenient and offer more value for money. Tickets and day passes can be purchased from the driver, up front from a vending machine (cash only), or up front at a point of sale (enter Gent and click the yellow button).

Reaching the conference venue by car

When you reach Ghent by car, enter the city from the E40 or the E17 motorway. Follow the parking route (P-route) to parking P7, Sint-Michiels Parking. This parking is located only 50 meters away from “Het Pand”. You can take the exit Onderbergen and find yourself in the Wilderoosstraat, opposite to “Het Pand”.