7/27/2019 Driving in Belgium

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Driving in Belgium

iStockphoto

The roads crisscrossing Belgium's flat countryside are labeled and categorized by letters of the

alphabet.

In this article:1. Driving in Belgium

2. Exploring Belgium by Car: Legal Issues

Although Belgium is not exactly a big country, driving allows you to make use of its modern, toll-free road network and to see the local sights at your own convenience. The InterNations guide gives

you a succinct introduction to the most important aspects of driving in Belgium.

If you plan on living in Belgium as an expat, you are probably keen on driving in Belgium too.

Owning a car allows one to easily travel through this beautiful country. Despite the fact thatBelgium is a fairly small nation, where the distance between two points is never more than 300 km,

most Belgians own at least one car per household.

Road Infrastructure in Belgium

Belgiums 154,012 kilometers of roads follow an orderly network. Belgian roads are labeled anddifferentiated by letters of the alphabet. A-roads connect major cities and international destinations

and usually radiate out from Brussels. B-roads are shorter routes between other, slightly smaller

cities. R-roads are ring roads that form around large cities, and N-roads connect secondary cities andtowns. Provincial roads abound in Belgium; however, they rarely have signposts.

There are no toll roads in Belgium, aside from the Liefkenshoek Tunnel in Antwerp. The Belgian

highway system is purportedly among the best lit in Europe, which eases driving at night.

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7/27/2019 Driving in Belgium

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If you are planning on driving in Belgiums capital, be very cautious concerning the traffic, as

congestion in Brussels is terrible. Dont be surprised if you spend a fair amount of time waiting in

traffic. Additionally, the city is reportedly quite dangerous to drive in. This is mainly due to the fact

that many Belgians drive at extreme speeds. A 2012 nationwide study conducted by the BelgianInstitute for Road Safety reports that in built-up areas less than one in ten Belgians adhere to the

maximum speed limit. Although highways have a standard speed limit of 120 km/h the study

announces that 40% of drivers go much faster.

Brussels R0 Ring is apparently a nightmare concerning traffic; however, theAgency for Roads and

Traffic is presently working on improving this congestion.

Compared to its neighbors France, Germany and Netherlands, Belgium has the highest road death

rate per capita amongst all three, thus having one of the highest in Western Europe.

How to Get a Driving Permit in Belgium

Persons with a valid drivers license that was originally issued in a European Union member state

can go on driving in Belgium with their normal license until it expires. It is recommended to trade itin for a Belgian license though, as this simplifies things for the police and can serve as a form ofidentification.

If your license was issued in a non-EU country, you are allowed to drive with an international

driving permit for visits that are up to six months in duration. However, if you intend to visit the

country for a longer time or if you establish resident status, you need to apply for a local license fordriving in Belgium. The country has a license agreement with some nations, so their citizens are

able to simply trade their license in for a Belgian one. Citizens from most other countries must take

both the written and practical driving test in order to legally drive in Belgium.

To find out which non-EU countries need to meet which requirements, visit the Federal PublicService of Mobility and Transport and check theirlist of countries whose citizens qualify for

swapping their national permits for driving in Belgium.

The application for a Belgian drivers license takes place at the town hall in the municipality you are

registered in. You need to supply a completed application form, proof of residency, your originallicense, an application fee, and passport photos. After that, there are no more obstacles to driving in

Belgium.

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