Brussels Airport has a direct train connection that makes this one of the more affordable major airport transfers in Europe.
Complete price comparison
| Transport | Cost (EUR) | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train | Ticket + Brussels Airport Supplement (see below) | 17 min | Most travelers |
| Airport Line bus | Operator's fare — check before boarding | 30-40 min | Train disruptions only |
| Uber | Quoted by the app | 20-30 min | Door-to-door |
| Taxi | Metered — no fixed airport fare | 20-30 min | Convenience |
| Pre-booked transfer | Fixed, quoted at booking | 20-30 min | Families, late nights |
Fixed-price private transfer
BRU Brussels City Center
From€70for 2 passengers
Other destinations
The train — clearly the best value
The train fare is a normal SNCB/NMBS ticket plus the mandatory Brussels Airport Supplement (the surcharge formerly called the Diabolo fee), which is added to every journey starting at the airport station. The supplement is what makes an airport ticket dearer than an ordinary Belgian train ticket over the same distance, and it is unavoidable. Even so, the 17-minute ride to Brussels-Central costs a small fraction of a taxi or an Uber, and the bus takes twice as long to save very little. We are not printing a euro figure here: SNCB revises the fare and the supplement separately, and a stale number in a guide is worse than none. Check belgiantrain.be or the machines at Level -1 before you travel.
Trains run every 10-15 minutes from about 5 AM to midnight. Buy tickets at the machines (Level -1) or online via the SNCB/NMBS app. Contactless and cards accepted.
Cost-saving tip: If you're continuing by train to Antwerp, Ghent, or Bruges, buy a through-ticket from the airport rather than separate tickets — you pay the airport supplement once instead of twice.
| Through-ticket from airport | Journey |
|---|---|
| Brussels Airport → Brussels-Central | 17 min |
| Brussels Airport → Antwerp-Central | about 35 min |
| Brussels Airport → Ghent-Sint-Pieters | about 60 min |
| Brussels Airport → Bruges | about 90 min |
| Brussels Airport → Leuven | about 15 min |
Taxi fare breakdown
Taxis from Brussels Airport are metered and there is no published fixed airport fare, so the honest answer to "what will it cost" is: the meter decides, and Brussels traffic decides the meter.
One thing worth knowing: the airport is in Zaventem, which is in Flanders, not in the Brussels-Capital Region — so the Region's regulated tariff does not automatically govern a cab you pick up at the airport. Ask the driver which tariff he is running before you get in.
The Brussels-Capital Region does publish its own tariff, and it applies to taxis you take within Brussels:
| Element | Rank / street taxi | Booked journey |
|---|---|---|
| Pick-up | €2.60 | €1.50 |
| Per km | €2.30 | €1.50 |
| Per minute | €0.60 | €0.40 |
| Minimum fare | €8.00 | €8.00 |
| 22:00 – 06:00 surcharge | €2.00 | — |
Note the per-minute element: in a Brussels traffic jam you pay for the time, not just the distance. That is why a fixed-price transfer or the train wins at rush hour.
Uber vs taxi
Uber is often cheaper than a taxi from BRU, though how much cheaper depends entirely on the moment — the app prices against demand and shows you the figure before you confirm. Check the quote rather than a guide. Other things to weigh:
- Brussels taxi drivers have protested Uber repeatedly — the service has been legally challenged
- Uber availability can vary
- Pick-up logistics are slightly less convenient than the taxi rank
Bolt is also available in Brussels and often cheaper than Uber.
Cost to other Belgian cities
| City | Train | Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Antwerp | 35 min | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Ghent | 60 min | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Bruges | 90 min | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Leuven | 15 min | Fixed, quoted at booking |
| Mechelen | 12 min | Fixed, quoted at booking |
Train fares to these cities change with SNCB's pricing and the airport supplement — check belgiantrain.be. In every case the train is dramatically cheaper than a car; the transfer buys you a door and a fixed price, not a saving.
Our recommendation
Take the train. A 17-minute ride for a few euros beats every other option by a huge margin. The only exceptions:
- Late night (after midnight) — taxi or transfer
- Lots of heavy luggage — taxi or transfer
- Going to a specific address far from a train station — taxi or transfer
- Group of 4+ — a transfer becomes cost-competitive per person