Location

Getting There

Finding your way to and within Belgium is rather easy, as our little country is very well connected, both internally and to the rest of the world. Getting to Ghent from Brussels, Lille, Amsterdam, Paris, London, and franky the rest of Western Europe is rather straightforward. Here we list some possible modes of transport to guide you to your destination.
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Warning

These travel tips are currently incomplete and will be updated soon.

Tip

Ghent is the English name for our city. In Dutch and German, it is called “Gent”, in French and Italian “Gand”, in Spanish and Portuguese “Gante”.

By airplane

Many airports are close to Ghent. Click the tabs to obtain more information about how to reach Ghent from these places.

Tip

Air France and KLM include a high-speed train ticket to Brussels, making connections through Amsterdam or Paris very convenient. Because the train ticket is issued by the airline, you are also protected if your flight is delayed: the airline will ensure you can still make your train connection.

  • Brussels
  • Lille
  • Charleroi
  • Amsterdam
  • Düsseldorf
  • Paris
  • Cologne

Brussels Airport (BRU) is approximately 70 kilometres from Ghent. There are multiple train connections per hour from the airport station (“Brussels Airport-Zaventem”) to Gent-Sint-Pieters station. Some connections are direct, others require a transfer in (for example) Brussels-South.

Warning

The different names for the various airports and train stations can get slightly confusing. Note that Brussels Airport (BRU) is not the same as Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL). Also note that there are two train stations in Ghent: Gent-Dampoort and Gent-Sint-Pieters. Finally, be aware that train stations in Brussels go by different names for different languages. Particularly disorienting is Brussels-South train station, which in Dutch is called “Brussel Zuid”, but in French is confusingly called “Bruxelles-Midi”.

Lille airport (LIL) is approximately 75 kilometres from Ghent. From the airport, there are two shuttle buses per hour that bring you to Lille Flandres train station. From Lille Flandres train station, there is one train every hour that takes you to Gent-Sint-Pieters station.

Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) is approximately 115 kilometres from Ghent. The easiest way to get from the airport to Ghent is by taking a 90-minutes Flibco bus to Gent-Sint-Pieters station.

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is approximately 190 kilometres from Ghent. From the airport, you can take an affordable direct 3.5-hour Flixbus to Gent-Dampoort station, or a more expensive 2.5 hour train to Gent-Sint-Pieters station, with a transfer in Antwerp.

Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) is approximately 230 kilometres from Ghent.

Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is approximately 280 kilometres from Ghent; Paris Orly Airport (ORY) is approximately 310 kilometres from Ghent.

Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) is approximately 280 kilometres from Ghent.

By train

Make sure to check out the SNCB/NMBS route planner for local trains, the website of B-Europe for international trains, and The Man in Seat Sixty-One for general train travelling tips.

  • Brussels
  • Lille
  • Antwerp
  • Amsterdam
  • Düsseldorf
  • Paris
  • Cologne

Approximately 70 kilometres from Ghent.

Approximately 75 kilometres from Ghent.

Approximately 75 kilometres from Ghent.

Approximately 190 kilometres from Ghent.

Approximately 230 kilometres from Ghent.

Approximately 280 kilometres from Ghent.

Approximately 280 kilometres from Ghent.

By bus

Make sure to check out Flixbus.

By car

Make sure to check out BlaBlaCar.