We look forward to welcoming you in our hometown! According to Lonely Planet "Ghent remains small enough to feel cosy but big enough to be a vibrant, relevant centre for trade and culture", and we couldn't agree more. On this page we've collected all the practical info you need to travel to Ghent.
Traveling to Ghent
Transport
Ghent does not have its own airport, but it is fairly easy to reach from the two main airports of Belgium: Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi Airport.
From Brussels Airport to Ghent
Ghent is a 50-minute drive from Brussels Airport (BRU), Belgium's national airport in Zaventem. The airport has its own train station, Brussels-Airport-Zaventem, which offers a direct connection to Ghent (station Gent-Sint-Pieters). The train station is located below the airport and is accessible via the elevators and escalators in the arrivals hall.
From Brussels South Charleroi airport to Ghent
Ghent is a 70-minute drive from Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL). A shuttle bus runs several times a day from Charleroi Airport to Ghent. The shuttle bus will drop you off at the back of the Gent-Sint-Pieters train station. For timetables and ticket fares, please visit flibco.com. Reservations for the shuttle bus must be made in advance.
Public transport
From Gent-Sint-Pieters station to the Wintercircus
When you are at the front of the station, by the main entrance, you’ll find a line of cabs right outside. Do you prefer to book an Uber? Don't worry, we've got those as well. It’s a 10- to 15-minute drive, depending on the traffic.
You can also go by tram or bus. In Gent-Sint-Pieters station you can take tram T1, as well as bus 55, 70, 71, 76, 77, 78. Get out at the bus/tram station Gent Zuid. Walk 200m from there to the Wintercircus. By tram as well as by bus, it takes 16-20 minutes to get to the Wintercircus.
By car
You can park underground in ‘Interparking Gent Zuid’, located 100m from the Wintercircus. A day ticket costs €16.
ATTENTION: Check your car!
Ghent has made a commitment to become more environmentally friendly. In order to improve air quality, the most polluting vehicles are no longer allowed to enter Ghent's city center. This ‘Low-emission Zone’ (LEZ) is the area enclosed by the ring road, including the Wintercircus and Gent Zuid parking. Check here if your car can enter the city center.
By foot or bicycle
From Gent-Sint-Pieters station to the Wintercircus
At last, of course, there is the active way of traveling. By foot it’s a brief city walk of 2.1 km (takes ca. 30 min.).
You can also rent a bike at the station with Donkey Republic, with Dott, or with Blue Bike.
You can drop off a Donkey Republic or Dott bike in any available drop-off location/designated parking area, the Blue Bike has to be returned to its original location.
Accomodation
There are many options to stay in Ghent. We selected a few hotels near the Summit venue (Wintercircus: Miriam Makebaplein 2).
Here are some hotels located a little further from the Wintercircus (30 min. walk):
Or you can browse through the hotels yourself, on the website of Visit Gent.
Food & drinks
Love great food?
Lucky for you, Ghent is the place to be for the good life and great food.
Check out the local specialties, the world cuisine restaurants, the food markets, or the many lovely pubs and cafes: https://visit.gent.be/en/eat-drink.
Experience Ghent to the fullest
A city worth exploring
Are you staying a few days longer to visit the vibrant city of Ghent? Ghent offers you a quirky, fascinating cultural cocktail brimming with rich history, culture and a trendy city vibe.
We can’t explain it better than the city website does. We hope you get to enjoy Ghent as much as we do.
But don’t forget: we've got some social activities planned for you as well. More on that soon!
