A Guide to Car Hire in Belgium
Car hire is widely available throughout the Belgium from all the major car rental companies even though it’s relatively small in European terms. Belgium attracts reasonable tourism, mainly from close neighbours, France, The Netherlands, UK and Germany.
Most popular is the capital, Brussels (French Bruxelles, Dutch Brussel) which is renowned for its architecture (medieval, Gothic, Art Nouveau and Art Déco), the Grand Place (an old market square surrounded by buildings from 16th - 18th centuries), the royal palace, its pubs, gallerias with expensive boutiques (some say the oldest covered shopping arcades in the world) and its lifestyle.
Driving in Belgium
If you’re planning to rent a car while in Belgium there’s some basic information you’re going to need to get you on your way. Firstly, and quite importantly if you’re British, get ready to drive on the right hand side of the road. That’s the wrong side if you’re British! This means you should always overtake on the left.
The flashing of headlights is used as a warning in Belgium and dipped headlights should be used between dusk and dawn.
Local Laws
Motoring offences attract an on-the-spot fine. An official receipt should be issued.
It is compulsory to carry a warning triangle. Also, seat belts are compulsory in both the front and rear.
Traffic entering roundabouts has priority except where signs say ‘cedez le passage’ or ‘vous n’avez pas la priorité’, where the traffic on the roundabout has priority.
Speed Limits
The common speed limits are 50 km/h (31mph) in built up areas, 90 km/h (56mph) out of town, and on motorways it’s 120 km/h (74mph).
Drink Driving
As with most other European countries drink driving is heavily frowned upon in Belgium and the limit is extremely low here (currently 50mg) which is barely 1 unit of alcohol, so you should think very carefully before touching a drop.
Parking
A ‘blue zone’ parking system operates in major towns. Discs are available from police, garages and tobacconists.
Do not park within 50 feet (15m) of a bus, tram or trolleybus stop or in the immediate vicinity of train and tram lines crossing the road.
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