The Best Day Trips from Brussels by Train: Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and More

Looking for the best day trips from Brussels? Here’s my honest guide to the Belgian cities, castles, gardens, coastlines and international trips that are genuinely worth leaving the capital for—including which ones work best by train and which deserve an overnight stay—from someone who’s done many a day trip from the capital.

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Brussels is unusually good at letting you leave it.

I mean that as a compliment.

Belgium is compact, its rail network reaches far beyond the obvious tourist cities and several of the country’s most interesting places sit within roughly 25 minutes to just over an hour of the capital.

You can have breakfast near Grand-Place, spend the afternoon beside the canals of Bruges or beneath the towers of Ghent, then return to the same Brussels hotel before dinner.

My first Brussels trip in 2018 was built around that logic. I used the capital to reach Bruges, and I’ve since returned to Brussels several times, visited Bruges twice, visited Ghent twice and travelled between the cities independently.

That experience has also made me more opinionated about what counts as a good day trip from the capital (because a destination being technically possible from Brussels does not necessarily make it a good idea).

With that said, here’s my guide to the very best day trips from the city.

Shall we?

About the Author

Hi, I’m Candace — a London-based travel writer and content creator who traded the East Coast of the US for the charm of the UK back in 2016. London’s been my home ever since.

On this blog, you’ll find hundreds of thoughtfully crafted London, UK, Europe and Worldwide travel guides alongside lots of insider London tips, honest hotel and restaurant reviews and advice for content creators.

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🗞️📺 As featured on the BBC, USA Today & Recipe.TV.

Quick Overview: The Best Day Trips From Brussels

Journey times depend on your departure station and that day’s timetable. Always check your route before you travel.

Why Brussels Is Such a Good Base for Day Trips

Brussels works brilliantly as a base because Belgium’s historic cities are all just a stone’s throw from each other.

Most domestic routes are also direct, ordinary Belgian trains don’t require seat reservations and you can leave from all major stations, including Brussels-Central, Brussels-Midi/Zuid and Brussels-North.

That flexibility means you can look at the weather, decide whether you want canals, museums, a garden or the coast and choose accordingly.

Where to Stay in Brussels for Easy Day Trips

If you’re using Brussels as a base for day trips, I’d stay centrally rather than choosing a hotel solely because it sits beside Brussels-Midi.

I stayed at and recommend NH Collection Brussels Centre. It’ll keep your Brussels trip enjoyable in its own right while giving you easy access to the city’s main stations.

The hotel is around a 10-minute walk from Brussels-Central, with the historic centre, Grand-Place, restaurants and cafés also within easy reach. That means you can leave for Bruges, Ghent or Antwerp in the morning, then return to a part of Brussels where you’ll still want to spend the evening.

For a Belgium trip involving several day trips, it feels really good to have a base vs. dealing with packing, unpacking and multiple metro and train changes with luggage. Not fun!

Read my full NH Collection Brussels Centre review, or compare more options in my guide to the best hotels near Brussels Central Station.

1. Bruges: The Best Classic Day Trip From Brussels

Best for: First-time visitors, canals and medieval streets
Typical train time: Around 1 hour
My verdict: An obvious Brussels day trip choice—and still one of the best.

Bruges was my first day trip from Brussels when I was 19, and it remains my easiest day trip recommendation for somebody who wants to see the Belgium they probably pictured before arriving.

Its medieval trading wealth survives in the canals, step-gabled houses, brick Gothic churches and civic buildings around Markt, Burg Square and Rozenhoedkaai.

On my first trip, I took the train independently, then joined a guided walking tour with a canal boat ride. That’s still what I’d personally recommend.

Use my one-day Bruges itinerary, Bruges restaurant guide and Bruges café guide for the full day.

2. Ghent: The Best All-Round Day Trip From Brussels

Best for: Medieval history, food and a city that still feels lived in
Typical train time: Around 35–40 minutes
My verdict: My favourite balance of beauty and actual city life.

Ghent has towers, canals and guildhouses, but also university life, restaurants and neighbourhoods that continue well beyond the postcard centre.

One important detail: the station you’ll arrive at from Brussels, Gent-Sint-Pieters, is not in the historic centre. Allow 20–30 minutes to walk in, or take Tram T1 or T3 towards Korenmarkt (you can tap in with your contactless).

Spend the day around Graslei and Korenlei, Gravensteen Castle and St Bavo’s Cathedral, home to the fifteenth-century Ghent Altarpiece.

I’d add this 50-minute Ghent boat trip, then leave room for lunch or a Ghent café rather than trying to complete the city.

3. Antwerp: The Best Day Trip for Art and Fashion

Best for: Museums, fashion, Rubens and grand architecture
Typical train time: Around 40 minutes
My verdict: The strongest choice when you want another substantial Belgian city.

Antwerp feels larger and more commercial than Bruges or Ghent, with centuries of port trade, diamonds, Flemish painting and fashion shaping the city.

Begin at Antwerp Central Station, then choose between Rubens inside the Cathedral of Our Lady, fashion at MoMu or the port history and rooftop panorama at MAS.

Antwerp is easy enough for one day but large enough that I’d choose just one main museum rather than trying to complete the entire city before dinner.

4. Leuven: The Easiest Short Day Trip

Best for: University history, architecture and beer
Typical train time: Around 25 minutes
My verdict: Maximum day trip time with minimum train time.

Leuven is shaped by one of Europe’s oldest universities, founded in 1425. There’s lots to do while you’re here, including seeing the detailed Town Hall, climbing the University Library Tower and walking through the UNESCO-listed Great Beguinage.

Finish around the café-lined Old Market and you’re golden.

Leuven works especially well when you only have half a day free.

5. Mechelen: The Best Quieter Flemish City

Best for: Cathedral views and fewer crowds
Typical train time: Around 20–30 minutes
My verdict: A strong alternative to Bruges and Ghent.

Mechelen was an important political centre in the Burgundian Netherlands, and that history remains visible around its churches and civic buildings.

The main reason to go is St Rumbold’s Tower. The climb is substantial, but the skywalk gives you a wide view across the city.

Back at street level, explore Grote Markt and the Dijle riverside for a very chilled and underrated Brussels day trip break.

6. Tervuren and AfricaMuseum: A Very Meaningful Half-Day Trip

Best for: Parkland and understanding Belgium’s relationship with Congo
Travel: Metro to Montgomery, then Tram 44
My verdict: Not a pure holiday escape, but an important one to add to your list.

Tervuren combines broad, lovely parkland with a visit to the AfricaMuseum, whose origins lie in the colonial section of the 1897 Brussels International Exposition.

Congolese people were forcibly brought to Tervuren and exhibited in a recreated village; seven died during their time in Belgium and you can learn more about that history today.

I’d do this day trip for the museum visit, to learn about the museum’s colonial origins and save time to walk through Tervuren Park afterwards.

P.S. – There’s no train directly from Brussels to Tervuren, but you can get there easily by metro and tram.

7. Meise Botanic Garden: The Best Year-Round Garden Trip

Best for: Gardens, glasshouses and families
Travel: Direct R50 bus from Brussels-North
My verdict: The garden trip to choose when Floralia isn’t running at Groot-Bijgaarden Castle.

Meise Botanic Garden covers 92 hectares and is a beautiful Brussels day out—with a Plant Palace that moves through desert, savannah, rainforest and the Mediterranean.

Across the grounds, you’ll find even more, including botanical collections, ponds and Bouchout Castle.

Allow at least half a day.

8. Dinant: The Most Scenic Day Trip

Best for: River scenery, cliffs and a citadel
Typical train time: Around 1 hour 30 minutes
My verdict: The best choice for a scenic day trip from Brussels.

Dinant is compressed between the River Meuse and a limestone cliff, with the Citadel of Dinant sitting high above the onion-domed Collegiate Church.

Take the cable car or climb the 408 steps, then visit the small Maison de Monsieur Sax. Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, was born here.

The landscapes here deserve at least a full day from Brussels!

9. Namur: The Best Relaxed Day in Wallonia

Best for: A citadel, river views and a slower city
Typical train time: Around 1 hour
My verdict: Slightly easier to reach than Dinant and very pleasant.

Namur is the capital of Wallonia, set where the Sambre and Meuse rivers meet.

Walk or take the cable car to the Citadel of Namur, then spend the rest of the day around the historic centre and café-lined streets.

Namur works best as a change of pace from Brussels rather than a destination filled with headline attractions, but that’s exactly the point!

10. Waterloo: The Best Trip for Military History

Best for: Napoleonic history
Travel: Public transport plus a local connection, or drive
My verdict: Excellent for the history; not the best general sightseeing trip.

Waterloo 1815 is spread across the battlefield south of Brussels, so it needs more planning than Bruges or Leuven.

The central experience includes the Memorial Museum and Lion’s Mound, built where Napoleon’s forces were defeated in June 1815.

11. Groot-Bijgaarden Castle: The Best Seasonal Trip

Best for: Spring flowers, castle views and photography
Travel: S10 train towards Aalst, then a 15-minute walk
My verdict: One of the most beautiful and underrated day trips from Brussels.

I visited Groot-Bijgaarden Castle during Floralia Brussels, where more than a million bulbs fill the private castle park with tulips, daffodils and hyacinths.

The route moves through flower beds, old trees, a labyrinth, the moat and castle views rather than conventional castle interiors, and it truly is a stunning day out.

Allow around two hours for your trip and check the current Floralia dates before travelling, as it’s not a year-round attraction.

12. Ostend: The Best Day Trip to the Coast

Best for: Sea air, seafood and a break from medieval cities
Typical train time: Around 1 hour 15 minutes
My verdict: The best choice if you want the coast more than another Belgian church.

Ostend combines broad promenades, beach culture and working-port character all in one beautiful coastal city.

Walk the seafront, visit Fort Napoleon or see the work of Belgian artist James Ensor at The James Ensor House.

Or simply buy seafood, walk along the beach and let the weather decide how ambitious your day trip will become.

13. Lille: The Best International Day Trip

Best for: A realistic trip to France, Flemish architecture and food
Travel: High-speed train from Brussels-Midi/Zuid
My verdict: An international trip from Brussels that’s actually doable as a day trip.

Lille is compact enough to work as a lovely day trip from Brussels, and that’s only a snippet of what makes it great. Explore Grand Place, the Vieille Bourse and the old centre, or build the afternoon around the Palais des Beaux-Arts.

International tickets are tied more closely to specific services than Belgian domestic trains, so book ahead and check whether your train uses Lille-Europe or Lille-Flandres (if you’re taking the Eurostar, it’ll most likely be Lille-Europe).

What About Paris, Amsterdam, Luxembourg and Germany?

Brussels is connected well enough that several international cities are technically possible in one day.

But “possible” is doing a great deal of work in that sentence.

Personally, I would stay overnight in Paris and Amsterdam. Both deserve enough time for their neighbourhoods and museums without spending the visit checking when you need to return to the station.

Luxembourg City is compact, but the ordinary rail journey is long enough that I would choose an overnight stay, a Spanish-language organised excursion or a closer destination.

For Germany, Aachen is the day trip I’d consider. Its compact historic centre and Aachen Cathedral work better in one day than Cologne, which I would save for an overnight stay—or at least get rid of the transport logistics with a Brussels to Cologne tour.

For Paris, you can use my weekend in Paris guide. And for Amsterdam, use my one-day Amsterdam itinerary!

Train, Car or Guided Tour?

For Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven, Mechelen, Namur and Ostend, the train is usually the simplest choice. I’d plan your journey in advance and book ahead as you’ll need a ticket before boarding, then check the return trains before settling into dinner in Brussels.

Hiring a car would be more useful for places like the dispersed Waterloo battlefield sites, rural castles or countryside destinations without straightforward public transport.

A guided tour makes most sense when you have one open day in Brussels and insist on seeing both Bruges and Ghent—no shame. This Bruges and Ghent day tour from Brussels will handle the coach transport and route, with the obvious trade-off of less time in each city.

In short:

• For a first Belgium trip: choose Bruges.
• For my favourite all-round city: choose Ghent.
• For art and fashion: choose Antwerp.
• For half a day: choose Leuven, Mechelen or Tervuren.
• For scenery: choose Dinant.
• For gardens: choose Meise year-round or Groot-Bijgaarden during Floralia.
• For another country: choose Lille.

How Many Day Trips Should You Take From Brussels?

For a first Brussels trip, I wouldn’t arrive and immediately spend every day somewhere else.

Give Brussels at least two days before adding a day trip. The capital needs enough time for Grand-Place, its museums, Matongé, Sablon, the Comic Strip Walk and the neighbourhoods that make it more interesting than a transport hub.

For a four-day Belgium trip, I would use two days for Brussels and one day each for Bruges and Ghent. With five or six days, add Antwerp, Leuven or a garden trip depending on what catches your fancy.

And of course, if your Brussels trip starts teetering into several early mornings, late dinners or you want two full days in the same destination—then it’s best to stay overnight rather than repeating the same return journey.

For Bruges, compare my two-day Bruges itinerary and where to stay in Bruges guide. For Ghent, use my two-day Ghent itinerary and where to stay in Ghent guide.

Final Thoughts: The Best Day Trips From Brussels

Brussels is one of the rare European capitals where leaving for the day doesn’t feel like abandoning the trip you came for.

For a first visit, I would choose Bruges. For the strongest balance of medieval beauty, food and ordinary life, I would choose Ghent. For museums, fashion and a larger city day, choose Antwerp.

And when an international jaunt from Brussels starts sounding impressive simply because it involves crossing a border, remember that a good day trip isn’t measured by how far you’ve travelled…

But what you enjoyed while you were there!

Have the best trip.

Happy travels,

Candace x

FAQ: Day Trips From Brussels

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What Are the Best Day Trips From Brussels?

The best day trips from Brussels are Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven, Mechelen, Tervuren, Meise Botanic Garden, Dinant, Namur, Waterloo, Groot-Bijgaarden Castle, Ostend and Lille. Bruges is best for a first trip, Ghent is my favourite all-round city.

Where Should You Stay in Brussels for Day Trips?

I’d stay somewhere central with easy access to Brussels’ main train stations. I personally stayed at NH Collection Brussels Centre, which made a very comfortable base for exploring Brussels and taking day trips around Belgium.

What Is the Easiest Day Trip From Brussels by Train?

Leuven is one of the easiest trips, with direct trains taking around 25 minutes. Mechelen and Ghent are also straightforward.

Can You Visit Bruges and Ghent in One Day?

Yes, but it will be rushed. The easiest option is the Bruges and Ghent day tour from Brussels. I would normally give each city its own day (here’s how to spend one day in Bruges and how to spend one day in Ghent).

What Are the Best Half-Day Trips From Brussels?

Leuven, Mechelen and Tervuren are the easiest half-day options. Meise Botanic Garden also works, although I’d allow at least half a day rather than rushing through it.

Do You Need a Car for Day Trips From Brussels?

No. Most major Belgian cities are straightforward by train. But a car is more useful for dispersed battlefield sites, rural castles and countryside destinations. Here’s where to hire a car in Brussels.

Should You Stay in Brussels and Take Day Trips?

Yes! Especially for a first Belgian trip. In Brussels, you’ll have unbelievably strong transport connections, lots of hotel choice and plenty to do after you return. Just make sure your trip isn’t an endless slew of back-to-back train connections from Brussels.

Plan the rest of your Brussels trip

Still planning? Here’s more of my Brussels guides to help you decide where to stay, what to book and how to make the most of your trip.

Before you book

• Is Brussels Worth Visiting? My Honest Review After Exploring the City
• Brussels Tips: Everything to Know Before Your Trip

Brussels itineraries and day trips

• One Day in Brussels: My Perfect Brussels Day Trip Itinerary
• My Brussels Weekend Itinerary: How I’d Spend 2 Days in the City
• Eurostar to Brussels from London: Travel Time, Tickets and What to Expect
• The Best Day Trips from Brussels by Train: Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and More
• The Perfect Day Trip from Brussels to Bruges: Train, Tours & My Itinerary
• Brussels to Ghent by Train: My Experience, Ticket Tips & Day Trip Guide
• How to Visit Groot-Bijgaarden Castle: Belgium’s Hidden Spring Flower Garden Near Brussels

Where to stay and what to book

• The Best Hotels Near Brussels Central Station: Where I Stayed and My Top Picks
• NH Collection Brussels Centre Review: My Honest Stay in Brussels
• The Best Tours in Brussels: Walking Tours, Food Experiences and Unique Things to Do
• The Best Brussels Beer Tours and Tastings: Which One Is Best for Your Trip?

What to do and where to eat

• The Best Things to Do in Brussels: Grand-Place, Comic Murals, Belgian Food & More
• Brussels Comic Strip Walk: Full Route, Map and My Favourite Murals
• Exploring Matongé Brussels: Black Culture, Food and My Favourite Stops
• The Best Restaurants in Brussels, Belgium: My Favourite Places to Eat
• The Best Cafés in Brussels: My Favourite Coffee and Brunch Spots