Passport / Visa

Belgium can be visited visa-free for up to 90 days by citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Israel, UAE and most countries in America. If you are unsure whether or not you need to apply for a visa, we recommend contacting the embassy or consulate in your country. International (non-Schengen) travellers need a passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the end of their intended trip in order to enter the Schengen zone. Citizens of Schengen countries can travel without a passport, but must have a valid ID with them during their stay.

• Web:

  dofi.ibz.be/en

Climate

Bruges enjoys a mild, maritime climate. The summers are warm without being hot and the winters are cold without being freezing. During spring and autumn the temperatures are also pleasant and there is moderate rainfall throughout the year, with the heaviest concentrations in autumn and winter. So remember to bring your umbrella!

Electricity

In Belgium, types C and E are the official standards. The electrical plugs are compatible with type F plug with two round pins. The standard voltage is 230 Volt and the frequency is 50 Hz.

Emergencies

European emergency number: tel. 112. This general number is used in all countries of the European Union to contact the emergency services: police, fire brigade or medical assistance. The number operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Medical help » Doctors, pharmacists, dentists and nursing officers on duty: tel. 1733 » S.O.S. Emergency Service: tel. 100 » Hospitals: A.Z. St.-Jan: tel. +32 50 45 21 11 A.Z. St.-Lucas: tel. +32 50 36 91 11 St.-Franciscus Xaveriuskliniek: tel. +32 50 47 04 70 » Poisons Advice Centre: tel. +32 70 245 245 Police » General telephone number: +32 50 44 88 44 » Emergency police assistance: tel. 101 » Working hours Mon–Fri 8am–5pm and Sat 9am–6pm you can contact the central police services at Kartuizerinnenstraat 4 » After working hours you can access the police station on 3, Lodewijk Coiseaukaai from Mon–Thu 7am–9pm and continually from 7 pm on Friday to 9 pm on Sunday. For urgent matters, the police station has a 24-hour telephone service.

Post Office

bpost You can make use of one of the post points (advice, dispatch, stamps, etc.) or stamp shops (stamps only) that you can find in several of the shopping streets.

• Web:

  www.bpost.be/en

• Address:

  Smedenstraat 57, Bruges

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri 9am–6pm, Sat 9am–3pm, Sun closed

Telephone

Country code: +32 Area code: (0)50