01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗TippingService is included in the bill, so tipping is optional.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗
Water at restaurantsMost restaurants serve bottled water and charge for it.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗
SIM and eSIM
Anonymous prepaid SIM cards are no longer sold; buying one means registering your name.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
The official Belgian app for calling an ambulance, the fire service or the police; it shares your location.Finds shared car rides into and around Belgium.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Belgium
Euro · € · EUR
City bus, tram and metro tickets cost less from a machine than from the driver.
A Eurostar ticket to "any Belgium Station" covers the onward train, which can beat buying a second ticket.
Travellers aged 65+ often pay no more than €6 for a same-day return train trip inside Belgium.
Ordering dishes that are in season costs less and tastes better.
Collect Euro in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Wed, 11 Nov 2026 · Armistice Day Wapenstilstand
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day Kerstdag
Sat, 26 Dec 2026 · St. Stephen's Day Boxing Day
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day Nieuwjaar
Fri, 26 Mar 2027 · Good Friday Goede Vrijdag
Sun, 28 Mar 2027 · Easter Sunday Pasen
Mon, 29 Mar 2027 · Easter Monday Paasmaandag
Sat, 1 May 2027 · Labour Day Dag van de arbeid
Thu, 6 May 2027 · Ascension Day Onze Lieve Heer hemel
Fri, 7 May 2027 · Day after Ascension Day
Mon, 17 May 2027 · Whit Monday Pinkstermaandag
Wed, 21 Jul 2027 · Belgian National Day Nationale feestdag
Sun, 15 Aug 2027 · Assumption Day Onze Lieve Vrouw hemelvaart
Mon, 1 Nov 2027 · All Saints' Day Allerheiligen
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Belgium say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
No travel warning
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise increased caution
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Level 2 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 22 Jul 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 22 Jul 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 17 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 17 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Distraction theft
Keep bags and passport close in crowds and be wary of anyone seeking your attention.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Smash-and-grab at traffic lights
Keep windows up, doors locked and bags off the seats when stopped at lights.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Luggage theft on high-speed trains
Keep bags near your seat, above all just before the train leaves a station.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unlicensed taxis
Use only official taxis and never get into a car that stops to offer a ride.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Smuggling requests to drivers
Refuse anyone at a car park who asks you to carry goods to the UK, and tell the police.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Routine vaccines should be up to date before the trip.
Vaccinations
Get up to date on all routine vaccines before the trip.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $725.5 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $60,750Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | refined petroleum, natural gas, vaccines, cars, packaged medicine (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 11.9 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 42.4 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 82.3 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 2.3%, other Christian, 2.8%, Muslim 6.8%, other 1.7%, atheist 9.1%, nonbeliever/agnostic 20.2% (2018 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2018 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 30,528 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudySource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeastSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchySource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +32Source: libphonenumber · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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