Ghent Travel Tips: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

Ghent Travel Tips at a Glance

• Best time to visit: year-round
• Length of stay: two to three days
• Documents: ID card sufficient for EU citizens; check entry requirements for your nationality
• Currency: Euro (contactless card payments work everywhere)
• Costs: Getting there and back approx. 100 euros, hotels from 65 euros, plus another 40–60 euros per day depending on your budget and preferences
• Getting around: mostly on foot; tram, taxi, and Uber also available
• Safety: a safe destination, including for solo female travelers
• Highlights: Gravensteen Castle, Graslei and Korenlei, St. Bavo’s Cathedral, the Ghent Altarpiece, the Belfry of Ghent, boat tour through Ghent, and much more

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Best Time to Visit Ghent

Ghent is a fantastic destination all year round — especially for a short break if you’re looking for a destination off the beaten path.

The weather in Ghent is mild and fairly temperate, though it tends to be a little cooler than southern Europe. You’ll get the best conditions on a trip in July or August.

That said, we personally find that the city’s historic, mystical charm comes through best in fall and winter.

Getting to Ghent

You can kick off your city trip to Ghent in a variety of ways — by car, train, or plane.

Getting to Ghent by Car

Ghent is fairly easy to reach by car. Two major European highways intersect there: the E17 and the E40.

If you’re coming via the E17, take the Gent Centrum exit. If you’re coming via the E40, first follow the highway toward Antwerp at the Zwijnaarde interchange. From there you’ll connect directly to the E17 and can exit toward Gent Centrum.

Driving to Ghent makes the most sense if you’re already in the Netherlands, France, or Belgium, or coming from western Europe generally.

From Cologne, for example, the drive to Ghent takes about three hours.

Ghent Low Emission Zone

However, you should know that you won’t get very far by car inside Ghent itself. The city encompasses the largest car-free zone in Europe and has a low emission zone stretching from Gasmeterlaan in the north across the entire historic center to Keizervest in the south.

Strict admission requirements and emission standards apply in these zones.

Whether you’re allowed to drive in Ghent depends on your vehicle’s Euro emission standard and fuel type.

You also need to register your car if it doesn’t have a Belgian or Dutch license plate.

More information and the registration form

Parking in Ghent

So you can drive to Ghent without needing your car once you’re there, the city offers designated parking zones with garages and lots. Your car will be safe there.

We’ve listed the six best parking zones in Ghent below, with links so you can find the garages directly on Google Maps.

Important: Have you booked a hotel in Ghent within the low emission zone but are arriving by car? Make sure to share this information and your license plate number with the hotel. That way the hotel can arrange your access to the zone.

Getting to Ghent by Train

Taking the train to Ghent is a wonderfully relaxed way to travel.

Ghent has two train stations: Gent-Sint-Pieters in the south and Gent-Dampoort in the north.

From most major European cities, you can reach Belgium by high-speed rail and in most cases transfer at Bruxelles-Midi. From there you continue directly to Ghent.

If you’re already in Belgium and perhaps doing a tour of the country, you can reach Ghent’s main station, Gent-Sint-Pieters, with a direct connection from virtually any Belgian city.

Brussels Airport also has a direct rail link to Ghent’s train station.

Getting to Ghent by Plane

Ghent has no airport of its own. So if you’re flying, you’ll first land in Brussels.

You can find cheap flights to Brussels on Skyscanner.

From Brussels Airport or Brussels South Charleroi Airport, you then take either the train or a shuttle bus to Ghent. The journey takes between 45 and 70 minutes.

Book the flibco shuttle bus to Ghent online

Our Hotel Recommendations for Ghent

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Power Outlets and Internet in Ghent

You don’t need a power adapter for Ghent. Belgium uses the standard European Type E plug, so most European adapters work fine — and if you’re coming from the UK or US, a standard travel adapter will do the job.

Internet in Ghent is excellent — including mobile data. Belgium is part of the EU, so EU roaming rules apply. Many accommodations in Ghent also offer free Wi-Fi for guests.

Getting Around Ghent

The easiest way to explore Ghent is on foot.

The top attractions in Ghent are all located in the historic center, right in the heart of the city.

If your hotel is further out, or walking isn’t an option, you can also get around on the tram “De Lijn”.

A single ride costs 2.50 euros and you can pay contactlessly right on the tram. Just hold your bank card or smartphone up to the white terminal on board. The screen will show a green checkmark, and your ticket is stored on your card or phone.

If you’re checked by an inspector, your payment method will be scanned.

Unlike in Amsterdam, you don’t need to “check out” again in Ghent. Your contactless payment is valid for one trip within 60 minutes, including free transfers. After 60 minutes you’ll need a new “ticket.”

Alternatively, you can buy a day pass for 7.50 euros online or on-site.

Online tickets and sales points in Ghent

Ghent tram network map

Costs for a Trip to Ghent: Is Ghent Expensive?

Price-wise, Ghent falls somewhere in the middle of the range for European cities — comparable to Bruges, but cheaper than Amsterdam, for example.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect:

• Getting there & back: approx. 100 euros
• Hotel per night: 65–150 euros
• Paid activities: 10–12 euros per activity (boat tour, museum, etc.)
• Daily spending money for food, drinks, and shopping: 40–60 euros per day

That adds up to around 400 euros total for a weekend in Ghent.

What Currency Does Ghent Use?

In Ghent you pay with the euro. Contactless card payments are widely accepted.

How Much Does a Restaurant Meal Cost in Ghent?

Dining out in Ghent is on the pricier side if you’re skipping fast food. For a sit-down meal with a drink, budget 25 to 35 euros per person.

How Much Does a Beer Cost in Ghent?

You’ll pay an average of 4 euros for 0.5 liters of local beer at a bar or restaurant. Prices vary by venue. In supermarkets, a bottle costs around 2 euros.

CityCard Ghent: Is the Pass Worth It?

The CityCard Ghent is a handy discount card for your visit to Ghent — basically the same concept as the city passes available for other cities.

It gives you free or discounted entry to numerous attractions, museums, and activities, plus unlimited use of public transit in Ghent.

There are two options:

• 48-hour card for 42 euros
• 72-hour card for 48 euros

What’s included, for example:

• Boat tour through Ghent
• Gravensteen Castle
• Belfry of Ghent
• House of Alijn
• 10 euro discount on a visit to the Ghent Altarpiece — you then pay only 2 euros
• Unlimited use of public transit

Unfortunately, the CityCard Ghent cannot be purchased online. You’ll need to pick it up in person at one of the sales points.

But the detour is worth it. If you’re planning to see the most popular highlights, the 48-hour CityCard will save you around 6 euros — and you can ride public transit as much as you like. Totally worth picking up on arrival.

Communication in Ghent: What Language Is Spoken?

The official language in Ghent is Dutch. French is also present. With tourists, however, English is generally spoken — you’ll have no trouble getting around.

Food and Drink in Ghent

Ghent has tons of delicious food to offer. First and foremost, of course, the classic Belgian waffles and chocolates.

If you prefer something savory, try the traditional dish of mussels and fries at one of Ghent’s restaurants. Pair it with a Belgian beer — for example a Gentse Triple.

A little more unusual but no less traditional are the chicken stew Waterzooi and the beef stew Flemish Carbonade Ghent-style.

And this is important: The best waffles in Ghent are not found at the waffle “street stalls” that pop up on every corner. Those are tourist traps with inflated prices. Go to a café instead — for example La Dolce Barista, Caffè Rosario, or Zoetse.

4 Great Restaurants in Ghent

• Du Progrès: traditional Flemish cuisine
• Roots: the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Ghent
• Poule & Poulette: incredibly delicious chicken dishes
• Manhattn’s Burgers: the best burgers in the city

Safety in Ghent

Ghent is a safe destination — including for solo female travelers. That said, you’ll want to avoid wandering around the outer neighborhoods alone late at night. We came across some shady characters on weekends.

In general, though, the crime rate in Ghent is low to very low.

The History of Ghent

Ghent is a city that refused to be put in its place — not by the Romans, not by Spain.

Even in the Middle Ages, business was booming here. The cloth trade made Ghent the wealthiest city in northern Europe.

Its residents were so rebellious that even Charles V, who was born here, had a hard time keeping them in line. When they revolted against him yet again, he made them march before him with a noose around their necks — hence the nickname Stroppendragers (noose bearers), which the people of Ghent raise a glass to with pride today.

In the 14th century, Ghent operated almost like an independent state, with powerful guilds, a self-confident citizenry, and no shortage of uprisings. But when the Spanish cracked down with an iron fist in the 16th century, things went downhill.

Ghent fell into a long slumber until the Industrial Revolution jolted the city back to life in the 19th century. Factories, labor movements, and plenty of steam engines brought new prosperity.

Today Ghent is a perfect blend of medieval splendor, hip creativity, and probably the highest beer glass density per capita anywhere.

Frequently Asked Questions About a Trip to Ghent