TRAVEL INFORMATION 333der Belgische Spoorwegen
(NMBS). Fares are calculated
by distance. Children under six
travel free, with a maximum
of four children allowed per
adult; those aged between six
and eleven receive a 50 per
cent discount. Several other
special tariffs are available,
including discounts for adults
under 26, and seniors over
65; weekend tickets and day
returns may be cheaper by as
much as 40 per cent. Rail
passes are offered, such as
the Railpass, which allows ten
trips within Belgium over one
year, and the Benelux Pass,
which provides unlimited
travel on any five days within
one month of purchase, on
trains in Belgium, Luxembourg
and the Netherlands.
In Luxembourg, the primary
line runs north–south, from
Liège to Luxembourg City, via
Clervaux. Day-tickets covering
the entire train and public bus
network can be bought at a
very reasonable price.
BY BUS
Buses come into their own in
the remote areas of Belgium
and in city suburbs. Buses in
Flanders are run by De Lijn. In
remoter areas individual pas-
sengers can telephone De
Lijn’s Belbus system, for a
small bus to take them on an
unscheduled route between
regular De Lijn stops. De Lijn
also operates trams, including
the Kusttram, which runs
along the Belgian coast.
Buses are run by Transport
En Commun (TEC) in Wallon-
ia. Luxembourg buses cover
an extensive network of
routes. Fares are based on
distance and tickets are
bought from the driver.
BY CARAutomobile Club de
Luxembourg
Route de Lonwy 54, Bertrange.
Tel 26000 (breakdown service).
http://www.acl.lu
Avis
Tel (02) 7306211 (Belgium).
Tel 489595 (Luxembourg).
http://www.avis.be
Budget
Tel (02) 6465130 (Belgium).
Tel 441938-1 (Luxembourg).
http://www.budget.co.uk
Europcar
Tel (070) 695695 (Belgium).
http://www.europcar.com
Hertz
Tel (02) 5132886 (Belgium).
Tel 440861 (Luxembourg).
http://www.hertz.comRoyal Automobile Club
de Belgique
Rue d’Arlon 53, 1040 BRU.
Tel (02) 2870911.
http://www.racb.beTouring Club de Belgique
Rue de la Loi 44, 1040 BRU.
Tel (070) 344777.
http://www.touring.be
Vlaamse
Automobilistenbond
Pastoor Coplaan 100, Zwijndrecht.
Tel (070) 224030.
http://www.vab.be
BY TRAIN
SNCB/NMBS
Tel (02) 5282828.
http://www.b-rail.beBY BUSDe Lijn (Flanders)
Tel (070) 220200.
http://www.delijn.be
Luxembourg
Tel (352) 24784400.
http://www.transports.lu
TEC
Tel (010) 235353.
http://www.infotec.beDIRECTORY
BY RIVER AND CANALBoat cruises of varying length
operate on the Scheldt, Leie,
Meuse and Moselle rivers, as
well as on a network of canals.
Belgium has more than 2,000
km (1,243 miles) of navi gable
waterways, used by com mer-
cial traffic as well as for pleas-
ure. Cruise details are available
from tourist offices in Bruges,
Ghent, Dinant, Liège, Namur,
Antwerp and Luxembourg.BY BICYCLEBelgium and Luxembourg are
keen cycling nations and equip-
ment can be rented in most
towns for a reasonable price.
Cycle hire shops and the tourist
offices can also advise on
the best routes to follow, such
as the RAVel network of ded-
icated cycle routes (see p312).
In Belgium, cyclists are
encouraged to use trains, at
minimal extra cost. Under the
Train and Bike scheme (Train
et Vélo in French and Trein
en Fiets in Dutch), travellers
can rent bicycles from some
railway stations as part of the
price of a return ticket.
In Luxembourg, bicycles
can be conveyed free on
trains, if space is available.SPECIALIST TOURSTo see the best of both
countries without inconven-
ience, a coach tour is a good
option. Numerous companies
offer tours of the main cities.
Others organize thematic
tours, focussing on Belgian
architecture, battlefields
(Waterloo, World War I or II),
birdwatching, food, beer or
chocolate. Guided tour opera-
tors also run day-trips fromthe cities themselves; for
instance, it is possible to visit
the World War I battle sites
from Bruges. Details are avail-
able at the tourist offices.A Luxembourg sightseeing bus carrying visitors on a tour of the city