A Brussels Airport taxi is easy to find: Brussels Airport says its official taxis wait right outside the arrivals hall, with no need to book. What most visitors do not realise is that the airport is in Zaventem, in Flanders, not in the Brussels-Capital Region, so the city's published taxi tariff does not simply follow you to the terminal. That is one reason a fare from BRU is harder to predict than a ride across the city.
This guide sets out what the airport and the region actually publish, how app rides, the train and the bus fit in, and when a pre-booked car is the better choice. A fixed Elly8.net transfer from Brussels Airport (BRU) to the Grand-Place costs from US$115 in a business sedan to US$300 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle, the same price in either direction.
Is a taxi from Brussels Airport a good idea?
For a quick, unplanned ride, yes. Official taxis wait outside the arrivals hall, and you can recognise them by a licence plate with a "T" and a blue-and-yellow logo. The airport does not publish a fixed fare to the city, so ask for an estimate. With heavy luggage, a group or a fixed budget, a pre-booked car is simpler.
The airport's description of its taxi service is short and practical: official taxis outside arrivals, drop-off at the drop-off zone a short walk from the terminal, and an option to book online in advance, which it suggests for groups, travellers with a lot of luggage or anyone who wants peace of mind. It does not list a price to central Brussels on that page.
See Brussels prices and reserve
Why the airport is a special case
The Brussels-Capital Region publishes detailed taxi fares, but it is clear about where its responsibility ends. On its taxis page, the region says its passenger transport department is responsible only for taxis operating in Brussels, and that if your journey began in Zaventem you should contact the municipality of Zaventem; for taxis taken elsewhere in Flanders, the Flemish authority.
In practice, that means the region's well-known city tariff, a €2.60 pick-up, €2.30 a kilometre and €0.60 a minute for unbooked station taxis, is a guide to what Brussels taxis charge in the city, not a published price for a ride that starts at the airport kerb. Our Brussels Uber vs taxi guide goes through the city fares in detail. At the airport, the sensible steps are simple: use the official rank, confirm the vehicle carries the "T" plate and the airport's blue-and-yellow logo, and ask the driver for an estimate to your address before you set off.
The options at BRU, side by side
| Option | Price | Time to the centre | Wait | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Official taxi from the rank | Metered; no fare published by the airport | about 24 min on a clear road to the Grand-Place | Taxis wait outside arrivals | Spontaneous trips, two travellers |
| App ride | Shown in the app before you confirm | Same roads as any car | Depends on driver availability | Light travellers comfortable with apps |
| Train to Brussels-Central | Rail fare, usually including the €6.90 airport supplement | about 18 min | Six direct trains an hour | Solo travellers and couples, carry-on bags |
| STIB Airport Line 12 to the European Quarter | Bus fare | Varies with traffic | Scheduled | EU visitors with light luggage |
| Elly8.net business sedan | US$115 fixed per vehicle, all-in | about 24 min on a clear road, door to door | Chauffeur waiting in arrivals | Families, groups, heavy bags, late arrivals |
The train: the best answer for light travellers
Brussels Airport says its railway station is directly beneath the departures and arrivals halls. Six direct trains an hour run from early morning until around midnight, taking about 11 minutes to Brussels-North, 18 minutes to Brussels-Central and 23 minutes to Brussels-South, and two trains an hour also connect the airport with the European Quarter. Journeys to and from the airport usually carry the Brussels Airport Supplement of €6.90, collected by the railway and often already included in the ticket price, and up to four children under 12 travel free with an adult.
The airport also lists direct trains to Leuven in 13 minutes, Antwerp in 30, Ghent in 55 and Bruges in 1 hour 25, so travellers heading straight to Flanders may not need Brussels at all.
For one traveller with a carry-on bound for a hotel near Brussels-Central, the train is quicker than a car at rush hour and costs a fraction of any taxi. We would take it.
The bus: line 12 and the night service
The airport's bus station is about 100 metres from the arrivals hall on Level 0, linked by a covered walkway, according to Brussels Airport's bus page. The STIB/MIVB Airport Line, line 12, runs to the European Quarter with stops including Schuman, Maelbeek and Luxembourg. After midnight, the De Lijn night bus N62 runs between 00:55 and 04:45, roughly every 30 minutes, via Schaerbeek, Evere, Diegem and Zaventem centre. Tickets can be bought in advance online with all the bus companies.
App rides: what to expect at the kerb
Ride-hailing apps list Brussels Airport as a pickup point, but the airport's own pages describe only official taxis at the rank, and the pickup point for an app ride is the one the app gives you. That means walking out with your bags, finding the spot and waiting for a driver to reach it. Waits depend on how many cars are nearby, which nobody publishes, and they are longest when a bank of long-haul flights lands together or when rail is disrupted.
Price is shown in the app before you confirm. Inside the Brussels region, booked journeys are capped at 200% of the region's published minimum rates, or 500% for its Grand Luxe category; a ride that starts at the airport, in Flanders, may not follow the Brussels rules, so treat the app's price as the number to check.
Wait times: the part nobody publishes
None of the official sources gives a typical wait for a taxi or an app ride at BRU, so we will not invent one. What we can say is when the waits tend to stretch. Early-morning transatlantic arrivals come in close together, and passport control and baggage reclaim then release hundreds of passengers into arrivals within the same hour. Late-evening flights land as trains thin out towards midnight. Strikes and rail works send rail travellers to the rank. On those days the taxi queue is the place you least want to be with children and luggage.
A pre-booked chauffeur removes the wait at your end. Elly8.net chauffeurs track the flight from the number on the booking and wait in the arrivals hall with a name board, after you clear passport control and collect your bags. Waiting after a tracked landing is complimentary, so a delayed flight or a long passport queue costs nothing extra. Brussels Airport's own advice to people meeting a passenger is to arrive 20 to 30 minutes after landing to allow for disembarking and luggage, which is the window the chauffeur plans around.
Being collected by friends or colleagues
If someone you know is picking you up, the airport's pick-up page suggests parking in P2 Economy, about two minutes on foot from the arrivals hall, where the first five hours cost €5 an hour, or €4.50 with its Pcard+, and lists P1 at €6 an hour. It advises arriving 20 to 30 minutes after landing and tracking the flight in its app. That is a perfectly good plan for one or two people. It stops being a favour when the flight is delayed by three hours at dawn, or when the group needs a van. A chauffeur absorbs both problems, because waiting after a tracked landing is complimentary and the vehicle is chosen for your bags.
When to book a car instead
- A family with checked bags and children. A Business SUV carries six passengers and six bags for US$150, with child seats fitted before pickup.
- A group or delegation. An Executive Sprinter, for up to 12 passengers and 12 bags, costs US$300 fixed to the Grand-Place; one vehicle, one bill.
- A late arrival. After the last trains, the choices narrow to the rank, the night bus and an app.
- A fixed budget in US dollars. The fare is set when you book and includes the chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and meet and greet. Tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost.
- Straight to a meeting. The European Quarter is about 13 km (8 mi) from the airport by road, roughly 16 minutes on a clear road, and the car can wait while you change for the first appointment.
- Straight to Bruges or the coast. Bruges is about 106 km (66 mi) from BRU by road, roughly 75 minutes on a clear road; see our Brussels to Bruges transfer guide.
Elly8.net fares from Brussels Airport
| Vehicle class | Passengers | Bags | One way to the Grand-Place | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | 3 | 2 | US$115 | US$220 |
| First Class Sedan | 3 | 2 | US$205 | US$390 |
| Business SUV / Van | 6 | 6 | US$150 | US$285 |
| First Class SUV | 6 | 6 | US$185 | US$355 |
| Executive Sprinter | 12 | 12 | US$300 | US$570 |
Prices are per vehicle and the same in either direction, so the fare to catch a departing flight is the same as the arrival fare. The Grand-Place is the reference point; the same fares serve central addresses including Avenue Louise, the Sablon and the European Quarter. Full details are on the Brussels page and the packages page. See also airport transfers and meet and greet.
Charleroi is a different trip
Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) is about 57 km (35 mi) from the Grand-Place, roughly 50 minutes on a clear road, and Brussels Airport itself notes that reaching it by rail needs an extra bus from the nearest station. There is no published Elly8.net fare for Charleroi; the web booker shows a fixed price for your flight and address before you pay.
Departures: getting to BRU on time
For a transatlantic departure, plan to leave central Brussels with plenty of margin; weekday rush hours on the ring road and the E40 approach to the airport can be slow. The desk suggests a pickup time when you book. Brussels Airport's drop-off zone is a short walk from the terminal, and the chauffeur helps with luggage to the doors. Business travellers booking regularly can open a corporate account for fixed fares and monthly invoicing, and hotel concierges can book guests through hotel accounts. For a fair general comparison, see chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs airport shuttle.
How to book
- Pickup and drop-off. Enter Brussels Airport with your flight number, or your hotel for a departure.
- Vehicle. Choose by passengers and bags, and add child seats.
- Reserve. Press Reserve now for a published fare and pay by card in US$, or use the web booker for Charleroi, Bruges or any other address. Confirmation arrives by email.
Rides in Brussels are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, refunded to the original card. Elly8.net books the car only; BookingWorldwide.net handles flights and hotels. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the taxi rank at Brussels Airport?
Brussels Airport says its official taxis wait right outside the arrivals hall; follow the signs to the taxi stand. Official taxis carry a licence plate with a "T" and a blue-and-yellow logo. Drop-offs for departing passengers use the drop-off zone a short walk from the terminal.
How much is a taxi from Brussels Airport to the city centre?
The airport does not publish a fixed fare, and rides from Zaventem fall outside the Brussels region's taxi rules, so ask the driver for an estimate first. A fixed Elly8.net transfer to the Grand-Place costs from US$115 in a business sedan to US$300 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle.
Is the train better than a taxi from Brussels Airport?
For light travellers, usually. Six direct trains an hour reach Brussels-Central in about 18 minutes, with a €6.90 airport supplement usually included in the fare, and up to four children under 12 travel free with an adult. With heavy luggage or a group, a car is simpler.
Is Uber available at Brussels Airport?
App rides serve the airport, but the pickup point is the one the app gives you, and waits depend on driver availability. Prices are shown before you confirm. The airport's own pages describe the official taxi rank outside arrivals, which needs no booking.
Where will my Elly8.net chauffeur meet me?
In the arrivals hall, holding a name board, after you clear passport control and collect your bags. The chauffeur tracks your flight, and waiting after a tracked landing is complimentary, so a delay or a long queue costs nothing extra.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free cancellation more than 72 hours before pickup. A 10% fee applies at 72 hours or less, 50% at 48 hours or less, and 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show. Refunds go to the original card. If your flight is cancelled, message the 24/7 desk.
