Travel to Brussels
It's easy to get from the UK to Brussels on the Eurostar, which has good access and takes one hour and 50 minutes. Comfortable Thalys Trains from Paris take one hour 20 minutes and are also accessible for wheelchair users. Either way, you'll arrive at the central Gare du Midi and can take an accessible metro line or taxi from here.
Note that on the Eurostar, tickets booked to Brussels are valid for travel to any station within Belgium provided you continue your journey within 24 hours of arriving into Brussels. You can travel on to Bruges, Antwerp or anywhere else by the standard train service without paying any extra. Remember to book a wheelchair seat if you need one.
Otherwise you'll be flying to Brussels airport. Your airline should have contacted the airport in advance to request assistance, and you can take the train from here to central Brussels (Gare du Midi).
Accessible Transport & Taxis
The city centre is fairly small and well-signed so it is easy to get around on foot, although there's the age-old problem of cobbled streets.
Only around ten metro stations in Brussels have lifts – these are marked on the metro map. The metro is expected to be fully adapted by 2012. Bus route 71 is accessible to wheelchair users with a lowering ramp, and is useful for getting between some of the main sites and the Grand Place.
Taxis Verts (+32 2 349 4545) have a fleet of 40 accessible vehicles adapted for wheelchair users and are available 24 hours a day. Please tell them in advance if you have an assistance dog, and be clear about your needs when booking.
Accessible Tourism Information for Brussels
The main Brussels International tourist information service on the Grand Place is clueless about disabled access. Instead, ask at the Visit Flanders office on rue Marché des Herbes. They have a reliable access information, including recommended itineraries and restaurants, and employ disabled staff. Another useful English-language website is Brussels For All.
Accessible Museums, Sights & Attractions in Brussels
Belgium's best and most accessible museums are clustered in the same area around the Royal Palace, near Gare Centrale (Central Station). Next door to the Belgian royal family's palace is the Belvue Museum of Belgian history, newly renovated and with good access.
For art, visit the nearby Ancient Art Museum and the Modern Art Museum, both fully accessible, which together contain over 20,000 paintings, sculptures and drawings. For music and lunch head to the world-renowned Museum of Musical Instruments. The sixth-floor terrace restaurant has superb panoramic views over Brussels.
Brussels Markets, Shops & Restaurants
Try the Sablon area for its weekend antiques market and cluster of art, antiques and chocolate shops (the world's reputedly best chocolatier, Pierre Marcolini, has his shop here) although be aware that the streets are cobbled in this area.
Another cobbled, tourist-filled area is the streets around the central Grand Place, although these are the best for buying souvenirs. The famous Peeing Boy statue (Manneken Pis) is down one of these streets. He dresses in a different costume every time there is a special event or public holiday. A Peeing Girl statue (Jeanneken Pis) is on Impasse de la Fidelité.
For a quieter and easier evening (although street surfaces are still fairly poor) head for the bars and restaurants around Place St Gery. And you guessed it, here's where you'll find the lesser-known Peeing Dog statue (Zinneke Pis).
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