Road network

Belgium's motorway network is among the densest in Europe and completely free for passenger vehicles. There are no toll booths and no vignette. The only tolled crossing is the Liefkenshoek tunnel near Antwerp. The network is well-lit and well-maintained, with good coverage across the whole country. The Brussels ring road (R0) and the Antwerp ring (R1) are heavily congested during rush hours and worth avoiding at peak times. Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent all operate low emission zones with camera enforcement, and foreign-registered vehicles are not exempt.

Speed limits are 50 km/h in urban areas, 90 km/h on rural roads, and 120 km/h on motorways. Fixed and average-speed cameras are common on motorways. The blood alcohol limit is 0.05%, with frequent roadside checks on weekend nights. Headlights are required at night. Winter tires are not legally required but are recommended in cold months. The minimum driving age is 18. The emergency number is 112. Fuel prices are moderate for Western Europe, and EV charging is well developed, particularly in Flanders.

The drive south from Brussels through Namur and into the Ardennes via Dinant is the most scenic route in the country, moving from flat farmland into forested river valleys with castle ruins above the Meuse. The coast road from De Panne to Knokke covers the entire Belgian coastline in under two hours. One detail that surprises many foreign drivers: Belgian motorways are genuinely free, with no vignette of any kind required.