Belgium
Brussels
Away-day guide
Brussels is straightforward for a short away trip: the centre is walkable, public transport reaches Anderlecht and Forest, and Bourse or Saint-Géry make practical neutral bases. The main complication in 2026/27 is that Union Saint-Gilloise's Champions League qualifiers are in Ostend, so check the confirmed venue before booking travel.
Public transport
STIB/MIVB runs the metro, trams and city buses. A standard journey is about 2.30 when bought digitally or paid contactlessly; tap the same bank card or device at the gate or validator on every journey and transfer. Paper tickets cost more and must be validated. The 24-hour ticket is roughly 8.90 and is usually worthwhile after four journeys. Brupass products combine STIB, SNCB trains, De Lijn and TEC within the Brussels zone, while Brupass XL covers a wider suburban area. SNCB trains are often the quickest way between Nord, Central, Luxembourg, Schuman and Midi. The airport train and bus 12 have separate airport pricing. Use Floya for multimodal planning and tickets, or the STIB app for the city network.
Typical prices
- Beer (0.5L)
- EUR 6
- Coffee
- EUR 3.5
- Meal, mid-range
- EUR 25
- Taxi from airport
- EUR 50
- Single transit ticket
- EUR 2.3
✈ Airports & cheaper alternatives
- Brussels Airport BRU primary 12 km Direct SNCB trains run to Brussels-Nord, Central and Midi in roughly 20–25 minutes. STIB bus 12 runs to the European Quarter; an airport fare applies when travelling into Brussels. The quickest and most convenient airport, although fares can be higher than Charleroi.
- Brussels South Charleroi Airport CRL alternative 55 km The simplest option is the direct Flibco coach to Brussels-Midi, normally taking about 55–75 minutes. Alternatively, take a local bus to Charleroi-Central and an SNCB train to Brussels. Often much cheaper with budget airlines, but allow at least 90 minutes between the city centre and terminal, plus extra time for traffic.
🍺 Supporters' pubs
Union Saint-Gilloise
Home fans: Union's Taverne and the Club House at or opposite Stade Joseph Marien; Le Louvre and Brasserie de l'Union around Parvis de Saint-Gilles; traditionally Brasserie Verschueren. James Joyce in the European Quarter is associated with the international bEUnion fan club.
Away fans: O'Reilly's at Place de la Bourse is the best-documented visiting-supporter base and has been officially assigned to away fans for at least one European fixture. The Big Game, Les Brasseurs and the wider Bourse, Grand-Place and Saint-Géry area offer neutral alternatives. In away colours, avoid treating Union's Taverne, the Club House, Le Louvre, Brasserie de l'Union or James Joyce as neutral venues. Police may require visiting supporters to remain at a central meeting point for higher-risk matches.
Union are in the 2026/27 Champions League. Their European qualifying home games are being played at Batimont Solar Park in Ostend rather than Stade Joseph Marien; the venue for later rounds had not been confirmed as of 29 July 2026. Follow the visiting club's match-specific notice because police arrangements can override normal pub guidance.
RSC Anderlecht
Home fans: Café La Coupe opposite Lotto Park is the classic Anderlecht supporters' café. Other home drinking points include Green Park/Park Café, the pubs along Théo Verbeecklaan, Lindeplein and Le Pavillon near Place de la Vaillance. Buvettes du Parc is the club's official supporters' bar inside the stadium.
Away fans: Visiting groups are normally better based around Bourse, Grand-Place or Saint-Géry. O'Reilly's, The Big Game, Les Brasseurs and Celtica are established neutral or international choices. Avoid the Lotto Park–Théo Verbeecklaan–Lindeplein home-pub circuit in visible away colours. La Coupe has a fair-play reputation and has historically welcomed some visiting supporters, but it remains emphatically an Anderlecht pub rather than an away base. Buvettes du Parc is not neutral and has ticket and stand-access restrictions.
Anderlecht are in the 2026/27 Europa League. European fixtures can involve a compulsory central assembly point and escorted transfer; recent plans have prohibited away supporters from entering the wider stadium district before kick-off.
Sourced from supporters' forums — always follow your club's and police advice for the fixture.
Nightlife
Bourse, Saint-Géry and the streets around Grand-Place are easiest for a one-night trip: plenty of bars, late opening and simple links to Midi and both Brussels grounds. Prices rise directly on Grand-Place. Sainte-Catherine has beer bars and restaurants with a slightly calmer feel. Parvis de Saint-Gilles is good for terraces and local cafés but becomes Union territory on matchdays. Flagey and Châtelain in Ixelles suit smaller groups wanting bars rather than big sports pubs. The European Quarter is quieter at weekends except around Place du Luxembourg and a handful of Irish pubs.
Food & drink
Try moules-frites, carbonnade flamande, stoemp with sausage, shrimp croquettes and a proper cone of frites with mayonnaise or andalouse sauce. Brussels also has excellent Congolese, Moroccan and Lebanese food. Local beers worth looking for include gueuze, kriek and lambic, alongside familiar abbey and Trappist styles. Strong Belgian beer is often served in 250ml or 330ml glasses rather than pints, and strengths of 7–10% are normal.
Cheap eats & beer
For a quick central feed, Fritland beside Bourse does large cones of chips and mitraillettes; Falafel Tof on Rue du Midi is handy for filling wraps; and L'Express near Grand-Place serves Lebanese plates and sandwiches. Maison Antoine at Place Jourdan is useful if drinking in the European Quarter. Celtica, near Bourse, is known for cheaper beer offers, while Le Coq and Au Daringman are straightforward central cafés without the full Grand-Place tourist premium. Belgian bars commonly serve 250ml or 330ml measures, so check the size before comparing prices. Away groups are generally better drinking around Bourse, Grand-Place or Saint-Géry and then travelling together. There is no reliably neutral away pub beside Lotto Park or Stade Joseph Marien: the bars immediately around both grounds are predominantly home territory.
Staying safe
Pickpocketing is the main concern, particularly around Gare du Midi, Gare du Nord, crowded metro platforms, Bourse and Grand-Place. Keep phones and wallets out of back pockets and do not leave bags hanging from café chairs. Gare du Midi can feel rough late at night; stay on busy routes or use a licensed taxi for the final leg. Keep colours covered when moving through another club's home-pub area, and do not wander away from an instructed police meeting point. Use official taxis or an app rather than accepting unsolicited rides outside the stations.
On matchday
Buy through the visiting club and use the designated away entrance: segregation is enforced and a home-end ticket is not a safe workaround in away colours. Carry photo ID matching the ticket details and expect bag checks, restrictions on cans and glass, and limited stadium-area drinking. Lotto Park matches can bring police controls around Saint-Guidon, Théo Verbeecklaan and Lindeplein, with away groups sometimes held centrally and escorted to the ground. Union's 2026/27 Champions League qualifiers are in Ostend, where the meeting point and onward transport may also be compulsory. Road closures, altered bus or tram stops and temporary station access controls vary by opponent, so the visiting club's final travel notice takes priority.