Currency - Business hours - Transportation - Internet - Basic conversation guide - Langages spoken

From the first of January 2002, the currency in circulation is the euro. There are some notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros. The nominal values of the coins are the following: 1 cent (or 1/100 of euro), 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 euro and 2 euros.

Automatic Teller Machines (ATM)
To find out the locations of ATMs in Belgium , click on the link to your credit card: Visa, Mastercard or American Express

Business hours

The banks are often open from 9.00 to 16.00, Monday to Friday.
Public administrations are often open from 9.00 to 16.00, Monday to Friday. Retailers are open from 09.00 to 18.00, Monday to Friday but some close on Monday un the morning.
Supermarkets are open from 09.00 to 20.00, Monday to Saturday and department stores from 09.00 to 19.00.

Transportation

Road
Excellent road network. The toll-free highways are generally lit at night. Speed limit: 50 km/h in cities. 90 km/hour on roads. 120 km/h on highways. A car insurance is compulsory. Road signs are written in Dutch in the Flemish part of the country and in French in the Walloon region. It is advised to pay attention to the right of way. Lorries: be careful with the concentration of lorries on the border zone axis on Sunday evenings and especially with bad weather conditions, as well as in the hours preceding the levying of the suspension to circulate during the weekend in the countries surrounding Belgium (10.00 pm). It is advised to hold some Euros in case you need to pay a fine. If unable to pay immediately, vehicles that are registered abroad may be immobilised.

Internet

The Internet suffix is: .be

Basic conversation guide

Belgium is a mostly bilingual country. Dutch is spoken in the Flemish region ; Wallonia is French-speaking (with a German speaking part).
Yes = Ja = Oui
No = Nee = Non
Thank you = Dank u = Merci
Hello = Goede dag, Hallo = Bonjour
Goodbye = Tot ziens = Au revoir
I don't understand = Ik begrijp het niet = Je ne comprends pas
What is the price ? = Hoeveel kost dit ? = Combien ca coûte ?
I would like to buy = Ik zou graag ... kopen = Je voudrais acheter
Do you accept credit cards ? = Accepteert U creditcards? Kan ik betalen met een creditcard? = Acceptez vous les cartes de crédit?
Where is... ? = Waar is ... ? = Où est ... ?
The Post office = Het Postkantoor = Le bureau de poste
The bank = De Bank = La banque
The police office = Het Politiebureau = Le poste de police
The drugstore = De Apotheek = La pharmacie
The airport = Een Vliegveld = Un aéroport
The train station = Het Treinstation = La gare
A ticket for ... please = Een kaartje naar..., alstublieft = Un ticket pour ... s'il vous plaît
Are some rooms available for this evening? = Hebt u nog een kamer vrij voor vanavond? = Avez vous des chambres disponibles pour ce soir?

Official languages: Dutch, French and German. In Belgium, 5.6 million people speak Dutch, 3.5 million speak French and about 50,000 people speak German. English is a common business language.