Travel Logistics
Flight
Belgian Airports.
Belgium has three airports: Brussels Zaventeem, Brussels Charleroi and Oostend Airport. Brussels Zaventeem (BRU) is the largest and main International airport that you will fly into if coming straight from the US. You can catch the train directly from the airport to connect to Brussels (15 mins), Ghent (55 mins) or Brugge (1.5 hrs). Rental cars will also be available here which we recommend if you are coming straight to Oostduinkerke. Oostend (OST) is the closest and is a small airport, only a 30 minute drive away, and has flights from certain destinations within Europe (mostly Spain and also a few Mediterranean cities). You can either take a taxi to Oostduinkerke or take the tram which will take 40 minutes and stops right at both of our suggested hotels. Brussels Charleroi (CRL) is another option to fly into. They have lots of cheap Ryanair flights available to/from cities all across Europe. This airport is not connected well with public transportation but there are Flibco Buses (a private company) that can take you to Ghent, Bruges or Brussels. Renting a car would be another great option. For your departure flights on Sunday, please note that we do NOT recommend booking any flights earlier than 11AM, as we live 1.5 hours from the airport (longer with public transport) and you'll need to arrive 2 hours early.
Train
International and Domestic Trains
If you are looking for trains within Belgium: https://www.belgiantrain.be/en If you are coming from Paris or Amsterdam, check for trains here: https://www.raileurope.com/ Please note the closest train station to Oostduinkerke is Veurne and from here you will need a ~12 minute taxi. Taxis are NOT typically parked outside the train station so you will need to call one or pre-arrange this in advance.
Travel Note
Rental Car & Uber
While Uber does exist in Ghent and Brussels, we don't have Uber or any ride-shares in our small coastal town. Because of this, we encourage a rental car if you want to be able to get around easier. If you are traveling to cities in Belgium beforehand, we do encourage you to use the amazing train system and pick up a rental car in your last day in the last city before heading to Oostduinkerke. If you choose to arrive by train and get a taxi from Veurne, we highly encourage you to stay in the recommended hotels to ensure you are within walking distance of the venue and restaurants.
Hotel
Hof Ter Duinen
This hotel is located within walking distance of our venue and is close to many restaurants and shops.
Hotel
Rewindhotel
Rewind Hotel is right in the heart of Oostduinkerke. It's in a prime location right on the boardwalk, surrounded by shops, restaurants and across the street from a grocery store.
Travel Note
Suggested AirBnb Zone
If you would rather rent an AirBnb than stay at our suggested hotels, please take a look at our suggestions of the best area to stay in using the link below. Outside of the green and yellow, you will likely be in a residential area and have to walk 10+ minutes to get to restaurants, shops, the venue etc.. While it is a small town, it's more suited to biking than walking so it is best to stay within the highlighted portion.
Travel Note
Need more help?
If you've read all of this information and could still use some additional guidance and help with planning your itinerary, reach out to Anna! She will be more than happy to help you with your specific travel plan (it is her job after all).