Haven't used public transport in Belgium in several years, will be back there in Brussels and Ghent again in 2026. Does the Belgium tram / metro system use a contactless card "tap & go" payment method these days, or do you still need to buy an actual transport card or paper ticket? Is the payment method standardized across the country, or different city to city? Thank you.
Posted by
Arctophilia, Northamptonshire, England
36163 posts
3 major non interchangeable systems, as is par for the course in Belgium - one in Wallonia, one in Flanders, and another for Brussels.
Posted by
Belgium
237 posts
Yes, you can tap&go in Brussels (metro+bus+tram MIVB/STIB) and in Ghent (tram+bus DE LIJN) with your card (Maestro, Mastercard, Visa, VPay).
The only difference is that in Brussels (MIVB/STIB) you can only pay for 1 person with 1 card, while in Ghent (DE LIJN) you can pay up to 5 people with 1 card.
PS:
- we don't tap OUT on bus/tram in Belgium
- NO tap&go on trains (NMBS/SNCB)