In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Belgium
Aalst
Give Aalst one day, not a night: 30 min by train from Ghent, 33 from Brussels, and the Grote Markt, belfry and carnival museum fill an afternoon.
Aalst is a working East Flanders town of about 86,000 between Ghent and Brussels, best known for its UNESCO belfry and its three-day Carnival. The old centre is compact and walkable, the museums are free or cheap, and the train station sits in the middle of town. Most travellers see it as a half-day or day trip from Ghent or Brussels rather than a base.
- Country
- Belgium
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (grey and wet), except Carnival in Feb
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards work widely; a few cafés, market stalls and toilets still want coins.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–70 excl. bed · Mid €70–120 excl. bed · High €120+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Proximus, Orange Belgium and Telenet/BASE; prepaid SIMs need ID registration.
- Emergency
- Police 101 · Fire and ambulance 112 · Out-of-hours doctor 1733
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Same as France; UK and US plugs need adapters.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up.; Restaurant: Service included; add 5–10% for good service if you like.; Taxi: Round up.
- Water
- Tap water is safe, though many Belgians drink bottled; restaurants rarely serve free tap water.
- Toilets
- Often paid (€0.50–1) in stations and some cafés; carry coins.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2.50–4 |
| Beer, draught in a café / bottle at a shop | €3–5 / €1.50–2.50 |
| Lunch, soup or a sandwich | €8–15 |
| Main course in a brasserie | €16–26 |
| Museum entry ('t Gasthuys) | Free |
| Belfry guided group tour | €60 per group, up to 20 people |
| City bus ride (De Lijn) | €2.50–3 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BRU · Brussels Airport
- Train to Brussels, then a direct train to Aalst; about 1 h 15 min door to door
- CRL · Brussels South Charleroi
- Bus or train to Brussels first, then onward to Aalst; allow 2 h+
Typical fares
- Train Aalst → Ghent
- about €6, 30 min
- Train Aalst → Brussels
- about €7, 33 min
- Taxi Grote Markt → station
- €8–12
Get around
The centre is small enough to walk: Grote Markt to the station is about 10 minutes, and to the béguinage about 12. De Lijn buses cover the outer districts and neighbouring towns; local city buses are useful only if you sleep outside the ring. Trains from Aalst station run direct to Brussels and Ghent.
See and do
Known for
- Grote Markt and the UNESCO belfry
- Aalst Carnival (Oilsjt Carnaval)
- Town Museum 't Gasthuys and its Carnival Museum
- St Martin's Church and the Rubens painting
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ghent | Direct train from Aalst station | About 30 min by train |
| Brussels | Direct train from Aalst station | About 33 min by train |
| Dendermonde | De Lijn bus or train via a change | About 40–60 min |
| Berlare | De Lijn bus from Aalst | About 30–40 min |
Sleep
- Around the Grote Markt
- Steps from the belfry, restaurants and pubs; the obvious choice if you stay one night.
- Near the railway station
- Best for an early train out; about a 10-min walk to the market square.
- Keizersplein
- Quiet 19th-century mansion street with a tree-lined middle; 5 min from the Grote Markt.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HalloHAH-loh |
| Thank you | Dank udahnk oo |
| Please | AlstublieftAHL-stuh-bleeft |
| How much is it? | Hoeveel kost het?hoo-VAYL kost ut |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan ik met kaart betalen?kan ik met kart buh-TAH-lun |
| Where is the toilet? | Waar is het toilet?vahr is ut twah-LET |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; one cheek kiss among friends (three in some places); avoid: Overfamiliarity with strangers
- Language: English or the local language; avoid: French in Flanders, or Dutch in Wallonia, as a default
- Punctuality: Be on time; avoid: Late arrivals for dinner reservations
- Conversation: Food, beer, football and cycling; avoid: Flemish-Walloon politics unless invited
Scams and watch-outs
- Carnival weekend (the Sunday to Tuesday before Ash Wednesday) fills every hotel and pub: book months ahead or avoid it.
- Many shops close on Sundays and public holidays; the centre can feel empty on a Sunday morning.
- The belfry interior is visitable only on a booked guided group tour, not on a walk-in ticket.
- Terlinden Castle itself is closed to the public; only the gardens are open.
Aalst is a calm, ordinary Belgian town and feels safe by day and evening. The real risks are pickpockets around the Grote Markt during Carnival, wet cobbles, and cycling traffic on the ring roads.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Aalst yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Grote Markt and the UNESCO belfry
- Aalst Carnival (Oilsjt Carnaval)
- Town Museum 't Gasthuys and its Carnival Museum
- St Martin's Church and the Rubens painting
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Aalst (official tourism): www.visit-aalst.be
- City of Aalst (official): www.aalst.be/
- Aalst Carnival (official): www.aalstcarnaval.be/
- De Lijn (Flemish bus operator): www.delijn.be/
- Wikivoyage: Aalst, revision 5240706 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5240706
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Aalst
Naar dit adres, alstublieft
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Aalst; most are in Brussels, about 35 min by train.
Tourist office: Hopmarkt 51, +32 53 72 38 80; hours M–F 09:00–17:00, Sa 10:00–17:00, Su and holidays 13:00–17:00.Tourist office: Hopmarkt 51, +32 53 72 38 80; hours M–F 9:00 AM–5:00 PM, Sa 10:00 AM–5:00 PM, Su and holidays 1:00 PM–5:00 PM.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/aalst). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.