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Voykit pocket guide · Belgium
Arlon
Aarlen
Give Arlon one night, not two: the Roman core, the archaeology museum and the St Donat view take half a day, and Luxembourg City is 20 min by train.
Arlon is the capital of Belgium's Luxembourg province and one of the country's oldest towns, grown from a Roman road junction. The historic centre is small and walkable, the Gallo-Roman collection is the reason to come, and the Luxembourg border is a short train ride away. Most travellers use it as a stop between Belgium and Luxembourg City rather than a base.
- Country
- Belgium
- Local name
- Aarlen
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (grey, wet, short days)
- Stay
- 1 night
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 €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ 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 bar / supermarket bottle | €3–5 / €1.50–2.50 |
| Lunch main | €15–24 |
| Dinner main | €19–29 |
| Museum entry | €5–10 (check) |
| Train Arlon → Luxembourg City, one way | €7–8 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LUX · Luxembourg Findel
- About 30–40 min by car; the usual airport for Arlon. Rail link via Luxembourg City.
- BRU · Brussels Airport
- Rail to Arlon via Brussels and Namur, roughly 3 h 30 min.
- CRL · Brussels South Charleroi
- Budget carriers; road or rail via Namur, allow 3 h or more.
Typical fares
- Train Arlon → Luxembourg City
- about €7–8, about 20 min (check)
- Taxi across town
- €10–15 (check)
- Bike rental, tourist office
- about €15/day (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The historic centre is small and easily covered on foot. For sights outside the centre, use a car or a bike; the tourist office rents e-bikes and regular bikes. Local buses run from the station into town, but most visitors never need them.
See and do
Known for
- Gallo-Roman archaeology museum
- Roman Tower and Jupiter Column
- St Donat's church and its carillon
- Belgium's oldest synagogue
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg City | Train from Arlon station, about 20 min | About 40 min |
| Bastogne | Car or bus via the N4, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| Bouillon | Car via the N89, about 1 h | About 1 h 15 min |
| La Roche-en-Ardenne | Car via the N4 and N89, about 1 h 15 min | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Historic centre (Grand-Rue, Rue des Faubourgs)
- Walk to every sight and to the station in 5–10 min; few rooms, book ahead.
- Station quarter
- Easiest arrival with bags; 300 m south of the old town.
- Rue de Lorraine / E25 edge
- Chain hotels with free parking; only worth it if you arrive by car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYAN sa KOOT |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-YAY par KART |
| Where is the station? | Où est la gare ?oo ay la GAR |
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
- No youth hostel in Arlon: the nearest are in Bouillon and Luxembourg City.
- Many restaurants and bars close one or two days a week, often Monday; check before you walk over.
- Sunday and public holidays: most shops shut, a few cafés open.
- Leaving bags or valuables visible in a parked car is a risk anywhere on the E25 corridor: check local advice and take them with you.
Arlon is a quiet small city and street crime is rare. The real risks are weather, closed kitchens on Mondays and car break-ins at the E25 border car parks.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Arlon yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Gallo-Roman archaeology museum
- Roman Tower and Jupiter Column
- St Donat's church and its carillon
- Belgium's oldest synagogue
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 Arlon — official tourist office: www.arlon-tourisme.be/
- Visit Belgium — Wallonia and Luxembourg province: www.visitbelgium.com/
- SNCB / NMBS — Belgian rail timetables and fares: www.belgiantrain.be/en
- Wikivoyage: Arlon, revision 4845196 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4845196
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/arlon). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.