Venue
The 2023 FIATA World Congress will be held at the Square Brussels Convention Centre, right in the heart of Brussels.
SQUARE BRUSSELS CONVENTION CENTRE
SQUARE is situated in Mont-des-Arts, an area that today packs in a fine combination of culture, energy, business, and leisure. Steeped in history, it was once a medieval palace for the Dukes of Brabant and then a centre of European power under the Habsburgs where Belgium’s first sovereign took his oath in 1831. Mont-des-Arts’ fortunes changed however, and its wealthy streets were transformed into a slum. Eventually, its dwellings were torn down and replaced by a park which played host to the Exposition Universelle et Internationale, a world exhibition, in 1910. Ever-changing, the Mont Des Arts was rebuilt in 1958, housing the Royal Library of Belgium and The Congress Center of Brussels that it is today. Situated close to the European institutions, the Mont-des-Arts has come full circle, finding itself once again closely linked to the centre of power in Europe.
ADDRESS
Glass Entrance – Mont des Arts/Kunstberg – 1000 Brussels – BELGIUM
How to get there
From Brussels Airport:
Brussels Airport is located about 12 km from the SQUARE Brussels Convention Centre.
By train
The fastest way to get to Brussels city centre is by train. IC trains run several times per hour from Brussels Airport to Brussels Central Station (average journey time 18 minutes).
The train station is located directly under the arrival hall of the airport at level -1 (view map), the escalator or lift will take you directly to the platform. Take the train and get off at the second stop, Brussels Central. From there, the SQUARE Brussels Convention Centre is only a 2 minutes’ walk across the Mont-des-Arts public gardens (you will see the Glass cube entrance).
The standard fare is € 10.30 for a single journey – tickets can be bought online or at the ticket machine.
By bus
STIB/MIVB Line 12, also known as the “Airport Line”, takes you from Brussels Airport to the European district in 30 minutes, a stone’s throw from the shops in the upper town.It serves different stops on the way to the centre, including Schuman and Trône (view route).
- Departing from the airport to the centre of Brussels: You will need a specific “Go2City” ticket – you can buy a paper ticket at the vending machines located in the airport at the bus level or directly on the platform where the bus departs (€ 7.50), or pay contactless with your bank card directly in the bus (€ 7.00).
- Departing from Brussels city centre to the airport: You can travel with a ticket at a standard fare.
By taxi
There is a clearly organised queue for official taxis just in front of the arrivals hall (follow the “taxi” sign outside). Official taxis can be recognized by the T-license plate and the blue-yellow symbol at the front of the taxi. If you have booked a transfer in advance, your driver will be waiting for you inside the arrivals hall.
It takes around 25 minutes to arrive at the SQUARE, depending on traffic.
From Brussels South Charleroi Airport:
Brussels South Charleroi Airport is located about 60 km from Brussels city centre.
By shuttle bus
Flibco offers shuttle bus connections from Brussels South Charleroi Airport to Brussels Midi/Zuid station (journey time approximately 1 hour), operating daily from 04:40 to 00:40 with departures every 20-30 minutes, depending on flight schedules.
It is recommended to book tickets in advance via their website (from € 5.00).
The Flibco bus stop is located just in front of the exit of the Terminal 1, shuttles can be recognised by the green Flibco logo. Once you arrive at Brussels Midi, take the train to Brussels Central Station (4 minutes, tickets can be bought online or at the vending machines in the station for € 2.50). The SQUARE is only a 2 minutes’ walk from Brussels Central.
By train
The Brussels South Charleroi Airport is only 20 minutes from Charleroi Central station, from where you can reach Brussels Midi/Zuid station by train.
Line A1 takes you from Charleroi Airport to Charleroi Central Station, operating 2x per hour between 04:30 and 23:30. From Charleroi Central Station you can take any train to Brussels Central Station. The SQUARE is only a 2 minutes’ walk from Brussels Central.
The total journey takes around 1.5 hours, a “combined” train + bus ticket at € 16.80 is available on the SNCB website.
By taxi
Taxis are available at the airport – it takes about one hour to arrive at the SQUARE, depending on traffic.
From the train stations:
Brussels Midi/Zuid Station
The Brussels Midi Station is served by national and international train lines, such as Eurostar, Thalys, TGV, ICE and InterCity trains.
Take any train from Brussels Midi to Brussels Central (1 stop) – from there, the SQUARE Brussels Convention Centre is only a 2 minutes’ walk across the Mont-des-Arts public gardens (you will see the Glass cube entrance).
Brussels Central Station
Also known as Gare Centrale (FR) or Brussel Centraal (NL), Brussels Central station offers connections to every part of Belgium. It is located directly in the city centre of Brussels and very close to many hotels and tourist attractions – the SQUARE Brussels Convention Centre is only a 2 minutes’ walk across the Mont-des-Arts public gardens (you will see the Glass cube entrance).
By car:
Brussels is a low emission zone, which means that the most polluting vehicles are not allowed to drive in the city. Registration is mandatory for all vehicles registered abroad (except for vehicles registered in the Netherlands).
For more information on regulations and registration of your vehicle, please visit the following website:
https://www.visit.brussels/en/professionals/travel-trade/how-to-get-to-brussels/by-car-to-brussels
There are two public car parks near the SQUARE with over 1700 parking spaces:
- Parking Albertine # 1 – Place de la Justice 16, 1000 Brussels
- Parking Albertine #2 – Rue des Sols 3, 1000 Brussels
Parking Albertine is the closest car park and is situated underneath SQUARE with direct access to the venue from the inside. For direct access from the car park, please go to level -3 and follow the directions to SQUARE. This route provides direct elevator access.
- Parking Grand Place – Boulevard de l’Impératrice, 1000 Brussels
A short walk away is the Grand Place car park which is conveniently placed midway between SQUARE and the UNESCO world Heritage site of the Grand Place.