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General Information |
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| The official languages for Belgium are Flemish (Dutch), French and German. In big cities like Antwerp, most people also speak English. |
| Our currency used to be the " Belgian Frank" but now we use the �. It consists out of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cent and 1 and 2� coins. The notes are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500�. Almost every shops accepts Visa, Master cards, Diners Club, Acces Card, American Express is sometimes not accepted. Some places also refuse taking 500� notes. On weekdays the banks are open from 9.00 till 12.00 and from 13.30 till 16.00 hrs. Exept for a few, they are all closed on saturday and sunday. During the tourist season, some places also accept $, but then ofcourse you end up paying more. |
| Belgium runs on Central European Time, which is one hour ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time. We read our time not in am and pm but in a 24 hour system. So after 12.00 am, we move onto 13.00 hrs, then 14.00 hrs.... right upto 23.59 then it's back to 00.00. |
| The electricety uses 220 - 240 volts. |
| It is safe to drink tapwater. |
| The postoffices are open every weekday from 09.00 till 12.00 and from 14.00 till 16.00 hrs. The main post offices are also open on saturday from 09.00 till 12.00 hrs. When you send something abroad, you can choose between normal postage or priority. Choose priority, it's not much difference in price but it could make up to 2 weeks difference in getting your mail delivered. |
| Almost all the telephone booths use cards, there are hardly any left that use coins (50 cent, 1 & 2�). Telephone cards can be bought at the postoffice, the trainstation and practicly any bookshop. When you call abroad, dial 00 + country number + area and subscribers number. Cheap rates start after 19.00 hrs till 08.00 hrs. On friday 19.00 the weekend rate starts which lasts untill monday morning 08.00. |
| The Public Transport is the easiest way to get around. Bus & tram services are very frequent any time between 06.00 in the morning and 23.30 hrs at night. Taxi's can be found all over town but are rather expensive. Nearly everywhere you park your car, you have to buy tickets, they are valid for a limited time. There is a very strict control on this, also don't take chances on parking your car where it's not allowed, be sure it will be towed away. Getting it back will cost you about 70 to 100 $. Over the weekend the parking area's are for free. |
| We drive on the right - handside of the road. Speedlimits are 120 km/hr on motorways, 90 km/hr on mainroads and 50 km/hr in built - up area's. Drink driving is a serious offence (drinking more than 2 beers puts you over the limit), you can loose your drivers licence straight away and fines are big, Anyway, be careful is you're thinking of driving around here, Belgium has one of the worst accidents records in Europe. Children under 12 are not allowed to sit in the front, always wear your seatbelts! (big fines if you get caught) |
| Pharmacies are open from 09.00 till 12.00 and from 13.30 till 18.30 hrs. They are closed over the weekend exept for the ones on weekend - duty. Every pharmacy has a list displayed giving you the adress of the ones on duty. |
