Airport Guides : Brussels Airport 

Full Airport Name

Brussels Airport

Address :

The Brussels Airport Company,

Brussels Airport,

B-1930 Zaventem, Belgium

Airport Code

BRU

Country Code

32

Telephone

(02) 753 7753 or 0900 70000

E-mail : info@brusselsairport.be

Website : www.brusselsairport.be

Number of Terminals : 1

Time Zone : GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October)

Location : The airport is located 12km (8 miles) northeast of Brussels.

 Car Parking :

Brussels Airport provides a total capacity of 10,600 spaces within walking distance from the terminal buidling (24/7). The different car parks at Brussels Airport cater for all parking needs all year round. The parking offer includes short-term, and long-term parking and special parking services such as VIP parking or extra-secured parking.

 You can park your car in one of the car parks near the terminal or choose to leave it in a remote car park with free shuttle service and optional car wash service.

Also check out the promotion rates for city-breaks or week stays at Front Park 3 (P3).

Most car parks on the departure and arrival levels provide dedicated parking spaces for the disabled. These spaces are marked with the “Disabled Parking Only” sign and are located as close as possible to the car park exits. Please note that you are only allowed to use these places if the vehicle displays a disabled parking permit.

Car Hire

Avis, Europcar, Hertz, National Car Rental and Sixt have desks in the arrivals hall.

Public Transport

Rail:

The airport train station is located below the terminal (basement level-1). Up to 4 trains an hour connects the airport to three main stations (Gare Centrale[18 mins], Gare du Nord[21 mins] and Gare du Midi[28 mins]).

Moreover there are direct train services to the East, South and West of Belgium.

Gent – Wetteren – Aalst – Denderleeuw – Brussel – Brussels Airport

De Panne – Diksmuide – Lichtervelde – Deinze – Gent – Brussel – Brussels Airport

Quévy/Quiévrain – Bergen – Braine-le-Comte – Halle – Brussel – Schaarbeek – Brussels Airport

Train to Leuven and Landen run twice an hour. If you change trains you can easily get to the provinces of Limburg (via Hasselt) and Liège (via Luik-Guillemins).

Further information is available from Belgian Railways

 (tel: (02) 528 2828; website: www.b-rail.be).

Road:

Bus:

The bus station is located on level 0 – one floor down from the arrivals hall – and can be easily reached by using the escalators or elevators.

Centrally located on the bus station there are three platforms each with its specific use.

De Lijn

Bus company De Lijn operates express bus services to railway station Brussels North (line 471), NATO (line 471) and the Brussels underground station Roodebeek (line 659). Moreover De Lijn also operates regional services to Mechelen (lines 681, 682 and 683), Leuven (651 & 652), Vilvoorde (281, 282 & 683), Merchtem (821), Brussels North station (272), Jette (820), Brussels Expo (820), Haacht (272), Diegem (272 & 282), Roodebeek (359), Groenendaal (830), Kapelle-op-den-Bos (621) etc.

Brucargo is served by bus lines 272, 616, 651, 652, 659, 681, 682, 683, 820, 821 and 830.

All De Lijn services that run via Brucargo depart from platform B; the other De Lijn services depart from platform A.

The use of the De Lijn buses between bus stops located within the airport perimeter is free for all.  

Tel. +32 70 22 02 00

MIVB/STIB:

The Airport Line is a 30-minute express service between Brussels Airport and the European quarter, at a stone’s throw from the uptown shops. 

From Monday to Friday 8 pm the Airport Line carries the number 12 and serves the major stops. 

On weekdays after 8 pm, on Saturday, Sunday and holidays the Airport Line carries the number 21 and serves all stops.

Fares remain low:

For 1 journey (purchased outside vehicle) : € 3.00 

For 1 journey (purchased inside vehicle) : € 4.00 

For 10 journeys: € 21.00

Frequent travellers can buy a monthly season ticket at  € 45.00 or an annual season ticket for € 450.00 (valid on the entire STIB network)

All MIVB/STIB buses depart from platform C. 

Tel. 32 70 23 20 00

Bus # 12 [Weekdays]: From Monday to Friday until 8 PM 

Bus # 21 [During the week after 8 PM, on Saturday, Sunday and holidays] 

Antwerp Express

Every hour a direct coach service departs from the airport to the city center of Antwerp. This coach service is operated every day.The coaches leave from the back of platform B at the bus station (level 0).

The stop “De Keyserlei” (near the central station) is always served, the stop “Crowne Plaza” is only served on request.

On weekdays and Saturdays:

First departure: 5:00 a.m.

Last departure: 12 midnight

On sundays:

First departure: 7:00 a.m.

Last departure: 12 midnight

Travel time: 45 minutes

Tickets: available from the driver

Fare: € 10,-  for adults;  € 5,- for children

Operator: De Decker – Van Riet

Tel. +32 52 33 40 00

Website : http://www.airportexpress.be/

Brussels Airport Express

Every hour a direct coach service departs from Antwerp to Brussels Airport. This coach service runs every day.Stop “De Keyserlei” (near central station)

On weekdays and Saturdays:

First departure: 4:00 a.m.

Last departure: 11:00 p.m. 

On Sundays:

First departure: 6:00 a.m.

Last departure: 11.00 p.m.

Travel time: 45 minutes

Stop “Crowne Plaza”

On weekdays and Saturdays:

First departure: 4:10 a.m.

Last departure: 11:10 p.m.

On Sundays:

First departure: 6.10 a.m.

Last departure: 11:10 p.m.

Travel time: 35 minutes

Tickets: available from the driver

Fare: € 10,-  for adults;  € 5,- for children

Operator: De Decker – Van Riet

Tel. +32 52 33 40 00

Taxi: 

Taxis with a taximeter are permanently available in front of the arrivals hall. The fare from the airport to the city centre of Brussels is normally around € 35.

Licensed taxis can be recognized by the blue and yellow emblem.

Please avoid unlicensed taxis.

Wheelchair users can order a taxi from Taxi Hendriks:

Tel: +32 2 752 98 00

Fax: +32 2 752 98 01

E-mail: info.melsbroek@hendriks.be

Website: www.hendriks.be

Other Taxi Services:

Autolux : Tel. (0)2 411 12 21

Taxis Bleus : Tel. (0)2 268 00 00

Taxis Orange : Tel. (0)2 349 43 43

Taxis Verts : Tel. (0)2 349 49 49

Information and Help Desks

An airport information desk is available in the Departures area. There is also an Information Call Center (tel: (02) 753 7753 or 0900 70000).

Airport Facilities

• Money and communications: Facilities include a bank and post office, bureaux de change and ATMs.
• Mobile telephones can be hired from Locaphone in the Arrivals hall.
• Internet, data ports for laptops and Wireless Internet connection are available at the Communications Center in the Arrivals hall.

Eating and drinking: There are several bars, cafés, restaurants and vending machines available.

Shopping: There are a wide variety of shops, including duty-free.

Baggage Lockers:

 Public zone :Baggage lockers are available on level 0 – bus station on the left against the façade for anyone leaving the terminal via the Diamond.

The use of a locker cost € 7.50 for 24 hours. 

Payment is made with coins of € 0.50, € 1 and € 2. 

A change machine near the lockers exchanges euro banknotes for coins.

Transitzone

Small luggage lockers are also available in the shopping area of Pier A, ground floor and 1st floor. These lockers can also be rented for short periods. The charge is:

€ 1 for 30 minutes

€ 2 for 1 hour

€ 3 for 2 hours

€ 5 for 24 hours

There are change machines at both levels that accept banknotes of € 5, € 10 and € 20.

Oversized baggage :

Oversized baggage can also be deposited on level 0. To do so please ring tel.  +32 2 753 30 13 or use the interphone which is available free of charge near the lockers.

Storage costs € 7.50 for 24 hours for 3 pieces of luggage

For every extra piece of luggage € 2.50 will be charged.

Other facilities: (

• Baby-changing facilities are situated throughout the terminal building.
• There is a pharmacy open seven days a week,
• A travel agency, and multi-denominational places of worship.

Facilities for Disabled Travelers: (http://www.brusselsairport.be/en/airportinfo/special-care/reduced-mobility)

Source: www.brusselsairport.com and Internet.

Published by Paulo Coelho

The aikidô master demanded intensive training but never allowed his pupils to compete with other martial-arts academies. They all complained among themselves but no-one ever had the nerve to bring up the subject in class.

And then one day one of the boys dared to ask:

- We have dedicated ourselves wholeheartedly to the study of aikidô, but we shall never know whether we are good or bad fighters because we cannot compete with anyone from outside here.

- And may you never need to know that – was the master’s answer. – He who wants to fight loses his bond with the Universe. Here we study the art of resolving conflicts, not starting them.

Source : http://paulocoelhoblog.com

Sterling Books 

Sterling Books – opened its doors to the public in 1997.

Next to the usual assortment of the latest new titles in fiction and non-fiction, at any one time Sterling Books offers an outstanding selection of more than 40.000 titles currently on the British and American market, not easily found elsewhere in Belgium at such competitive prices.

Sterling Books also helps to meet your need for English language newspapers and magazines, calenders and diaries, magnetic poetry, bookmarks, greeting-cards, finger-puppets and much much more.

Address : 

Wolvengracht 38 Fossé aux Loups 

1000 Brussels 

Tel.: 02 223 62 23

By public transport:

Metro: De Brouckère

Tram: 3, 52, 55, 56, 81, 82, 90

Bus: 29,38,47, 48, 63, 65, 66, 71, 95

Opening Hours :  The shop is open seven days a week:

Monday till Saturday: 10.00-19.00 

Sunday: 12.00-18.30

• Waterstone’s 

Waterstone's Brussels

 The shop has been in Brussels since 1921, first trading under WHSmith, but since 1997 under Waterstone’s.

 Besides books they have a large selection of directly imported English and American magazines.   You will also find DVD’s and audio books on sale. And they carry some Greeting Cards and Games.   They have regular promotions going on.[For Eg 3 for 2 three books for the price of two on selected books] 

Address :

 Boulevard Adolphe Maxlaan 71-75

  B-1000 Brussels  Belgium 

Tel: +32 2 219 27 08 

E-mail:orders@brussels.waterstones.co.uk.

By Public Transport :

Metro: De Brouckère

Tram: 3, 52, 55, 56, 81, 82, 90

Bus: 29,38,47, 48, 63, 65, 66, 71, 95

 Opening Hours:

  Monday to Saturday:9.00-19.00

  Sunday:10.30-18.00

By Paulo Coelho

“Everyone knows that the lives of clouds are very active, but very short,” writes Bruno Ferrero. And that brings us to another story:

A young cloud was born in the middle of a great storm in the Mediterranean Sea. But it hardly had time to grow there; a strong wind pushed all the clouds towards Africa.

As soon as they arrived on the continent, the climate changed: a warm sun shone in the sky, and down below the golden sand of the Sahara desert spread into the distance. The wind continued to push them towards the forests in the south, since it hardly ever rains in the desert.

However, just as it is with young people, so with young clouds: this one decided to break away from its parents and older friends, to see the world.

- What are you doing? – complained the wind. – The entire desert is exactly the same! Come back to the group, and let’s go to the center of Africa, where there are beautiful mountains and trees!

But the young cloud, a rebel by nature, did not obey; little by little, it lowered its altitude, until it was able to float on a gentle, generous breeze down near the golden sands. After wandering all over the place, it noticed that one of the dunes was smiling at it.

It was because the dune was also young, recently formed by the wind which had just passed. Straight away, the cloud fell in love with its golden hair.

- Good morning – said the cloud. – What is it like living down there?

- I have the company of the other dunes, the sun, the wind, and the caravans which pass by from time to time. Sometimes it is very hot, but it is bearable. And what is living up there like?

- There is also the wind and the sun, but the advantage is, I can wander across the sky and get to know everything.

- For me life is short – said the dune. – When the wind returns from the forests, I will disappear.

- And does that make you sad?

- It gives me the impression that I am of no use to anyone.

- I feel the same way. As soon as another wind comes, I will go south and become rain; however, that’s my destiny.

The dune hesitated for a moment, before saying:

- Did you know that, down here in the desert, we call the rain Paradise?

- I didn’t know I could become something so important – said the proud cloud.

- I’ve heard several legends told by old dunes. They say that, after the rain, we are covered in herbs and flowers. But I’d never know what that is like, for in the desert it only rains very rarely.

This time it was the cloud which hesitated. But then it started to smile joyfully:

- If you like, I can cover you with rain. Although I’ve only just arrived, I am in love with you, and would like to stay here forever.

- When I first saw you up in the sky, I too fell in love – said the dune. – but if you turn your lovely white hair into rain, you will die.

- Love never dies – said the dune. – It transforms; and I want to show you Paradise.

And so it began to caress the dune with droplets; they remained together like this for a long time, until a rainbow appeared.

The next day, the small dune was covered in flowers. Other clouds passing towards central Africa, thought that must be part of the forest they were searching for, and poured down more rain. Twenty years later, the dune had become an oasis, which refreshed travelers under the shade of its trees.

And all because, one day, a loving cloud hadn’t been afraid to give up its life in the name of love.

I am pretty sure that you would have liked the story very much.

If you liked to read more stories you can visit Paulo Coelho blogs or buy his books at the near book store.

http://paulocoelhoblog.com

http://www.warriorofthelight.com

Published by Paulo Coelho on January 20, 2009 in Stories.

A lion came across a group of cats having a chat. “I’m going to devour them,” he thought.

But then an odd feeling of calm came over him. And he decided to sit down with them and pay attention to what they were saying.

- Good God! – said one of the cats, without noticing the lion’s presence. – We have prayed all afternoon! We asked for the skies to rain mice on us!

- And so far nothing has happened! – said another. – I wonder if the Lord really exists.

The skies remained mute. And the cats lost their faith.

The lion rose and went on his way, thinking: “funny how things are. I was going to kill those animals, but God stopped me. And even so, they stopped believing in divine grace. They were so worried about what was missing that they did not even notice the protection they were given.”

Source : http://paulocoelhoblog.com

Published by Paulo Coelho on January 16, 2009 in Stories. 25 Comments

Paulo Coelho

An old man sold toys in the Baghdad market. Knowing that his sight was not quite perfect, his customers sometimes paid him with fake money.

The old man discovered the ruse, but did not say anything. In his prayers he asked God to forgive those who cheated him. “Perhaps they’re short of money and want to buy presents for their children,” he said to himself.

The time passed and the old man died. Standing before the gates of Heaven, he prayed once more:

- Lord! – he said. – I am a sinner. I did many wrong things, I am no better than the false coins I was paid. Forgive me!

At that moment the gates swung open and a Voice was heard:

- Forgive what? How can I judge someone who all through his life never once passed judgment on others?

Source :  http://paulocoelhoblog.com

Published by Paulo Coelho on January 14, 2009 in Stories. 

There are moments when we would like very much to help someone we love deeply and we just can’t seem to do a thing. Either circumstances prevent us from drawing closer or else the person has shut off to any gesture of solidarity and support.

So, all we have left is love. In those moments when everything is useless, we can still love – without expecting anything in return, any exchanges or thanks.

If we can manage to act in this way, the energy of love begins to transform the universe around us. When this energy appears, you always perform your work successfully.

“Time does not change men. Will power does not change men. Love changes men,” says Henry Drummond.

I read in the newspaper about a child in Brasília who was brutally beaten by his parents. As a result, she lost her body movements and her power of speech.

Admitted to the Base Hospital, she was taken care of by a nurse who said to her every day: “I love you.” Although the doctors guaranteed that she could not hear and that the nurse’s efforts were all to no avail, she kept repeating: “I love you, don’t you forget that.”

Three weeks later on, the child had recovered her movements. Four weeks later, she started to talk and smile again. The nurse never gave any interviews and the newspapers did not publish her name – but let it be registered here, so that we will never forget: love is a great healer.

Love transforms, love heals. But at times love builds mortal traps and ends up destroying the person who has decided to surrender completely. What strange sentiment is this that deep down is the only reason for us to go on living and struggling and trying to make things better?

It would irresponsible of me to try to define it because, like any other human being, all I can do is feel it. Thousands of books have been written about it, plays put on at the theater, films produced, poems scribbled, sculptures carved in wood or marble – and even so, all that the artist can convey is the idea of a feeling, not the feeling itself.

But I have learned that this feeling is present in the small things and manifests itself in the most insignificant of attitudes we take, so we must always have love in mind when we act or fail to act.

Picking up the phone and uttering that affectionate word we have been putting off. Opening the door and showing in someone who needs our help. Accepting a job. Leaving a job. Making that decision that we were putting off for later. Apologizing for a mistake we made that will not leave us in peace. Claiming a right that we have. Opening an account at the florist’s – which is more important than the jeweler’s. Playing the music loud when your loved one is far away and lower the volume when he or she is nearby. Knowing how to say “yes” and “no” – because love involves all of man’s energies. Discovering a sport that can be practiced by two. Not following any prescription, not even those listed in this paragraph – because love calls for creativity.

And when none of this is possible, when all that is left is loneliness, then remember a story that a reader once sent me:

A rose dreamed day and night about having the company of the bees, but none ever came to land on her petals.

But the flower went on dreaming: during many a long night she imagined a sky with lots of bees flying towards her and kissing her tenderly. In this way she managed to resist to the next day, when she opened again to the sunlight.

One night the moon, knowing how lonely the rose felt, asked her:

- Aren’t you tired of waiting?

- Perhaps. But I have to struggle on.

- Why?

- Because if I don’t open up, I will wither.

At moments when loneliness seems to crush all beauty, the only way to resist is to keep yourself open.

Destroying your neighbor

Published by Paulo Coelho on January 13, 2009 in Stories. 

Malba Tahan illustrates the dangers of words: a woman said so often that her neighbor was a thief that the young man was finally arrested. Some days later, they discovered that he was innocent and set him free. Then he sued the woman.

- Comments are not so serious – she said to the judge.

- Granted – answered the magistrate. – When you get back home today, write down everything bad you said about the young man, then tear up the paper and throw the bits away as you walk along. Come back tomorrow to hear the sentence.

The woman obeyed and returned the following day.

- You are pardoned if you give me the bits of paper you spread on the street yesterday. Otherwise you will be condemned to a year in prison – declared the magistrate.

- But that’s impossible! The wind has blown them all away!

- In the very same way, a simple comment can be spread by the wind and destroy a man’s honor, and afterwards it is impossible to repair the harm that has been done.

And he sent the woman off to jail.

Source : http://paulocoelhoblog.com

As reading the story I found some thought shared by Mr Sherlock which was impressive and useful.

So here I am sharing it in my Dream Journey. 

Thought shared in A Study in Scarlet.

• You see,” he explained, “I consider that a man’s brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”

• Where there is no imagination there is no Horror
• One’s  Idea must be as board as the Nature if they have to Interpret Nature.
• To a great mind,nothing is little.

The saying is so true we have a take it granted attitude towards our loved once and show more curtsy to the person we met once in our lifetime.

A Stranger Passed By

I ran into a stranger as he passed by.
“Oh, excuse me please” was my reply.

He said, “Please, excuse me too,
Wasn’t even watching for you.”

We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.

But at home a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.

Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My daughter stood beside me very still.

When I turned, I nearly knocked her down.
“Move out of the way,” I said with a frown.

She walked away, her little heart broken
at how harshly I had spoken.

While I lay awake in bed,
God’s still small voice came to me and said,

“While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
But the children you love, you seem to abuse.

Look on the kitchen floor,
You’ll find some flowers there by the door.

Those are the flowers she brought for you.
She picked them herself, pink, yellow and blue.

She stood quietly not to spoil the surprise,
And you never saw the tears in her eyes.

“By this time, I felt very small,
and now my tears began to fall.

I quietly went and knelt by her bed;
“Wake up, little girl, wake up,” I said.

“Are these the flowers you picked for me?”
She smiled, “I found ‘em, out by the tree.

I picked ‘em, because they’re pretty like you.
I knew you’d like’em, especially the blue.

I said, “Daughter, I’m sorry for the way I acted today;
I shouldn’t have yelled at you that way.”

She said, “Oh, Mom, that’s okay.
I love you anyway.”

I said, “Daughter, I love you too,
And I do like the flowers, especially the blue.”