Brussels Charleroi South Airport (CRL) is located around 48 km away from Brussels city center. If you’re looking for transport from Charleroi Airport to the city center, you have four options: Brussels Charleroi Airport taxi, private transfer, shuttle bus, or train.
The most convenient option is to take a taxi or Brussels Charleroi Airport transfer. Both will drop you to the doorstep of your destination within 55 minutes. If you’d rather take public transport, the shuttle bus is the best option. The journey matches that of a taxi and buses are available every 20 minutes. Finally, the train is the longest and least convenient option. Clocking in at over 2 hours, this journey involves multiple changes which we don’t recommend.
Below, we detail each route step by step.
4 ways to get from Charleroi Airport to the city center
OPTION | PRICE | TIME | AVAILABILITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Welcome Pickups Private Transfer | €131 | 55min | 24/7 | Convenience | Book | |
| Ideal for families and business travelers after a seamless arrival experience. | ||||||
Taxi | €90 | 55min | 24/7 | Convenience | Book | |
| Good for families or groups after a quick, door-to-door ride. | ||||||
Shuttle bus (Flibco) | €39.90 | 55min | 07:40–00:40 | Convenience | Read more | |
| Great if you're looking for the fastest public transport route. | ||||||
Train | €22.80 | 120min | 05:00–22:00 | Convenience | Read more | |
| Perfect for budget-conscious travelers. | ||||||
Taking a taxi from Brussels Charleroi Airport to the city center is one of the best ways to travel. Not only do you get a door-to-door service, but you also have transport available 24/7. You can’t say the same for the shuttle bus or train.
Brussels Charleroi Airport taxis are also known to be safe, comfortable and efficient. The journey will take around 55 minutes in normal traffic conditions.
Brussels Charleroi Airport to the city center taxi fares
The cost of a taxi from Charleroi Airport to the city center varies depending on your final destination. However, a good ballpark is around €90. As Brussels taxi drivers do not use fixed rate fares, the taximeter will calculate the cost accounting for the distance traveled and time of day. After 22:00, this amount may rise by 15%.
Any tolls you pass on the way to your destination will also be added to your final fare.
Where do I get a taxi from?
You can easily spot the taxis lining up outside of the Arrivals Hall on the ground floor, near the exit doors. Keep in mind that there are no “official taxis” at Charleroi Airport, so they have no uniform color or branding. Several taxi companies frequently supply taxis to the airport. As long as you can see the driver’s licensing information in the window, it’s safe to ride with them.
Convenience
Taking a taxi from Charleroi Airport to Brussels means that you don’t have to worry about changing transportation or finding your way to your hotel using public transport, which is great news when you’re in a new city. The downside of this option is you may need to wait for an available cab, and it actually costs a bit more than a more luxurious private transfer.
Useful Tips
Book a trusted, English-speaking driver to pick you up at the same price as a regular taxi
Learn moreFlibco runs the Brussels Charleroi Airport to the city center shuttle, which is known to be a comfortable and reliable service. It’ll get you to Brussels Midi Station in around 55 minutes depending on traffic conditions. It departs every 20 minutes between 07:40 and 00:40 every day.
Note: Always check the Flibco website for the latest timetables.
How much is a bus from Charleroi Airport to Brussels?
The Brussels Charleroi Airport to city center bus costs €19.95 per person.
You can purchase your ticket online or from the driver. Given that buses are first come, first served, it’s more convenient to pre-book your bus online. The website is easy to navigate and available in multiple languages. Tickets purchased from the driver are also more expensive and subject to availability constraints.
The Flibco bus is available from 07:40 to 01:00 at Charleroi Airport.
Where do I get a bus from?
The shuttle bus terminal is located in front of the Terminal 1 of Charleroi Airport. You will find the Flibco Shuttle bus waiting outside Exit 4.
Convenience
The Flibco Shuttle bus takes you directly from Charleroi Airport to the Bruxelles-Midi station in no more than 55 minutes. That makes it one of the simplest public transport options available. However, you will need to take a bus, metro, or taxi to your final destination when you arrive at Brussels Midi Station.
Timetables
Flibco Shuttle bus timetable and tickets
Useful Tips
Sadly, there is no direct Charleroi Airport to the city center train. The journey by train is quite circuitous. You first need to take the A1 bus to Charleroi Train Station. There are no direct trains from Charleroi to Brussels either. So you’ll need to take the train to Ottiginies and then get the train to Brussels city center.
The bus from Charleroi to the train station takes just 19 minutes. It’s available from 05:00 to 23:00 every day.
The train from Charleroi station to Ottiginies station takes 30 minutes and departs twice per hour from 05:37 to 22:37 every day.
Once you get to Ottiginies, you’ll have about 8-10 minutes to transfer to the Brussels train. Then, it’ll take about 40 minutes to get to Brussels Central Station.
Therefore the journey takes around 2 hours end to end.
How much is a train from Brussels Charleroi Airport to the city?
The bus from Charleroi Airport to the train station costs €2.10 per person. Then the combined train journey from Charleroi station to Ottiginies and then to Brussels station costs €11.40 per person.
Therefore, an adult will spend €13.50 getting from Charleroi Airport to Brussels city center by train. Discounts are available for teens, seniors, and children under 12.
You can purchase your tickets online or at the kiosks at each train station.
Trains are available from 05:00 to 22:30 every day.
Where do I get a train from?
To catch the train, you must first take the bus from outside of the terminal building at Charleroi Airport. Once you get to Charleroi Train Station, head to Platform 3 to catch the train to Ottiginies. The train to Brussels departs from multiple platforms at Ottiginies because the route is so frequent, so you’ll need to consult the online schedule or live departure boards at the station when you arrive.
Convenience
Taking a train from Charleroi Airport to Brussels is the least convenient method. Because there are two changes, it can be cumbersome to navigate with small children and/or heavy luggage. This is also the longest route to Brussels city center. Therefore, we recommend taking a taxi, transfer, or bus over taking a train.
Timetables
Charleroi Airport to Charleroi Train Station
Bus Timetable
SNCB
Train Timetables and Tickets
Useful Tips
Taking a Brussels Charleroi Airport transfer from Charleroi Airport to the city center is the best way to travel. Not only do you get all of the benefits of a taxi, but you also get to skip the taxi queue!
Professional private transfer companies like Welcome Pickups provide personalized services to make your arrival as hassle-free as possible.
Here’s what you can expect:
Getting from Charleroi Airport to the city doesn’t need to be stressful. If you book a private transfer in advance, you can relax knowing everything is taken care of.
How much is a private transfer from Charleroi Airport to the city?
When you book a private transfer, you’ll receive an all-inclusive fixed quote for your journey. That means you don’t have to stare down the taximeter. Instead, you can breathe out in the knowledge that your trip is booked and paid for.
As a guide, here are our prices for a transfer from Charleroi Airport to Brussels:
You can book via our online portal or mobile app (App Store || Google Play). Simply put in your flight number, intended destination, personal details and pickup time to secure your personalised quote. The quote is all-inclusive with zero hidden costs. So no amount of traffic or flight delay will change your set fee.
Private transfers are available 24/7 from CRL Airport.
Where do I get a private transfer from?
When you touch down at Charleroi Airport, your friendly, professional local driver will be waiting in the Arrivals Hall. They’ll carry a sign with your name on it to help you identify them. After a warm welcome to Brussels, they’ll assist you with your luggage and lead you to your personal vehicle.
If your flight is delayed, we’ll update your driver so you don’t have to. That way, you can rest assured that your driver will be there when you arrive.
Convenience
Private transfers are the next level of convenience from local Brussels Charleroi Airport taxis. With fixed-rate fares and bespoke vehicles, everything is taken care of for you so you can start your journey in Brussels relaxed.
Useful Tips
Sedan up to 4 passengers
€47Starting from 11.8 EUR / passenger
Minivan up to 8 passengers
€66Starting from 8.3 EUR / passenger
Minibus up to 8 passengers
€87Starting from 10.9 EUR / passenger
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Charleroi Airport to the city?
You can get from Brussels Charleroi Airport to the city in four ways: by taxi, transfer, shuttle bus, or train. Taking an Brussels Airport taxi or transfer is the simplest way and shouldn’t take longer than 55 minutes. The Flibco shuttle bus also takes around 55 minutes to get to the city center and costs €19.95 per person. The least convenient method is to take a public bus from Charleroi Airport to Charleroi train station, and then take two trains to Brussels Central Train Station.
Is it easy to get from Charleroi to Brussels?
It is relatively easy to get from Brussels South Charleroi Airport to Brussels city center. The best way is by taxi or transfer as you’ll get a door-to-door service to your destination. The Flibco shuttle bus is also reliable and easy to find. If you’re wondering how far is Charleroi Airport to the city center? The distance is around 67 km.
How much is a taxi from Charleroi Airport to Brussels city center?
The taxi from Charleroi Airport to the city center price is around €90. Brussels taxis use taximeters to calculate their fares depending on the distance traveled and time of day, so your taxi fare will vary. If you want a fixed price confirmed in advance of your trip, you can book a private transfer from a top-rated company like Welcome Pickups.
How long does the Brussels city shuttle take?
The Flibco Shuttle Bus from Charleroi Airport to Brussels Midi Station takes about 55 minutes depending on traffic conditions, and there is up to a 20-minute wait for the next bus to pick you up from the hours of 07:40 and 00:40 every day.
Olivia De Santos
Olivia De Santos is a seasoned travel writer and adventurer with bylines in Lonely Planet and A Way Abroad. With over ten years of professional writing experience and a degree in Linguistics, she blends cultural insight and personal storytelling to help travelers see the world in a new light.
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