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== European Carpooling There are few free public toilets around, and you might even be charged in places like McD''(Taxi Stop - Eurostop)'' ==[http://www.taxistops.be Taxi Stop] It is an agency that offers carpooling possibilities best to drivers in destination or from [[Europe]]an countries as well as passengers avoid the tourist areas when looking for a destinationfree toilet and aim at the less obvious places such as big chain hotels (Radisson... The website is available in English ), public buildings (as opposed to its [[Germany|German]] equivalentlibraries and schools) but requires to create a free subscription account in matter to contact a driver or a passenger. Although and some cafés where you can use the toilet without being spotted by the availability and destination listing does not require staff who might request you to log in. This service is called ''eurostop'' and has pay a set rule regarding the fees which is pretty simple: registration fee up to the service is free of charge50 cents, a passenger is simply asked to pay 3€/100km although many will allow you to use the driver once at destination.toilet if you ask them in English!
== Public Transport ==Public transport Belgium is extensive famous for its ''frietkoten''. These are small restaurants or stands that sell French fries (a Belgian dish mind you! Protip: Make sure you don't call them French fries, but just fries. Because some will lecture you about fries not being French.) and affordable to all sorts of snacks for relatively low prices. It's not very healthy, but for EUR 5 you can have quite a big meal which is bigger & cheaper then McD's. Every village has a certain pointfrietkot, and every city has at least one in every neighborhood.
The Belgian train ([http://www.b-rail.be/main/E/index.php SNCB/NMBS] Company reaches all major cities with a regular service. On weekends (from Friday after 19h until Sunday evening), the return ticket is reduced by 50% which is good option for a weekend evasion within the country. The Go-Pass/Rail-Pass is a 10 journeys ticket that allows you to go everywhere in the country (borders excluded). The Go-Pass cost €50 (so 5€/journey) and is for the -26, although if you don't look too old you probably won't be asked to prove your age. The Rail-Pass, for those over 26, costs €74. The Go-Pass is a good option to go from one side of the country to another. The pass is valid for a year from the date of purchase.== Personal Experiences ==
'''Buses/Tram:'''* In Flanders (north), the public transport company is [http://www.delijn.be/ DeLijn] which completes the train services into the rural towns and inside the urbanised areas. It is possible to buy a 'LijnKaart' which saves you on the cost of local transport.* In [[Brussels]], public transport are provided by the [http://www.stib.be/index.htm?guest_user=guest_en STIB/MIVB]. There again you can buy a 5 or 10 journeys ticket. Note that buying your ticket inside the bus/tram costs you more. More details will be added regarding Public Transport in Brussels on the city page itself.* In Wallonia (south), the regional bus company is [http://www.infotec.be/index.aspx?PageId=631734023237830544&Language=english TEC]Pls add info
There are few free public toilets around, and you might even be charged in places like McDonald's. It is best to avoid the touristic areas when looking for a free toilet and aim at the less obvious places such as big chain hotels (Radisson...), public buildings (libraries and schools) and some cafes where you can use the toilet without being spot by the staff who might request you to pay a fee up to 50 cents, although many will allow you to use the toilet if you ask them in English!{{nomadwiki}}
Belgium is famous for its frietkoten. These are small restaurants or shacks, that sell French fries (a Belgian dish mind you! Protip[https: Make sure you don't call them French fries, but just fries. Because some will lecture lecture you about fries not being french//www.) and all sorts of snacks for relatively low pricesfacebook. It's not very healthy, but for €5 you can have quite a big meal which is bigger & cheaper then McDonald's. Every village has a frietkot, and every city has at least one com/groups/467054706678994/ Facebook group Hitchhiking in every neighborhood. Also make sure you try out the beer. Belgians have the most Belgium and best types of beer in the world, and often it'll be cheaper then water or soda.Netherlands]
== Useful links ==
<!-- * The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motorways_in_Belgium List of motorways in Belgium] on Wikipedia contains useful information. -->
* [http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lijst_van_Belgische_autosnelwegen The Dutch Wikipedia] contains much more useful information than the English Wikipedia (even you don't read Dutch), with specific information about locations of gas stations, e.g. about the [http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/A13_%28Belgi%C3%AB%29 A13/E313].
* [http://www.liftpunt.tk Liftpunt], discussion forum about hitchhiking in Dutch, also for Flandres!
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'''Belgium''' is a small country between, clockwise from the North, the [[Netherlands]], [[Germany]], [[Luxembourg]] and [[France]]. It is a member state of the [[European Union]] as well as the [[Schengen Agreement]].
The country is divided into a Dutch speaking part in the North ([[Flanders]]), and a French speaking part in the South (Wallonie) and a tiny German speaking part in the East. [[Brussels]], the country and European capital, has a bilingual status. In Flanders most people will be able to help you out easily in English. In French speaking Belgium English is quite a bit less commonly spoken, but on the whole people will be able to help you out (especially younger people).
Hitch-hiking in the country is in general fairly easy, and, due to the high number of foreigners working in the country, getting a ride out of the country is usually just as easy. The country has one of the most dense road and motorway networks in Europe which can make it slightly complex when trying to find a direct route to a destination. Still, hitching out of a city or moving from on-ramp to on-ramp is usually fairly simple.
Useful tip: Free use of Internet PC's in many city libraries.
Useful tip: Most petrol stations in Belgium are open 24/7, the staff is friendly and you can have a nap during the night, if you end up on the road. However, be careful since the traffic is high all night long, many people stop and some can be drunk.
It is common practice to use the E-numbers for motorways, instead of A-numbers like in most countries. Even on road signs you will only find E-numbers.
== Main Cities ==
[[File:NetherlandsHitchhiking-without-canoe-belgium-2013.jpg|thumb|right300px|200px|Leaving for Hitchhiking without a canoe, coming from the [[Netherlands]]Post Hitchgathering 2013 in Houyet]]
* [[Brussels]] (French: ''Bruxelles'', Dutch: ''Brussel'', German: ''Brüssel'')
* [[Louvain-la-Neuve]] (''idem'')
== License plates Food & Toilets ==Belgian license plates do not contain information about where The price of food on motorway services is very high, so try to stock up before leaving and note that very few motorway services have free toilets. The price (usually between EUR 0.30 and 0.70) sometimes includes a voucher that can be used in the car comes fromrestaurant. A Belgian license plate However, it is assigned for life easy to jump over the owner of a carbarrier and use the toilet for free. Usually The cheapest supermarkets in the plates country are white with red text. Cars owned by employees of institutes of the European Union in Brussels ''Lidl'', ''Aldi'' and Diplomatic Technical ''Colruyt'', and Administrative Staff have a white plate with blue lettersfood bought in them will be significantly cheaper than on motorway services. Diplomatic license plates start ''Carrefour'' and ''Delhaize'' are more expensive options, but are extensively located downtown with "CD". When Belgians replace their carslonger opening hours (Often 20:00, they but not all of them!) which will keep offer better prices than the same license plate numberconvenience stores. Often the name Note that in Belgium most shops close at 18:00 and the city of the garage where the car was bought is indicated just under or at the left side of the license plate very few shops are open on the backside of the car. A license plate of an old timer starts with "O"Sundays.
Also make sure you try out the beer. Belgians have the most and best types of beer in the world, and often it'''Train:'''ll be cheaper then water or soda.
== Food Nomadwiki & Toilets Trashwiki ==The price of food on motorway services is relatively high, so try to stock up before leaving and note that very few motorway services have free toilets. The price (usually between €0.30 and 0.50) sometimes includes a voucher that can be used in the restaurant. The cheapest supermarkets in the country are ''Lidl'', ''Aldi'' and ''Colruyt'', and food bought in them will be significantly cheaper than on motorway services. ''Carrefour'' and ''Delhaize'' are more expensive options, but are extensively located downtown with longer opening hours (Often 20:00, but not all of them!) which will offer better prices than the night stores. Note that in Belgium most shops close at 18:00 and very few shops are open on Sundays.
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[[Category:Belgium| ]]
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