Travel & Accommodation — Ghent, April 2027
The conference takes place at St Peter's Abbey (Sint-Pietersabdij), Sint-Pietersplein 9, 9000 Ghent, about a 20-minute walk from Gent-Sint-Pieters, the city's main railway station. Ghent is compact: most hotels, restaurants and the workshop dinner venue are within walking or cycling distance of each other. Coffee breaks are provided at the venue, lunch is not. Below, we list some options for lunch and dinner.
Getting to Ghent
The easiest route for most participants is to fly into Brussels Airport and take a direct train to Gent-Sint-Pieters.
By plane
|
Airport |
To Ghent |
Time |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Brussels Airport (BRU), Zaventem |
Direct train to Gent-Sint-Pieters, roughly every 30 min; more options with a change in Brussels |
~55 min |
|
|
Brussels South Charleroi (CRL) |
Direct Flibco shuttle bus to Gent-Sint-Pieters (also sold via Flixbus), about 12 departures a day |
~1 h 40 min |
|
|
Amsterdam (AMS), Paris (CDG), Lille (LIL) |
Train via Brussels-South/Midi or Antwerp |
2.5 to 3.5 h |
By train
Ghent has two main stations: Gent-Sint-Pieters (closest to the venue) and Gent-Dampoort (east side of the centre). Frequent direct trains run from Brussels (South, Central and North), Antwerp and Bruges. International travellers on Eurostar or high-speed trains usually change at Brussels-South/Midi; tickets to "Belgian destinations" often cover the onward leg to Ghent. Plan journeys with the SNCB journey planner.
By car
We do not recommend driving into central Ghent. The centre has a traffic circulation plan that blocks through-traffic between sectors, and everything inside the ring road is a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) enforced by cameras. Even compliant cars with a foreign number plate (except Dutch plates) must be registered before entering; see the City of Ghent LEZ page. The simplest option is to park at a Park+Ride (P+R) on the edge of the city and take a tram or bus in.
Getting to the venue and around Ghent
From Gent-Sint-Pieters, walking to the abbey takes about 20 minutes; most of central Ghent is walkable.
Walking
The route from the station runs north-east through the university district to Sint-Pietersplein. The historic centre (Korenmarkt, Graslei, Gravensteen) is about 15 to 20 minutes on foot from the abbey.
Tram and bus (De Lijn)
Local trams and buses are run by De Lijn.
Bicycles
Ghent is one of the most bike-friendly cities in Europe, and cycling is the fastest way to get around.
- Blue-bike: station bikes (including e-bikes) available at Gent-Sint-Pieters and Gent-Dampoort, rented through the Blue-bike app.
- Shared bikes: Donkey Republic (orange), Dott (blue e-bikes) and Bolt (green e-bikes), unlocked via their apps and returned to designated parking spots.
Hotels
There are plenty of reasonably priced Hotels near the venue such as JAM Ghent, B&B Hotel Gent Centrum, ibis Gent Centrum Opera, etc. Ghent also has several well-reviewed hostels which are quiet cheap.
Food
Lunch is not provided, but the streets around the abbey have many quick, inexpensive options; dinner is best in the historic centre.
- Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat and the Overpoort (a few minutes' walk): sandwich bars, soup bars, pitas, frituren (Belgian fries) and cafés aimed at students, so prices are low and service is quick.
- Sint-Pietersplein itself has cafés with terraces.
- Patershol
- Graslei, Korenlei and Korenmarkt
- Vrijdagmarkt and Sint-Jacobs
Visa and entry
If you need a Schengen visa, apply now: applications for an April 2027 trip can already be lodged, and appointment slots fill weeks ahead.
Do I need a visa?
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: no visa; a valid ID card or passport is sufficient.
- Visa-exempt nationals (for example the US, UK, Canada, Japan, Australia): no visa for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
- All other nationals (for example India, China, most African and many Asian and Latin American countries): a Schengen short-stay visa (type C) is required. Check the EU list of visa requirements if unsure.
Applying for a Schengen visa
- Where to apply. Through the Belgian embassy or consulate responsible for your country of residence. Sometimes its via visa service providers: VFS Global in some countries, TLScontact in others.
- Category: short-stay visa for business / conference.
Invitation letters
Request an invitation letter by ticking the option in the registration form, or by emailing [organisers' email] with your full name exactly as in your passport, nationality, date of birth, passport number, affiliation and planned arrival and departure dates. Letters are issued only to registered participants. The organisers cannot influence visa decisions or contact embassies on your behalf.
Practical tips
- Weather: April in Ghent is mild and changeable, typically around 8 to 15 °C, with frequent showers. Bring a rain jacket and layers.
- Emergencies: call 112 (ambulance, fire, police). For a non-urgent doctor outside office hours, call 1733.