Practical informations

General

• Note that many names of places and institutions in Belgium, particularly in Brussels, have a French and a Dutch version.

• Note also that sometimes French and Dutch versions of the same name refer to different institutions.

Travel

To Brussels:

• By plane:

> The main ariport is Brussels Airport in Zaventem. There is also a low cost Brussels South Charleroi Airport.

> From Brussels Airport, you can take a bus (Airport line 12 or 21) to arrive to Brussels. From either airport, you can also take a train (airport connections).

• By train or bus:

> Use Thalys trains, Izy trains or OUIbus to arrive from France, Thalys trains to arrive from the Netherlands, Thalys or ICE trains to arrive from Germany, and Eurostar trains to arrive from the UK.

> A useful website is SNCB/NMBS-Europe.

To Louvain-la-Neuve:

• By train:

> Use suburban trains (line S8) to go from Brussels to Louvain-la-Neuve - Université [from 11 June 2017, simply Louvain-la-Neuve] directly (last stop). Use fast IC trains (line 161) to go from Brussels, Namur or Luxembourg to Ottignies and change there to Louvain-la-Neuve - Université [from 11 June 2017, simply Louvain-la-Neuve] (1 stop from Ottignies). Do not go to Louvain (Leuven) which is a different city. See SNCB/NMBS route planner and timetables.

• By bus:

> Use express TEC bus lines to arrive to Louvain-la-Neuve - Gare d'autobus (last stop) from Brussels' Delta metro station (metro line 5 bus line C) or Roodebeek, Vandervelde or Kraainem metro stations (metro line 1 bus line C bis). Note that there are no express TEC buses on Saturdays and Sundays. See TEC website.

• By car:

> Take the motorway E411 from Brussels or Namur, use exit 8 if coming from Brussels and exit 9 if coming from Namur. To get more detailed instructions within the city and ensure a place in a parking contact the organisers. Note that the centre of Louvain-la-Neuve is closed to cars. The parkings are located in the underground or in the suburbs and may require an autorisation from the university. 

To Wavre (Waver):

• By train:

> Use fast IC trains (line 161) to go from Brussels, Namur or Luxembourg to Ottignies and change there to Bierges-Walibi / Wavre / Basse-Wavre (2nd to 4th stop from Ottignies in the direction of Louvain (Leuven), line 139). To go from Wavre to Louvain-la-Neuve, return by train to Ottignies and change there to Louvain-la-Neuve - Université [from 11 June 2017, simply Louvain-la-Neuve] (1 stop from Ottignies). See SNCB/NMBS route planner and timetables.

• By bus:

> Use express TEC bus lines to arrive to Wavre boulevard de l'Europe / Wavre rue Théophile Piat / Wavre Gare from Brussels' Delta metro station (metro line 5 bus line C) or Roodebeek, Vandervelde or Kraainem metro stations (metro line 1 bus line C bis). Use the same buses to get from Wavre to Louvain-la-Neuve - Gare d'autobus or vice versa. Note that there are no express TEC buses on Saturdays and Sundays. Use ordinary TEC bus lines between Wavre and Brussels' Herrmann-Debroux metro station (metro line 5 bus line E) and between Wavre, Louvain-la-Neuve and Ottignies (line 20). See TEC website. In the morning and evening, use ordinary De Lijn buses between Wavre (Waver) and Brussels' Herrmann-Debroux metro station (metro line 5 bus line 341 or 345). Note that these buses do not run to Wavre (Waver) on Saturdays and Sundays. See De Lijn website.

Accommodation

In Brussels:

• There are plenty of hotels and other types of accommodation in Brussels. You may like the neighbourhoods of Brussels-Central, Louise and Merode. Avoid the district of Brussels-Nord. Note that Schuman is closed during summits.

• For transport within Brussels (metro, premetro, tram, bus) see STIB/MIVB website.

In Louvain-la-Neuve:

• There is an Ibis Styles hotel in Louvain-la-Neuve. Rooms may run out fast so booking should be made in advance.

• Some university rooms may be available, few minutes from both the train and bus stations and the conference venue. Contact the organisers for help with reservation if interested.

In Wavre (Waver):

• The hotel Leonardo Wavre provides free shuttles from the hotel to Louvain-la-Neuve - Gare d'autobus departing at 8 and 9 AM and from Louvain-la-Neuve - Gare d'autobus to the hotel departing at 5:30 and 6:30 PM (reservation may be necessary; reservations for the 8 AM shuttle have been made for 3 and 4 July). The hotel is also conveniently located next to Bierges-Walibi train station. However there seem to be no facilities at this station for buying tickets, so this should be done elsewhere or else other means of transport can be used.

• The hotel Ibis Wavre has opened end May after a renovation. Check with them whether shuttles are provided.