Travelling to Belgium from England can be very easy if you plan your trip and be aware of the driving laws in Belgium. If you travel from the Kent coast via the Eurotunnel you can expect to get to Belgium in just 35 minutes, amazing right? Here is our checklist for driving to Belgium from England.
Things to do before your trip
Check the driving laws of Belgium, their driving law states:
- The legal driving age in Belgium is 18, so you will need to be over the age of 18 to legally drive there.
- In Belgium, you drive on the right side of the road, unlike in the UK where we drive on the left.
- You will need to display a “UK” sticker on your car.
- You will receive an on-the-spot fine of €116 if you fail to wear a seat belt.
Make sure your car is in good health, to avoid breaking down in Belgium.
- Check your oil levels and make sure your car has no warning lights before you travel, as driving a car with low oil levels is a risk you should never take for a long journey.
- Book to have your car serviced before your trip especially if your vehicle hasn’t been serviced for a long period of time, as it is better to be safe than sorry.
- If you have an electric vehicle or a hybrid car, you should check to see which routes have the most electric car charging stations as this will definitely come in handy.
Things to remember during your journey
- Use a traffic or navigation app on your smartphone that gives you live traffic data, so you can avoid getting stuck in traffic or even getting lost on your journey.
- If possible have a driving partner where you take it in turns to drive some of the journey, this should prevent fatigue whilst driving as driving whilst feeling tired is very dangerous and it can cause serious accidents.
- Stick to the speed limit in Belgium, forget about UK speed limits as they do not apply there, here in the UK we use ‘miles per hour’ and in Belgium they use ‘km per hour’.
- Road signs may be different in Belgium to the road signs in the UK- be vigilant and observant of road signs.
- Have money ready for toll roads and use the correct currency which is Euro.
Things to remember on your return home
- Prepare to pay for any toll roads you may approach when you are back in the UK.
- Remember to bring any legal documents back with you.
- Avoid bringing illegal goods into the UK, as your car will be inspected on your return journey.
- Remember to abide by UK road laws on your return.
- Expect traffic on approach to the UK- allow lots of time for your journey.
Final thoughts
We hope you have enjoyed our checklist of things to remember for travelling to Belgium from England. There are lots of things to remember for your long journey, but as long as you plan your journey and you are aware of the driving rules in Belgium, you will have a relatively easy journey.
If you are looking to have an exciting journey, you may want to consider selling your car for a new one to digital companies that will help you sell your car, so you will have a lovely new car to drive on your long journey to Belgium or even other parts of Europe.