Safety in Belgium

The general picture. Belgium is safe, but stay alert in Brussels and Antwerp. Pickpockets work the central squares and the metro, relying on visitors being absorbed by the architecture.
Around the stations. Take care near Brussels Nord and Midi after dark. These areas are run-down, attract noisy groups and feel considerably less comfortable than the rest of the city.
Bicycle theft. This is the national scourge, with bikes stolen in broad daylight. Use two good locks, fix the frame to something immovable and never leave a bike unattended in an unguarded rack.
Scams. In tourist areas you meet fake police and self-appointed helpers offering to work the ticket machines. Use official counters only and do not engage with strangers demanding to see documents.
On the road. Drivers are generally courteous, but cyclists have priority and ride fast. Look properly before stepping onto a bike lane, which is the single most common way visitors get hurt.
Healthcare. The system is excellent, but without insurance any consultation costs hundreds of euros. If you fall ill, call your insurer first so they direct you to the right clinic and confirm payment.
Advisories. Check your own government's travel advice before you go, mostly for anything affecting rail strikes or large events in the capital.

Belgium is calm, but Brussels has noticeable street crime by European standards, and one famous tourist trap of a street.

Rue des Bouchers. A street of restaurants steps from the Grand Place where touts literally take your sleeve and steer you inside. Prices are inflated, quality is middling, and items you did not order appear on the bill. Locals do not go there. Brussels's good restaurants are away from that street.

Midi and Nord stations. The main pickpocket locations, especially on the airport train platforms and around Eurostar. Keep your bag in front of you.

The metro. Lines 1 and 5, and the stations by tourist sites.

Plain-clothes "police". They ask to see your wallet for counterfeit notes. Real Belgian police do not.

ATMs. Decline the machine's currency conversion.

Souvenirs. Chocolate in the tourist shops around the Grand Place costs three times supermarket prices, and "handmade" is often factory-made.

Low emission zones are the main trap for a visiting driver. Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent operate LEZs, and a foreign car must be registered online in advance — free, but compulsory. Without it the fine runs to roughly 150 to 350 euros and arrives by post. Cameras read the plate automatically with no barriers, so the offence only comes to light afterwards.

Documents. You must carry identification in Belgium. A passport copy usually satisfies the police, but keep the original accessible.

Terrorism threat level. The country runs the OCAD system, and bag checks at museums, stations and shopping centres are normal. Military patrols have appeared on the streets in the past and may return.

Drugs. Possession of a small amount of cannabis by an adult is not a priority for prosecution, but it is not legal. Selling is a criminal offence.

Alcohol. Street drinking is prohibited in central Brussels and several communes.

Drones. Registration is compulsory and flights over Brussels are prohibited — the EU institutions and NATO are in the city.

Photography. EU and NATO buildings and military sites should not be photographed.

Vaccinations. None.

Water. Tap water is drinkable nationwide.

Healthcare. Excellent and expensive. The Belgian system runs through a family doctor, but urgent cases go to any hospital's emergency department. An uninsured foreigner is billed in full: an emergency visit costs several hundred euros.

Pharmacies. Duty pharmacies operate around the clock on a rota, with the list on the door of every closed one. Many medicines require a prescription.

Weather. Rain and wind all year, damp and dark in winter. No particular risk, but you need real shoes and a real coat.

Bicycles. In Flanders the bicycle is the main form of transport, cycle lanes are everywhere, and a pedestrian standing in one is in genuine danger: speeds are high and e-bikes are numerous.

Food. Belgian beer is stronger than it tastes: 8 to 10 percent in an ordinary glass is normal. The main cause of tourist injuries here is falling over after a tasting.

Emergency numbers: 112 unified, 100 ambulance and fire.

Belgium sits in the upper half of the Corruption Perceptions Index. There is no street bribery.

Numbers. 101 for police, 112 for the European line.

Reporting theft. Your insurer needs a report. Belgium operates online filing through police-on-web, noticeably faster than a station visit. You will also need the report to replace a passport.

Brussels districts. Molenbeek, Anderlecht along the canal and the area around Midi station in the evening call for more attention. The centre, Ixelles, Saint-Gilles and the European quarter are calm.

Languages. Brussels is bilingual, Flanders speaks Dutch and Wallonia French. English is widely spoken in the capital. Addressing someone in French in Flanders is received coolly — go straight to English.

Traffic police. There are many cameras, and Belgium applies priority to the right more widely than its neighbours, which regularly causes accidents involving foreign drivers.

Emergency number is 112.