Getting Around Schaerbeek: A Practical Guide
Schaerbeek is one of the municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, so getting around it means plugging into the Brussels transport network. The good news for visitors is that the same tickets and passes cover the whole region, and Schaerbeek's two distinct halves — the western side near Brussels-North railway station and the Chaussée de Haecht, and the more affluent eastern side around Josaphat Park, the Diamant Quarter and the Flowers Quarter — are both well served by public transport.
How Visitors Move Around Brussels
Brussels is served by a dense, integrated public transport network. Four separate operators run Belgium's public transport, and they connect seamlessly: SNCB/NMBS for national railways, STIB/MIVB for bus, tram and metro within Brussels, De Lijn for tram and bus in Flanders, and TEC for tram and bus in Wallonia. For a visitor staying in Schaerbeek, STIB/MIVB is the operator you will use most, with SNCB/NMBS trains for longer trips out of the city.
Brussels is the only Belgian city with a full metro system, and it also has an extensive tram and bus network. Trams also run in Antwerp, Ghent, Liège and Charleroi, but within Brussels the metro, tram and bus combination is what you will rely on.
Rail, Metro and Trams
The national rail network, run by SNCB/NMBS, serves a large number of stations across Belgium, with intercity trains linking the major cities at frequent intervals. Schaerbeek has its own railway station, and Brussels-North railway station sits on the municipality's western edge — useful if you are arriving by train or heading out of the city. The national railway museum, Train World, is located at Schaerbeek railway station.
Within Brussels, the STIB/MIVB metro and tram network is the backbone of city movement. The metro is the fastest way to cover longer distances across the region, while trams are useful for reaching specific neighbourhoods. Metro expansion is under construction in Brussels, including a North-South extension and a new line, so some routes may change over time — check current maps when you arrive.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Buses complement the rail and metro networks and are the primary transport for shorter local journeys or destinations not served by train. In Schaerbeek, buses are often the most convenient way to reach the Chaussée de Haecht area, the Turkish restaurants and shops of the so-called "Little Anatolia" around St. Mary's Royal Church, and the residential streets of the eastern districts.
Because Schaerbeek sits inside the Brussels-Capital Region, the Brupass system applies. A Brupass covers the entire Brussels-Capital Region on STIB/MIVB services plus De Lijn, TEC and SNCB/NMBS stops within the Brussels zone. A Brupass XL extends further, to a ring beyond the city centre that includes select Flemish Brabant stops. For most visits confined to Schaerbeek and central Brussels, the standard Brupass is sufficient.
Buying Tickets and Passes
There are several ways to pay for Brussels public transport, and the cheapest options are usually the digital ones.
- Contactless bank card: Tap your card on validators or metro gates. This is accepted on STIB/MIVB buses, trams and metro, and a daily cap applies once you make enough journeys in a day — effectively giving you a day pass once you hit the cap.
- STIB/MIVB app: Buy and activate a ticket on your phone when boarding.
- MOBIB card: A shared chipcard used across all four Belgian operators. You can load tickets from any operator onto one card and tap it at validators when boarding. It is not required for most occasional travel, but it is useful for season tickets or for combining multiple operators. It can be loaded at BOOTIK, KIOSK or GO vending machines.
- Paper tickets: Available from vending machines, but more expensive than the app or contactless options.
If you plan to travel beyond Brussels into Flanders or Wallonia, note that De Lijn and TEC run their own ticketing. De Lijn tickets can be bought via its app, by tapping a contactless bank card on the white validator when boarding, or by SMS, and single and day tickets are valid for a set window from activation with transfers allowed within it. TEC has moved to a single flat fare on its classic lines, valid network-wide for a set period, with transfers between TEC bus, tram and metro lines allowed within that window; TEC paper tickets bought on board are more expensive, so buy in advance via the app or official sales points.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available in Brussels and can be a convenient option for late nights or for trips with luggage, particularly between Schaerbeek and the airport or the city centre. Ride-hailing apps also operate in the city. For most daytime travel within Schaerbeek, however, public transport is faster and cheaper, especially given the density of the network and the traffic in the region.
Walkability
Schaerbeek is a compact, densely built municipality, and much of it is very walkable. The eastern part — including Josaphat Park, the Diamant Quarter, the Flowers Quarter and the area around Square Vergote and Boulevard Lambermont — is noted for its architecture and convenient location, close to the EU institutions, the financial heart of the city and NATO's headquarters. Josaphat Park itself provides a haven of quiet in the heart of the city and is a pleasant place to walk; donkeys are still kept there, a nod to the municipality's nickname, "the city of donkeys."
The western part, around Brussels-North railway station, the Chaussée de Haecht and the Van Praet bridge, is a busy, multicultural area with Turkish, Moroccan, Spanish, Congolese and Asian communities, and it rewards walking if you want to explore its restaurants and shops. The Art Nouveau and Art Deco heritage of Schaerbeek — including the Autrique House, the first house built by Victor Horta in the Brussels area, and the Municipal Hall — is best seen on foot. Note that Schaerbeek Cemetery, despite its name, is actually located in the neighbouring municipality of Evere, so plan a separate trip if you want to visit it.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Brussels Airport at Zaventem is the main airport for the region, and the train is the most straightforward way into the city. SNCB/NMBS trains connect the airport to Brussels, and the standard single ticket to or from the airport automatically includes the Diabolo fee — a supplement charged per single journey on top of the regular ticket. Be aware that some ticket types, such as multi-journey cards and certain season tickets, require the supplement to be purchased separately, and the Train+ discount does not apply to the supplement. Children under twelve travelling free with a paying adult are exempt from the supplement.
Once you reach Brussels, you can connect to Schaerbeek via the metro, tram or bus network using a Brupass, or by taxi or ride-hailing from the station. If you are arriving by train from elsewhere in Belgium, Brussels-North railway station is on Schaerbeek's western edge and is a convenient arrival point for the municipality.
For fares, SNCB/NMBS moved to distance-based pricing with automatic best-fare selection, and a weekend fare offers a discount on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. A Train+ subscription is available for frequent off-peak travellers. If you are only making a single trip from the airport, the standard fare with the Diabolo supplement included is the simplest option.