Getting Around Charleroi

Getting Around Charleroi

Charleroi is the largest city in Wallonia, sitting in the valley of the Sambre in the province of Hainaut, in south-western Belgium. For a visitor, the good news is that the centre and its immediate surroundings are compact enough to cover on foot, and the city is backed by a regional public transport network that reaches the suburbs and neighbouring municipalities. This guide covers the practical options: walking, the light metro and trams, buses, suburban trains, taxis, bikes and scooters, and how to get in from the airport.

On Foot

Charleroi's centre, as well as its immediate surroundings, can be easily explored on foot. If your plans are concentrated around the central area, you may not need public transport at all. Note that the main railway station sits on the opposite side of the Sambre from the city centre, so a short walk across the river connects the two.

Who Runs Public Transport

Public transport in Charleroi is provided by TEC, the regional operator responsible for public transit across all of Wallonia. TEC is an acronym for Transport en commun, meaning public transportation. In Charleroi it runs both the light-rail metro system and the bus lines.

There are TEC offices and ticket points in the city, including at Place des Tramways and at the Esplanade de la Gare du Sud. The ticket office at the north-west corner of the Charleroi-Central (formerly Charleroi-Sud) railway station is located in the métro léger station, which makes it a convenient place to sort out tickets when you arrive by train.

The Light Metro and Trams

The Métro léger de Charleroi — "light metro of Charleroi" — is a light rail system that combines underground rail with street-level tram and light rail. In the city centre it runs underground along a loop line; as it heads into the suburbs it becomes a ground-level light rail with its own right-of-way, or a street-level tram using tracks inherited from Belgium's former vicinal system.

The lines all share the central loop and then branch out towards various suburbs and even into other municipalities. In broad terms:

• Lines M1 and M2 head eastwards from the centre, sharing a route towards Anderlues.
• Line M3 runs northwards to Gosselies.
• Line M4 runs eastwards to the Soleilmont intermodal terminus in Gilly.
• Line M5 was completed but never opened along a large portion of its route, with many stations left abandoned for decades; construction resumed in 2024 and it is foreseen to open in 2027.

One practical quirk to keep in mind: despite how extensive the system is, there is no direct connection by metro to Charleroi Airport.

If you want to sightsee by tram, the tourist office at the Charleroi-Central railway station has a pamphlet describing sites and an itinerary along the Charleroi-Pétria métro léger line — effectively a tour by tram. For an itinerary like that, you will probably want a day pass.

Buses

Alongside the metro, several bus lines run across Charleroi, operated by TEC. Buses are the main way to reach parts of the city and region that the light rail does not serve, and they are also the link to the airport (see below).

Tickets can be bought from ticket machines at bus stops, or from the driver when you are boarding away from a machine — for example when coming from the airport.

Suburban Trains (S Train)

SNCB, the national rail operator, runs five S Train lines in Charleroi, which are useful for reaching areas the metro does not cover:

• S19 connects with Brussels Airport and also serves some areas west of the Brussels–Charleroi Canal.
• S62 serves the general north-west of Charleroi.
• S63 serves the south-west, in areas not served by the metro.
• S61 connects the north-east and south-east, in areas not served by the M4 metro line.
• S64 connects the south with the central area.

The central railway station — formerly Charleroi-Sud, now Charleroi-Central — is on the far side of the Sambre from the city centre, at Square des Martyrs du 18 Août. It has self-service baggage storage lockers with a minimum rental time of 24 hours. When you come out of the main building, keep left to reach the metro and bus stops. Direct trains run from Brussels (all stations), including Brussels Airport-Zaventem, via the S19.

Bikes and E-Scooters

Cycling is uncommon in Charleroi — unlike the cities of Flanders, you will rarely see cyclists, and locals by and large prefer to drive even for comparatively short distances. The municipality has made some efforts to change this, and a few main roads have gained bicycle lanes, but these often end abruptly after a short stretch, forcing cyclists back onto the road. If you do ride, plan accordingly.

Bike sharing has been available through Bolt since 2024: download their app and register to find e-bikes in Charleroi. Electric kick scooter sharing is provided by Bolt and Dott.

Taxis

Taxis are also an option for getting around Charleroi. They are a straightforward choice for short hops, late arrivals, or trips to places poorly served by the metro and buses.

Getting In From the Airport

Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) lies a few kilometres north of the city. Despite the "Brussels" in its name, it is not close to Brussels — the distance is considerable — so treat it as Charleroi's airport. Ryanair and Wizzair both fly from here to many European and North African destinations, with Ryanair alone serving a large number of routes.

There is no metro link to the airport, so your options are bus or a connecting train:

• TEC bus line A1 runs between the airport and Charleroi-Central (Charleroi-Sud) train station. You can buy a ticket from the ticket machines at the bus stop near the train station, or from the driver when coming from the airport. The ride is short — under twenty minutes — and buses run roughly half-hourly from early morning until late at night. The ticket allows transfers to and from regular lines on your outbound or return journey and is valid for 60 minutes.
• TEC shuttle A2 runs to Fleurus SNCB station, from where you can take a train to Ottignies and Leuven.
• TEC shuttle A3 runs to Luttre SNCB station, from where you can take a train to Brussels and Antwerp.
• Flibco operates buses directly to the airport from Bruges, Brussels Midi Station, Ghent, Mons and Lille — useful if you are arriving from or heading to another city rather than Charleroi itself.

All three TEC airport services cost the same flat fare, and the A1 in particular is the simplest way to connect the airport with the city's main rail hub, where you can pick up trains, the metro and local buses.

Arriving by Train or Long-Distance Bus

The central railway station is the natural arrival point if you come by train, with direct services from Brussels and other Belgian destinations, and the metro and bus stops right outside. Long-distance coaches use the central intercity bus station at Rue de la Villette, where Flixbus runs a few services a day to Paris and Liège.

Practical Summary

• In the centre: walk — the centre and immediate surroundings are easily covered on foot.
• To the suburbs: use the TEC light metro and trams, which share a central underground loop before branching out, or the TEC bus lines.
• For gaps in the network: SNCB's S Train lines fill in areas the metro does not reach.
• Tickets: buy from ticket machines at stops or stations, or from the driver where no machine is available.
• From the airport: take TEC bus A1 to Charleroi-Central, or the A2/A3 shuttles to Fleurus and Luttre for onward trains; Flibco coaches serve other cities directly.
• Bikes and scooters: cycling infrastructure is patchy, but Bolt e-bikes and Bolt/Dott e-scooters are available via their apps.
• Taxis: available for direct trips around the city.