Car Rental in Ghent, Belgium

Renting a Car in Ghent: Flanders at Your Own Pace

Ghent is Belgium's best-kept secret — a medieval powerhouse of a city with a cathedral containing the Ghent Altarpiece (the most stolen artwork in history), a dramatic castle in the city center, and a student-fueled nightlife and food scene that Brussels and Bruges cannot match. The city's revolutionary car-free center makes it a joy to explore on foot, while a rental car opens up the Flemish countryside, WWI battlefields, and neighboring cities.

Getting Your Rental Car

Ghent has no airport. Most visitors fly into Brussels Airport (BRU), 60 km east, which has a full range of international rental companies, or Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL), 100 km southeast, popular with budget airlines. Car rental at Brussels Airport includes Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt, Enterprise, Budget, and Goldcar. Economy cars start from €22-€38/day.

Some visitors also use Lille Airport in France (75 km) or Antwerp as starting points.

Ghent's Car-Free Center

Since 2017, Ghent has had one of Europe's most ambitious car-free circulation plans. Key facts:

• The entire historic center is divided into sectors separated by car-free zones
• You cannot drive through the center — you must exit to the ring road (R40) and re-enter in the correct sector
• Cameras enforce the plan with €150 fines — GPS systems do not always know the restrictions
• Hotels in the center can provide temporary access permits for loading/unloading
• Park outside the center and walk or cycle in

Exploring Flanders by Car

The Flemish countryside between Ghent, Bruges, and the coast is beautiful flat cycling country that is equally pleasant by car:

• Bruges (50 km) — the complete medieval city experience, with canals, horse-drawn carriages, and astounding numbers of chocolate shops. Park at the station and walk in
• Belgian Coast (60 km to Ostend) — 67 km of unbroken sandy beach. Ostend has the best seafood restaurants. De Haan is the most charming resort
• Flanders Fields (75 km to Ypres) — the WWI battlefields, cemeteries, and museums are deeply moving. The In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres is outstanding
• Oudenaarde and the Flemish Ardennes (30 km south) — gentle hills that host the Tour of Flanders cycling race, with cobblestone climbs and traditional cafés

Belgian Food Road Trip

Belgium has the highest concentration of good food per square kilometer in the world, and a car lets you hit the highlights. Ghent has the stoverij (beef stew) and its legendary vegetarian scene. Brussels (55 km) has the moules-frites restaurants of Rue des Bouchers (tourist traps) and the genuine bistros of Saint-Gilles. Liège (160 km) has the authentic Liège waffle (nothing like Brussels waffles). And every small town has a frituur (chip stand) with the real Belgian fries — thick-cut, double-fried, with dozens of sauce options.

Practical Information

Belgian motorways are toll-free but can be heavily congested, especially the Brussels ring (R0). Fuel costs €1.65-€1.85/liter. Speed limits are 120 km/h on motorways, 70-90 km/h on regional roads, and 50 km/h in towns. Belgian motorways are famously lit at night — visible from space. Cross-border trips to France, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany are seamless within Schengen. Most rental companies allow free Benelux travel. Brussels has a low-emission zone; check that your rental has the required registration.

Airport Rental Pickup

You can pick up a rental car at these airports near Ghent:

• BRU — desks in arrivals hall, follow "Car Rental" signs
• CRL — desks in arrivals hall, follow "Car Rental" signs

Parking in Ghent

Zone	Cost	Notes
Sint-Baafsplein / City Center	€2.50/hr	The historic center is a car-free zone (circulatieplan). Vehicles are physically blocked from entering most central streets.
Parking Sint-Michiels (Underground)	€14/day	Underground garage near Sint-Michielsbrug, within walking distance of all major sights. The best central option.
P+R Gentbrugge / Bourgoyen	€3-5/day	Park-and-ride facilities connected to tram lines. Best value for day visits to the center.

Traffic note: Ghent implemented a radical traffic circulation plan in 2017 that made most of the city center car-free. The plan divided the center into sectors — you cannot drive from one sector to another without returning to the ring road (R40). Camera enforcement is strict and fines are €150+. This makes Ghent one of Europe's most pleasant cities for pedestrians and cyclists but requires careful route planning for drivers. The E40 and E17 motorways pass near the city. Belgian motorways are toll-free but notoriously congested around Brussels.

Day Trips from Ghent by Car