Broadly safe for most visitors, with only routine travel precautions needed. Public health and infrastructure are well developed.
Regional breakdown
Brussels draws the most visitors and the most warnings. The official advisory guidance and official advisory guidance both flag the capital as a target for pickpockets around Grand Place, the Midi/Zuid station, and on the metro. Travellers should watch out for bag snatching on trains running to and from Brussels Airport and Brussels-Midi, where Eurostar passengers gather. Police patrols are visible, but thieves work fast in busy queues. Antwerp and Ghent see fewer problems but still report bike theft, late-night street incidents near nightlife strips, and occasional protests in city centres. In Antwerp, the diamond district and the area around Centraal Station have seen organised pickpocket rings. Bruges, Leuven and the smaller Flemish towns are quieter, though weekend crowds can still attract opportunistic theft. The Ardennes and rural Wallonia are mostly calm. Hikers around Bouillon, Dinant and the Hautes Fagnes should plan for sudden weather changes and limited mobile signal. Border areas with France and the Netherlands sometimes see police checks linked to drug trafficking and people smuggling, but these rarely affect ordinary tourists. Coastal towns like Ostend and Knokke stay busy through summer with no specific regional warning attached.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance last updated its Belgium page on 7 April 2026. It does not warn against travel to any part of the country. The main flag is strike action, which has hit transport repeatedly. General strikes ran on 31 March, 29 April, 14 October, 26 November and 15 December 2025, then again on 12 March 2026. More can be called at short notice, often shutting trains, trams and parts of Brussels Airport for a day at a time. The official advisory guidance keeps Belgium at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, last reissued on 22 May 2025. The reason is the ongoing risk of terrorist attacks. The advisory points to tourist sites, stations, shopping streets, hotels, places of worship and large public events as possible targets. Neither government has issued an ordered departure or restricted any region. Both ask travellers to sign up for alerts, keep travel insurance current, and check transport status before heading to the airport or boarding a Eurostar.
What travellers should know
Plan around strikes. Belgian rail, bus and air staff give notice but services can collapse with little warning. Check SNCB, STIB and Brussels Airport sites the night before travel, and build in a buffer if catching a Eurostar or onward flight. Keep a backup route in mind, such as a Thalys/Eurostar swap or a bus to a neighbouring city. Petty crime is the most common issue tourists report. Keep wallets and phones out of back pockets on the Brussels metro, at Midi station, and in queues at Manneken Pis or the Atomium. Use hotel safes for passports. Card payments are accepted almost everywhere, so carrying large amounts of cash is rarely needed. Terrorism alert levels are set by OCAD/OCAM and can change quickly. Expect armed police and bag checks at stations, museums and major events. Follow staff instructions and avoid leaving luggage unattended. For emergencies dial 112. Travel insurance with medical and cancellation cover is recommended, and visitors should carry a GHIC card for state healthcare access. Drivers should note Belgium's low-emission zones in Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent, which require online vehicle registration before entry.