Please contact the local organizers if you need a letter of invitation for applying for visa to enter Belgium.
By air
- From Brussels Zaventem Airport (BRL) you can travel by train to Louvain-la-Neuve station as early as 5:30 am. From Zaventem station, you can board the train for Brussels-North station, where you have to change trains to continue to Louvain-la-Neuve (not to be confused with Louvain, the French translation of Leuven). You can take the S8 train that goes directly to Louvain-la-Neuve. Otherwise, board the train to Ottignies and take the connection to Louvain-la-Neuve. The train journey takes around 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes depending on the connection and layover.
- From Brussels Charleroi Airport (CRL) take the direct bus (TEC bus) to the Charleroi-South train Station. TEC bus A shuttle between Charleroi Airport and Charleroi-South Station (20 minutes travel time) every 30 minutes. From Charleroi-South Station take a train to Louvain-la-Neuve - with one change in Ottignies. The train journey takes around 1 hour to 1 hour 40 minutes depending on the connections. You may be able to buy a combined ticket for your bus and train journey - see the train/bus from Brussels South (Charleroi) Airport.
By Train
- Louvain-la-Neuve station is directly linked to the railway junction of Ottignies, on the Brussels-Namur railway line, with two trains per hour in each direction, the weekend included.
- Louvain-la-Neuve is approximately 30 minutes from Brussel Central; change in Ottignies for the train to Louvain-la-Neuve (or take the S8 train that goes directly to Louvain-la-Neuve).
- If you travel from Namur or Charleroi, change in Ottignies for the train to Louvain-la-Neuve.
- If you travel from Luxembourg, change in Ottignies (if you take the EC 96 Iris or EC 90 Vauban train that originates in Switzerland, change in Namur for a train to Ottignies).
- If you travel from any other country, change to Brussels-Nord or in Brussels-Midi. From there you can get the train to Ottignies or Louvain-la-Neuve.
See the SNCB website for all the schedules.
Attention: Do not confuse Louvain-la-Neuve with Louvain (the French translation of the Flemish city of Leuven), which is a different city on a different railway line.
By Taxi
- Taxis from Brussels Airport (Zaventem): Taxi details
- There are always taxis with a time meter in front of the arrivals hall. Tip: better to avoid taxis without the yellow-blue license marks!
- If you prefer to pre-book a taxi: Autolux. By choosing the return-trip formula between the airport and the Brussels-Capital Region, you benefit from fixed prices that offer a discount of 20% on average.
- A ride from Brussels airport to the center of Brussels costs around 45 euros and lasts approximately 25 minutes.
- The ride from the airport to Louvain-la-Neuve costs around 90 Euros and lasts approximately 30 minutes (from Brussels Zaventem) or 40 minutes (from Charleroi Airport).
By car
Take the E 411 Brussels-Namur motorway to Louvain-la-Neuve
- If traveling from Brussels, take exit 8a
- If traveling from Namur, take exit 9.
At the Nationale 4 roundabout, follow the signs to Louvain-la-Neuve.
Limited parking slots are available in Louvain-la-Neuve. Some information are available on UCLouvain website. If you need a visitor card to park in UCLouvain reserved slots, please contact Carinne Mertens well in advance.
Participants staying near Brussels
- On weekdays, the train from Brussel Central to Louvain-la-Neuve (with one change in Ottignies) starts from 5.38 am.
- On weekdays, there is a direct train from Brussel Central to Louvain-la-Neuve every hour starting from 5.46 am.
- Given the starting time of the workshop, participants may want to take the 7.15 am S8 train from Brussel Central.
